Spring is here and many homeowners are eager to open windows and let in the fresh air. Each year, the Window Safety Task Force of the National Safety Council takes the first full week in April to educate on the importance of practicing window safety year-round. National Window Safety Week is designed to increase awareness on helping to prevent accidental window falls and the proper use of windows for emergency escape purposes.

***Falls from a window can result in serious injury or death and pose an especially dangerous threat for children. Every year, about eight children under age five die each year from falling out a window, and more than 3,300 are injured seriously enough to go to the hospital.***

Here are 3 tips to help keep your home safer and prevent window fall accidents from occurring:

1 – Install window guards and stops. Properly installed window guards are your best defense in preventing window falls. Window stops are also a good idea to help allow you to enjoy a fresh breeze while ensuring windows won’t open wide enough to invite a fall.

2 – Open windows from the top and close after use. If you have windows that can open from top and bottom, choose opening the top versus the bottom to prevent falls. Don’t leave opened windows unattended if small children are present.

3 – Be sure windows are clear of chairs, cribs or other furniture being too close in proximity, especially if you have crawlers or climbers.

The Window Safety Task Force recommends the following items be a part of your fire emergency plan:

1. Make sure windows are not nailed or painted shut
2. Do not install air conditioners in windows that may be needed for escape
3. Make sure at least one window in each bedroom meets escape and rescue requirements
4. Window guards, security bars, grilles or grates render windows useless in an emergency unless they have a release mechanism; update them if necessary
5. Develop an emergency escape plan and practice it during the day and at night
6. Keep emergency escape ladders in second- or third-story bedrooms and teach everyone in the home how to use them

For more information regarding Window Safety Week 2018, you can visit the following sites:

• https://www.wdma.com/?page=SafetyWeek
• https://onsafety.cpsc.gov/blog/2018/04/02/window-safety-tips-for-national-window-safety-week-2018/
• https://aamanet.org/news/observe-window-safety-year-round

At Sentry Window Guards, our business is to keep children safe by preventing window fall accidents from occurring. Visit here for more tips from the National Safety Council regarding emergency plans and preventing window falls. And remember if you reside in New York City, homeowners MUST have window guards on their windows BY LAW if children 10 years or younger are living in the home. For more information regarding our window guard products and our experience and leadership in understanding NYC safety requirements, contact us today!