The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA), as a partner of the Window Safety Task Force, encourages everyone to recognize the importance of practicing window safety by designating one week each spring to promoting safety and education. National Window Safety Week, April 1-7, is used as a time to remind all households that open windows can be dangerous for young children who are not properly supervised.

According to a 2011 study conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics, window falls injure more than 5,000 children every year, with the majority of falls occurring from two-story windows. Promoting awareness of how to prevent falls, as well as year-round window safety practices, can reduce this number.

In order to help protect children from window falls, the Window Safety Task Force offers the following tips:
* 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 issue in the fenestration industry, and proper precautions can help protect the well-being of young children,” says Janice Yglesias, association services director. “AAMA is proud to partner with the National Safety Council and other industry organizations to provide education that will keep families safer and aid in the prevention of accidental falls from windows and related injuries.”

The Window Safety Task Force works to heighten the awareness of what parents and caregivers should do to help keep their homes and families safer from the risks of accidental falls. Though National Window Safety Week is an important annual reminder, window safety education should be ongoing and should occur throughout the year. To help teach children about window safety, an activity book is available on the task force’s website, as well as additional information for parents and caregivers.

To learn more about window safety, visit the Window Safety and Fall Prevention webpage on the AAMA website.

More information about AAMA and its activities can be found via the AAMA Media Relations page or on the AAMA website, www.aamanet.org.

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Filed under: AAMA, ASSOCIATION NEWS, Events, Homes + Neighborhoods