Seasonal Window Safety: Tips for Staying Safe Around Windows Year-Round

As the hotter summer months give way to cooler fall weather, many homeowners leave windows and screen doors open for ventilation. While open windows can provide fresh air in the home, they can also be dangerous for young children who are not properly supervised. While the number of falls from windows is generally small compared with other recorded child injuries, a window incident can result in serious injury or even death. Therefore, it is important for parents and caregivers to be aware of safety around windows.

The fall season, when children are returning to school, is an effective time to both survey the possible dangers in the home as well as to educate children and other family members about the dangers of open windows and the importance of accident prevention.

The National Safety Council’s (NSC) Window Safety Task Force offers these tips to protect children from window falls:
* Avoid the placement of furniture near windows to prevent children from climbing.
* Do not rely on insect screens to prevent a window fall.
* Keep children’s play away from open windows and doors.
* Install building code-compliant devices designed to limit how far a window will open or window guards with release mechanisms to help prevent a fall.
* Teach your child how to safely use a window to escape during an emergency.

“Window safety is an important topic in our industry, but also in our daily lives,” says Rich Walker, president and CEO of the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA). “We want to ensure that parents and caregivers are aware of the possible dangers of window falls, so that they can take proper precautions and help ensure the safety of young children. AAMA is proud to participate on the National Safety Council’s Window Safety Task Force to provide year-round education that will keep families safer and aid in the prevention of accidental falls and injuries through windows.”

Window Safety Week, sponsored by the Window Safety Task Force, is held every year during the first week of April. Though this is an important time to heighten awareness, education on window safety should be an ongoing effort and should occur throughout the year. To help teach children about window safety, an activity book is available on the task force’s website in addition to information for parents and caregivers. More information and additional resources, including safety tips, are located at http://www.nsc.org/windowsafetytaskforce.
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Filed under: AAMA, ASSOCIATION NEWS, Homes + Neighborhoods, Products