National Window Safety Week is April 3-9
“Opening the top half of a double-hung window to let in a cool breeze and keeping the bottom closed can literally save a life," said Donna Stein-Harris, senior director of Safe Communities America for NSC.
Each April, the National Safety Council takes a week to focus on the importance of practicing window safety in the home. National Window Safety Week is a chance to remind parents and caregivers how dangerous windows can be, during any time of the year, for unsupervised children.
“A fall from a window can happen quickly and result in serious injury,” said Donna Stein-Harris, senior director of Safe Communities America for NSC. “Opening the top half of a double-hung window to let in a cool breeze and keeping the bottom closed can literally save a life.”
The National Safety Council offers these tips to help protect children from window falls:
- Avoid placing furniture young children can climb on near windows.
- Do not lean on screens or rely on them to prevent a window fall. Insect screens are designed to keep bugs out, not to keep children in the home.
- Supervise children to prevent them from playing near windows, balconies, or patio doors.
- Install building code-compliant devices such as window guards (with quick-release mechanisms in case of fire).
- Teach your children how to safely use a window to escape during an emergency.
The Window Safety Task Force is composed of members representing the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (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 windows, doors, and screens. Go to nsc.org/windowsafetytaskforce for more information.