What safety device does a roller blind chain need in Australia?
Updated
A chain on a roller blind counts as a cord under the Corded Internal Window Coverings Safety Standard 2014. It applies to installations carried out in trade or commerce in domestic dwellings. The chain must be installed so it cannot form a loop of 220mm or longer at less than 1,600mm above floor level, usually with a tension device.
A roller blind worked by a looped chain has a cord as far as Australian product safety law is concerned. The standard counts any rope, strap, string, chain, line or wire used to work the covering as a cord, so the chain on a roller blind and the cord on a curtain track both count.
What the standard requires
The Competition and Consumer (Corded Internal Window Coverings) Safety Standard 2014 began on 1 January 2015. It applies to installations carried out in trade or commerce in domestic dwellings, other than caravans, mobile homes and boats. A loose cord or chain must not be able to form a loop 220mm or longer at less than 1,600mm above floor level. Installers are also required to follow the covering's installation instructions, using the components they specify for cord safety. A person fitting blinds in their own home is not installing in trade or commerce, but the same heights are the safe ones to follow.
What the device usually looks like
- A cleat fixed to the wall or window frame that the loop of chain is wound around and secured to. A cleat used to secure a cord must be at least 1,600mm above floor level.
- A tension device fixed to the wall or frame that holds the chain taut so it cannot swing free as a loop. It may sit lower than 1,600mm only if it stays firmly fixed under a pull of 70 newtons in any direction for 10 seconds, and the chain is secured or tensioned so it cannot form a loop 220mm or longer.
- A motor in place of a chain. A motor on a blind has no cord or chain loop.
Older blinds and rental homes
A separate national standard for suppliers, made in 2010 and still in force, covers what must be supplied with a corded blind or curtain, including a warning tag on the cord, installation instructions, and any parts those instructions say are needed for cord safety. Blinds and curtains fitted before the standards began may have loose cords, and a retailer or installer can fit safety devices. In Victoria, since 1 December 2025, rental providers and agents must make sure the internal window coverings in a home they advertise or let have anchors fitted to secure the cords. Check the current wording on the Federal Register of Legislation before relying on exact figures, since standards are reviewed from time to time.
What to ask your retailer
Ask your retailer or installer to confirm which safety device is fitted to a chain operated roller blind and that it is installed according to the manufacturer's instructions, particularly in a child's bedroom, a nursery or any room where young children spend time. A retailer can also advise on a motorised blind if you would rather have no chain at all.
Other ways people ask this
Does the cord safety rule apply to roller blind chains as well as curtain cords?
Yes. The standard counts any rope, strap, string, chain, line or wire used to work the covering as a cord, so a roller blind chain and a curtain cord both count.
What is the maximum loop size allowed for a roller blind chain?
A loose cord or chain must not be able to form a loop 220mm or longer at less than 1,600mm above floor level once installed.
Is a safety device compulsory or optional on a roller blind?
The installation standard applies to installations carried out in trade or commerce, and it requires the chain to be secured so it cannot form a loop. A person fitting blinds in their own home is not installing in trade or commerce, but the same heights are the safe ones to follow. Ask your retailer which device suits your blind.
This answer is general information. For your own windows, your retailer's advice and your order with them come first.