National Safety Council Recognizes National Window Safety Week, April 3-9
Itasca, IL – 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 the Council. “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.
Also see: Safety and first aid resources, articles, and advice for parents
