Don’t Let Your Kids Fall Out of Your Home’s Windows – Remember These Window Safety and Security Tips!

With warmer temperatures arriving and Spring finally here, it is important to practice window fall prevention – especially in homes with young children. Did you know falls from windows are more common than people might think? In fact, windows rank as one of the top five hidden hazards in the home. According to Safe Kids Worldwide’s 2015 Report to the Nation: Protecting Children in Your Home, an average of eight children aged five and younger die and more than 3,300 are injured each year from falling out of windows.

With those alarming statistics in mind, here are nine window fall prevention safety and security tips to help protect children from accidental window falls:

1. Keep windows closed and locked when young children are around.
2. Install ASTM F2090 compliant devices designed to limit how far a window will open or window guards (with quick-release mechanisms in case of fire or another emergency) to help prevent a fall.
3. When opening a window for ventilation, use those located out of a child’s reach.
4. Supervise children to keep child’s play away from windows, balconies, or patio doors.
5. Avoid placing furniture near windows to prevent young children from climbing and gaining access to an open window.
6. Install locks on sliding windows to prevent children from opening them.
7. Do not rely on insect screens to prevent a window fall. Insect screens are designed to keep bugs out, not to keep children in the home.
8. Create soft landing surfaces such as bushes or plant beds under windows to help prevent serious injuries in case of a fall.
9. Teach your child how to safely use a window to escape during an emergency, such as a fire.

We at Security Specialists Want You and Your Family to Stay Safe and Secure this Spring!