Make It Safe

Summary Of The Key Requirements of BS EN 13120 – Child Safety For Blinds

Where do the new rules apply?

Where internal blinds are installed in premises where children aged from 0 to 42 months are likely to have access or to be present. Examples are homes,hotels, hospitals, churches, shops,schools and general public places. The new standards also apply when the destination of the blind is unknown.

Are there any exceptions?

It does not apply where internal blinds are installed in premises where children are unlikely tohave access. Examples are factories, laboratories etc. in these cases specific labels must be use as notice of this.

When does BS EN 13120:2009+A1:2014 come into effect?

When the BSI (Bristish Standards Institute) publish the document it is in the public domain and effective immediately. This was on the 28th February 2014.

Is there a period of grace or lead in period?

Normally there is a lead in period in cases like these. However, BS EN 13120 will be monitored by UK Trading Standards. Advice from the Department for Business Innovation and Skills is “Although a six month lead in period is not written in stone it is what is generally accepted, and any action by Trading Standards will be proportionate” and from Trading Standards “whilst the group thought that a transitional period would be sensible it did not prescribe any duration for such a period.” The best advice from all parties is to be compliant as soon as possible.

How Do I Make My Evans Roman Blinds and Corded Tracks Compliant?

All hazardous cords, chains and loops must be removed or made safe.

Operating Chains & Cords –

The important point of calculation now becomes the installation height of the blind or track, this determines how long the chain or cord can be. 

The bottom loop of the chain or cord must be 150cms from the floor and secured with an Evans Textiles 781180 safety device, without the safety device the product is not compliant and should not be fitted.
Example – Headrail installation height 2.25mts, chain/cord length will be 75cms maximum. See the attached document for examples and training videos.

OR

If the operating chain/cord has a breakaway device then the bottom loop of the cord/chain can be 60cms from the floor and item 781180 is not needed.(Evans product under development for early summer)

Note – there are no allowances in BS EN 13120 for items such as kitchen units or other obstructions preventing easy access to the chain/cord, the advice from the BBSA is to fit an alternative compliant product, i.e. curtains.

Low Level Blinds – If the installation height of the blind is less than or around 150cms from the floor then an operating chain with a maximum loop of 20cms can be used.
Although the bottom loop of the chain will be closer than the allowed 150cms, the 20cm maximum size loop is deemed to have removed the hazard.

Accessible Inner Cords (Roman Blind Pull Cords at the rear)

The maximum distance between two consecutive attachment/retention points (normally rods pockets or blind rings) shall be less than or equal to 20cms. Any of the traditional methods of fixing the cord to the bottom rod pocket can be used if the rods are no more than 20cms apart in all areas of the Roman blind.

For Roman Blinds with rod pockets greater than 20cms at any point an Evans Textiles breakaway device must be used on each cord. Evans product codes 76444, 76555 and 76334-Cord can be used. See the attached document for examples and training videos.
Samples are available free of charge by calling the sales team.

Warning Label Requirements

1. A General Warning Notice is needed on all systems
2. Safety Device labels are also needed
3. Fitting/Product Instructions needed

All compliant Evans Textiles systems will carry the correct warning labels as standard. It is the responsibility of our customers to identify the Roman blind with their company details for traceability once the fabric is added.

Testing Required

All Evans Textiles safety products have undergone independent tests in accordance with the requirements of EN 16434 (Requirements for test methods for safety devices)

These safety devices have then been used on Evans Roman Headrail systems and tested to BS EN 13120:2009 +A1:2014 (Performance requirements including safety)

Full test certificates are available on request.

Can I Use Evans Safety Devices with Other Blind Systems?

The simple answer is yes as they have passed EN 16434, however in order to comply with the Internal Blinds Performance Requirements they have only been tested as compatible with Evans Roman Headrails. Therefore it is the responsibility of anyone buying individual components from various suppliers to have their end product tested to BS EN 13120.

Baton Type Systems – Can these be made compliant?

Yes. However as Evans are not supplying the baton and a multitude of products can be used to make the blind, we can’t test and certify our products. Therefore it is the responsibility of anyone buying individual components from various suppliers to have their end product tested
to BS EN 13120.

The basic rules apply, the cleat must be 150cms from the floor and accumulate all/most of the cord – only a single cord of no more than 20cms can hang below the cleat. Breakaway devices must also be used as per the section “Accessible Inner Cords” above. Also extra cord devices
will be needed at the top of the blind to prevent the pull cord from creating a hazardous loop at the rear of the blind.

The video here http://www.bbsa.org.uk/domestic/child-safety/26 at around 6 mins 50 seconds demonstrates these devices on a Venetian Blind.

BBSA Member Certificate – Can I get a copy?

A copy is attached and can be used by customers of Evans Textiles that are current buyers of our BSXL or Set Size Roman Headrails.
The information above is only intended to give general and preliminary guidance to the reader on the General Product Safety
Regulations.
The information should not form the basis upon which the reader makes any decisions or conclusions concerning their own rights ortheir obligations under the General Product Safety Regulations. Evans Textiles strongly recommend that the reader obtains detailed and specific legal advice from their own legal counsel concerning their position.

Evans Textiles cannot guarantee that the standards or regulations will not be changed before coming into force, or after having come into force will be subject to change, or how the regulations will be interpreted. Evans Textiles are not responsible for any errors, omissions, or statements made.

Evans Textiles are not responsible for any loss, howsoever caused, and whether arising directly or indirectly from reliance upon the information and any recommendations provided by Evans Textiles to any reader of this material.