Window Safety Tips

Window Safety Tips

Taking a Stand on Window Safety

Each year for a week in April, the window and door industry turns it’s focus to educating consumers about the importance of window safety in the home. While we think this is a great thing to do and we participate consistently in this effort, we strongly believe that as important as windows are in our quality of life on a daily basis, window safety is something that we need to be aware of and practice every single day.

Did you know that each year, 3,300 injuries are caused by window related falls among children under the age of 5. While this is really concerning, window related accidents and injuries are almost always avoidable with the right habits and practices in place.

Window safety while extremely important, is not difficult to exercise.

We’d like to share some easy tips to help all of us adopt window safety into our daily lives just like we childproof when we have a new baby or pets come into our homes.

Take a look at these important but simple tips for keeping your family and loved ones safe while enjoying the wonderful benefits windows have to offer.

Download the Free Safety Checklist Here

The Window Safety Task Force offers these tips to protect children from window falls:

  • Keep furniture away from windows as they could tempt a curious child to climb and potentially fall.
  • Do not rely on insect screens to prevent a window fall, they are not designed to be a safety net and will not keep your child in.
  • Keep children’s play away from open windows and doors even when supervised.
  • Be sure that your windows have building code-compliant window stops that will limit how far a window can be opened easily. If your windows do not have limit stops, consider replacing your windows or install ASTM-approved limited-opening hardware on them. These are very important to help prevent a fall.
  • Don’t allow children to jump on beds or other furniture especially near windows and doors.
  • Teach your child how to safely use a window to escape during an emergency and make this a part of your emergency plan. Be sure to explain that this is the only time they are to open a window without your knowledge and supervision.
  • If windows are open, make sure children can’t reach them and that they are being fully supervised and cared for.

Window Safety: A Global Concern and Especially Important Here at Home

Window safety is important no matter where you are in the world but here in the U.S. we are especially concerned about it. There are various organizations and agencies that do their best to educate us all on the importance it should play in our daily lives. An organization at the forefront of this is The National Safety Council. This cause is so important to them and industry professionals that the NSC, along with window and door industry professionals and other safety advocates formed the Window Safety Task Force in 1997 to educate caregivers about window safety.

Incorporate Window Safety into Your Home Safety Plan

As you childproof and educate your family on your emergency plan, be sure to incorporate window safety guidelines so that everyone is on the same page about each others well being. An older sibling must understand that simply deciding to open a window is not an option when they have a younger sibling who could possibly open the window and fall. Teaching about window safety in our homes should change based on where we are as a family and how we live every day. Be sure to revisit the subject as your family changes so that everyone is kept safe and secure.

Window Safety is really easy to implement.

Check out this quick video from the Consumer Product and Safety Commission:

WATCH VIDEO
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Still have questions?

If you’re still wanting more information, here are more window safety tips from AAMA and here’s a great source for overall home safety topics to consider. If you have questions about window safety contact us and we can point you in the right direction.