Three children have died after being strangled in the cords of window blinds, so today six companies announced a massive recall of several brands of window treatments.

Lewis Hyman Inc. recalled 4.2 million oval roll-up blinds and 600,000 Woolrich Roman shades. The products were sold at Target and other retailers nationwide. Vertical Land recalled over 32,000 horizontal and vertical blinds. Pottery Barn Kids/Williams-Sonoma, Inc. recalled 85,000 Roman shades. IKEA recalled 120,000 Melina Roman blinds because the wheels fell off because of an exposed inner cord. And Lutron Shading Solutions and Victoria Classics have recalled 245,000 and 163,000 shades respectively for the same reasons.

In all cases, the problems come from exposed cords or looped beaded chains that kids can get wrapped around their necks. This seems to be one of those events where suddenly every manufacturer realizes that maybe a standard product design doesn’t play well with naturally curious children.

*And by “celebrate” we mean “masturbate furiously.”

“Six companies recall window blinds and shades after deaths and near-strangulations” [Los Angeles Times]

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