6 September 2006

Media Release  

Hood Cord Dangers

Trading Standards Officers throughout the North of Scotland have 
recently carried out a survey looking at Hood Cords and Ties on 
children’s clothing. 

Results from a survey carried out by the SCOTSS North of Scotland 
Safety Group discovered that almost a fifth of the children’s 
clothing examined failed to comply with a new safety standard that 
limits the use of cords and ties on children’s clothing.

The new standard was produced to reduce the number of accidents 
and injuries, which happen every year when children’s clothing 
gets trapped when they are playing. Concern about such accidents 
was highlighted in the official accident statistics in the UK for 
2000-2002 which showed a 65% increase in such accidents. This was 
further emphasised by a study from the John Hopkins University in 
America, which showed that there had been 8 deaths from strangulation 
from trapped cords in the 10 years they looked at.

A Trading Standards spokesperson said, “When they are buying clothes 
for their children people rarely think about hidden dangers. 
Responsible manufacturer’s will always try and minimise hazards on 
children’s clothing but fashion will always produce decorative 
fastenings. The new standard extends the rules on cords and ties 
on clothing for children up to 14 years of age. It is intended to 
cut down the points at which a garment could get entangled when 
children are playing or less obviously when they are travelling. 
There have been incidents where clothing has caught in vehicle 
doors causing a child to be dragged along with tragic consequences.”

Trading Standards Officers will be following up the survey by advice 
and guidance to retailers and manufacturer’s in the first instance and 
by continued surveillance on the new Autumn ranges of clothing that 
are now appearing in the shops.

Trading Standards would urge the public to follow these simple rules 
when buying clothes for their children:

*Don’t be too influenced by fashion – ties and cords on garments may 
look cool but being injured is not.
*Don’t buy jackets with hood ties that are not sewn in on both sides.
*Don’t buy garments that have long loops or toggled ties that might 
get caught
*Don’t buy garments that have loops or ties hanging below the hems
*Look for garments that are designed to have ties on the inside where 
they cannot catch.

 

ENDS

Note to Editors
SCOTSS Is the professional body which represents trading standards 
services in all 32 Scottish Local Authorities. It coordinates fair 
trading, safety. Weights& Measures and quality issues across the country. 
As a section of the Trading Standards Institute our purpose is to 
promote excellence and enhance the professionalism of our members in 
support of informing consumers, encouraging honest businesses and 
targeting rogue traders.

SCOTSS spokespeople are available for interview; please contact 
Angela.blair@scotss.org.uk for further details or phone 07769715243

For a full copy of the survey statistics please contact Angela Blair, 
SCOTSS Coordinator

The survey was undertaken by 9 local authorities, listed below,

Orkney Council, Shetland Council, Highland Council, Moray Council, 
Aberdeenshire Council, Aberdeen City Council, Angus Council, 
Dundee City Council & Perth & Kinross Council.