This spring, the Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance's (FGIA) Window Safety Task Force encourages parents and caregivers to recognize the importance of practicing window safety during Window Safety Week, being observed April 5-11. Open windows any time of year can be dangerous for young children who are not properly supervised.
"As we welcome the spring breeze and begin to open windows in our homes, the mission of the Window Safety Task Force remains the same – promoting window safety to create a safe environment for every child," says Angela Dickson, Co-Chair of the Window Safety Task Force. "To prevent accidental falls, we need the help of everyone in our industry to share vital safety tips. Connect with the Window Safety Task Force on social media to access ready-to-share resources. The Task Force will post a new tip each day of Window Safety Week, and we ask you to reshare these resources that provide simple, life-saving knowledge your customers need."
Each year, the Window Safety Task Force takes the first full week in April to educate parents and caregivers on the importance of practicing window safety year-round. Annually, about eight children under age five die from falling out a window, and more than 3,300 are injured seriously enough to go to the hospital, according to Safe Kids Worldwide’s 2015 Report to the Nation: Protecting Children in Your Home.
Tips from the task force
To protect children, the Window Safety Task Force offers the following tips:
1. When young children are around, keep windows closed and locked.
2. When opening a window for ventilation, use those located out of a child’s reach.
3. Don’t place furniture near windows to prevent children from climbing to an open window.
4. Don’t allow children to jump on beds or other furniture to help reduce potential falls.
5. Don’t rely on insect screens to prevent a window fall. Insect screens are designed to keep bugs out, not to keep children in the home.
6. Supervise children to keep child’s play away from windows, balconies or patio doors.
7. Install ASTM F2090-compliant devices designed to limit how far a window will open to help prevent a fall.
Visit the window safety sections of the FGIA and WDMA websites to learn more.