National Window Safety Week

Window falls a common but preventable childhood hazard: Each year more than 5,200 children suffer falls from windows and at least one in four is injured badly enough to be hospitalized. So it's no accident that National Window Safety Week occurs in early Spring when the weather is mild enough to open the windows again. Safety experts take advantage of this week to remind parents and caregivers about the dangers of window falls. And there's evidence in at least one state that it's working. The Oregon Trauma Registry reports it is seeing a decrease in the number of falls.

Younger children are more likely to fall from windows, according to a study in the journal Pediatrics. The average age of children treated for injuries suffered in window falls in U.S. hospital emergency departments was five, while children four years old and younger were more likely to sustain head injuries, to be hospitalized, or die. Boys are slightly more likely to fall than girls. When it comes to keeping your kids safe, there is no substitute for adult supervision. Safety experts recommend the follow precautions for parents, grandparents and other caregivers.

• Keep cribs and other furniture away from windows to eliminate the possibility of a child reaching a window by climbing.
• Install safety devices such as window guards or window stops on all second-story windows or higher. Since about one-third of falls occur from first floor windows, consider installing them on those windows, too. (Window stops should prevent the window from opening more than four inches, while allowing an adult to open it fully in case of a fire or other emergency.)
• Remember that screens do not prevent a child from falling out of a window.
• Open windows from the top, whenever possible.
• Consider planting bushes or locating flower beds under windows to soften the landing surface, which may reduce the severity of injury in the event of a fall.
• Remember that fire escapes, roofs and balconies are not safe places for children to play.
• Once your children are old enough, discuss with them the dangers of climbing out of or jumping from windows.

At least one window manufacturer offers child-safety latch options for double-hung and casement windows. Overriding the device requires carrying out a two-step process that would be challenging for a small child. They may cost more but are worth considering if you have small children living in or visiting your home. If you're replacing your windows, look for those with the best safety features. To find the type of window that's best for your home, see our windows buying guide and the Ratings which tell you how they performed in our tests of wind and rain resistance, durability, convenience, and more, including six top picks in clad-wood, fiberglass, and vinyl.

National Window Safety Week seeks to prevent injuries (SALT LAKE CITY) — More than 5,000 children in the U.S. are injured in window-related accidents each year, and now during National Window Safety Week experts are sharing tips for keeping kids safe. National Window Safety Week is put on each year during the first full week of April by the National Safety Council. Kirk Thrift is the store manager at Ace Hardware, and he said parents have options when it comes to making windows more safe for children. “There’s different locking mechanisms that can easily be installed with a drill or a screwdriver for those screens, so they won’t open, and you pull out this little tiny pin allowing it to open and close, but you know spring cleaning not only cleaning the house but checking your doors and windows is a good idea each spring,” he said. The National Safety Council also offered tips regarding window safety:

• Keep windows closed and locked when children are around.
• When opening windows for ventilation, open windows that children cannot reach.
• Don’t rely on insect screens to prevent a fall, as they are designed to provide ventilation and not to prevent a child’s fall from a window.
• Keep furniture, or anything children can climb, away from windows.
• Determine your family’s emergency escape plan and practice it regularly.
• Make sure nothing is blocking or preventing a window from being opened in the case of an emergency.

As a window cleaner you should remember to return the window to the closed position. Look for hazards that a may be dangerous for a young child. Make sure children can't get access to your tools, especially those sharp blades. Keep the window safety child lock key on your person before returning it to the owner. Make sure stair gates are closed after passing through. Move furniture back to it's original position - these are usually placed so a child cannot reach a handle for opening a window. Offer some guidelines if you feel the owners child may be unsafe. If you feel the child is at danger while you're working ask the house owner to remove the child to safely be out of your way while you work.