Loose blind and curtain cords are a documented strangulation hazard for young children, and Australia regulates them for exactly that reason. Corded internal window coverings are covered by mandatory safety standards — one covering the supply of the products and one covering their installation — which require cords to be kept out of children’s reach and secured so they cannot form a loop.
New corded blinds must be supplied and installed to those requirements. Older installations — fitted before the rules, or by a previous owner — are the ones most worth checking tonight.
The current requirements are published by Product Safety Australia. Treat that page, not any blog including this one, as the authority.
What to check in your own home
- Any cord a child could reach from the floor, a bed, a cot or climbable furniture. Cots and beds should never be placed under a corded window covering.
- Loops. A cord that forms, or can form, a loop is the specific hazard the rules target. Cleats and tensioning devices exist to hold cords taut and out of reach — fitted to the wall, not sitting in a drawer.
- Old venetians and verticals. These are the most common offenders — long looped cords from installations that predate current requirements. If you are in a 1980s or 1990s home with original window furnishings, this is where to look first.
What a compliant installation looks like
When we install corded products, securing the cords correctly is part of the installation rather than an optional extra. This is one of the practical arguments for professional fitting over DIY, where the cleat usually stays in the packet.
There is also a detail most people do not know: under the installation standard, the installer must attach a label to the covering showing who installed it and how to contact them. If you have a recently fitted corded blind with no installer label on it, that is worth asking about.
We will also tell you when a corded product is the wrong choice for a room entirely — which brings us to the better answer.
The safest options have no reachable cord at all
Plantation shutters operate by tilting louvres. There are no cords anywhere, which is one reason they are our default recommendation for children’s rooms.
Motorised blinds remove the operating cord entirely and are controlled from a wall switch, a remote or a phone.
Between those two, a child’s bedroom in 2026 simply does not need a corded covering.
Common questions about blind cord safety
Are corded blinds illegal in Australia?
No. They are regulated rather than banned. Mandatory standards govern how corded internal window coverings are supplied and how they must be installed, including keeping cords out of reach and preventing loops. The detail is on the Product Safety Australia mandatory standard page.
What is the single most important thing to check?
Whether a child can reach a cord from anywhere they can get to — including from a cot, a bed or furniture they can climb. Move the cot before you do anything else, then deal with the cord.
Do I have to replace old corded blinds?
Not necessarily. Some fixes are a cleat fitted to the wall to hold the cord taut and out of reach — a few dollars and a few minutes. Whether that is sufficient depends on the product and the room, which is why the official guidance is the right reference rather than a blog post.
Are cordless blinds worth the extra?
In a room a young child uses, yes, without hesitation. Plantation shutters have no cords at all, and motorised blinds remove the operating cord entirely. Elsewhere in the house it is a convenience decision rather than a safety one.
What should a professional installation include?
Securing the cords as part of the job rather than leaving you a cleat in a bag, and attaching the installer’s identification label required under the installation standard. If neither happened, the installation is worth reviewing.
If you are unsure about an existing blind
Send us a photo, or ask during any measure visit. Identifying a non-compliant cord takes seconds and we are happy to do it while quoting other rooms, or to point you to the official guidance. No lecture and no upsell — some fixes are a five-dollar cleat.
For the rules themselves: Product Safety Australia’s blinds, curtains and window fittings guide. For everything else: 0418 994 068 or enquire online.