Tips for staying safe around windows and preventing falls

The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA), as a co-founder 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 7-13, is used as a time to remind all households that open windows can be dangerous for young children who are not properly supervised. This is especially important with the arrival of warm weather when windows are opened to provide ventilation.

“As a mother of two kids under the age of four, I understand how hectic home life can be. That’s why I am proud of the work that AAMA and the Window Safety Task Force members are doing to provide education that will keep families safer and aid in the prevention of accidental falls from windows and related injuries,” says Angela Dickson, former chair and current member of the Window Safety Task Force. “Window safety is an important issue in the fenestration industry, and proper precautions can help protect the well-being of young children.”

According to a study conducted from 1990-2008 by the American Academy of Pediatrics, an estimated 98,415 children were treated in U.S. hospitals for window fall-related injuries during the 19-year study period, averaging more than 5,000 falls per year. The study concluded window falls occur more frequently during spring and summer months. Promoting awareness of how to prevent falls, as well as year-round window safety practices, can help reduce the number window-fall related injuries.

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

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.

More Information
To help teach children about window safety, an activity book is available on AAMA’s Window Safety and Fall Prevention webpage at www.aamanet.org/windowsafety, as well as additional information for parents and caregivers.

About the Window Safety Task Force and National Safety Council
Formed in 1997, the Window Safety Task Force is composed of members representing AAMA, the Window and Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA) and the Screen Manufacturers Association (SMA), in cooperation with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and other organizations, as well as manufacturers of window, doors and screens. Since its inception, the task force has distributed thousands of consumer information kits in cooperation with the National Safety Council (NSC).
NSC saves lives by preventing injuries and deaths at work, in homes and communities and on the roads through leadership, research, education and advocacy.

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