"When it comes to children's safety there is no substitute for proper adult supervision," says Donna Stein Harris, director, National Safety Council's Home and Community Partnerships and Initiatives. "Adults need to be vigilant about supervising children's indoor play, especially near windows and balcony doors."
Window Safety Week, April 22-28, is the perfect time to review the following window safety tips:
- Since windows provide a secondary means of escape from a burning home or building, every family should develop and practice an emergency escape plan in the event that fire or smoke blocks the primary exit. Children may have to rely on a window to escape in a fire, so help them learn to safely use a window under these circumstances.
- Include windows in home emergency escape plans. Designate one door and one window to use as a potential escape route from each room in your home. Make sure they open easily. Keep escape routes free from clutter –toys, furniture, electrical cords and other potential tripping and falling hazards. Teach all household members to use windows and doors properly for escape and rescue purposes.
- Keep furniture – or anything children can use to climb – away from windows. Children may use such objects to climb to an open window and potentially fall.
- Remember that insect screens are intended to keep insects out. They are neither designed nor intended to keep children from falling out of windows.
- When installing window guards or window fall prevention devices, be aware that the window guards must have a release mechanism so that they can be opened for escape in a fire emergency. Select a device that complies with ASTM F-02090-01a, which provides minimum requirements for window fall prevention devices to ensure that they can be easily removed or opened when necessary. Consult your local fire department or building code official to determine proper window guard placement.
Two FREE printed resources on the topic of window safety are also available to order: "Keeping the Promise of Safety" brochure provides helpful window safety tips. Individual brochures may be downloaded from the website www.nsc.org/aware/window/