Vertical Land Horizontal and Vertical Blinds and Cellular Shades

Description: Strangulation Death of a Child Prompts Recall To Repair Window Blinds By Vertical Land NEWS from CPSC U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 26, 2009 Release # 09-329 Firm's Recall Hotline: (800) 423-8653 CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772 CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908 Strangulation Death of a Child Prompts Recall To Repair Window Blinds By Vertical Land WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product. Name of Products: Horizontal and Vertical Blinds and Cellular Shades Units: About 15,400 (horizontal), 16,400 (vertical), 800 (Cellular Shades) Manufacturer: Vertical Land Inc., of Panama City Beach, Fla. Hazard: Horizontal Blinds: The blinds do not have inner cord stop devices to prevent the accessible inner cords from being pulled out. If an inner cord is pulled out, a child can become entangled in the loop and strangle. Vertical Blinds: Strangulations can occur if a child’s neck becomes entangled on the free-standing loop formed by the bead chain or by the cord with a weighted device. Cellular Shades: Strangulations can occur if a child’s neck becomes entangled on the shade’s free-standing looped cord. Incidents/Injuries: In May 2006, CPSC received a report of a 4-year-old girl from Pensacola, Fla., who strangled in the loop of a vertical blind cord that was not attached to the wall or floor. Description: This recall involves all Vertical Land custom-made vertical and cellular window coverings that do not have a cord tensioning device and horizontal blinds that do not have inner cord stop devices. A sticker identification label can be found on the head rail of some of the window coverings which lists the company’s name, address and telephone number. Sold at: Vertical Land stores in Panama City and Pensacola, Fla. from January 1992 through December 2006 for between $60 and $200 (depending on the size of the blind). Manufactured in: United States Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the window coverings and contact Vertical Land to receive a free retrofit kit. Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Vertical Land at (800) 423-8653 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday. Consumers can also view a video clip (transcript) about this recall. This is in "streaming video" format. [Learn More]