Window Safety Tips for National Window Safety Week 2020

Window safety week, which this year is April 6-12^th, was created by the Window Safety Task Force of the National Safety Council to encourage the importance of practicing window safety year-round.

Falls from windows result in serious injury and sometimes death, and they pose an especially dangerous threat to children. Each year, more than 3,300 are injured seriously enough from window falls to be admitted into a hospital, and around eight children under 5 die.

The good news is that preventing injuries around windows is easy if you take the proper precautions.

6 Quick Safety Tips Regarding Windows and Children

1. Keep windows locked, especially when young children are around.
   

   

2. Install window guards and stops. Stops, in particular, are important because they can limit how much a window can be opened.
3. When possible, open windows from the top, not the bottom.
4. Keep furniture away from windows to limit access to children.
5. Don’t depend on screens to keep children from falling out. Screens are designed to provide ventilation and keep bugs out, not to protect against falls.
6. Teach your child how to safely use a window to escape during an emergency, such as a fire.

You can find an additional and printable window safety checklist here.

Window Safety for the Whole Family

It’s also important to note that windows are used as an escape in case of emergency, such as a fire. Make sure emergency exit windows are easily accessible and follow these guidelines:

• Do not install window air conditioners in windows that may be needed for escape or rescue during an emergency.
• Some homes may have window guards, security bars, grilles or grates blocking windows, making them useless during an emergency. Take time to update these devices to make sure they comply with industry standards and have appropriate release mechanisms.
• Draw up an escape plan for your family so that everyone knows which windows are safe to exit out of and where to meet up once outside. Check out this fun and useful window safety workbook to get the whole family involved.

Window Security Integrated with your SEi System

Another item to consider is the safety of your home and those inside in relation to your windows. If you have an alarm system, you may already have sensors set up on doors to pretend from intruders. But, how can you also safeguard your windows from break-ins?

Security Equipment has two available solutions. The first solution is a window contact that is installed on the window. These are similar to door contacts in that they alert you to when a window is opened. Window contacts are integrated with your SEi security system so that you can arm and unarm your windows the same way you do with your doors.

The second solution is a glass break sensor. This technology is created to sense the sound of a glass break and can be added around ground-level windows for extra security. The sensor is installed on the ceiling near a window and will also sound your alarm if it detects glass breaking.

These options can be your first line of defense if a burglar tried to enter your home through a window, so it’s important to think about adding them to your home security system for proper protection.

Practice Window Safety All Year

A message from the National Safety Council:

“No matter where you live or what you do, whether you own or rent your home, live in a townhouse, apartment or standalone home in the city or the country, or are visiting in the home of another person, we all play a vital role in promoting window safety. Window safety starts with learning the actions you can take to observe window safety and encouraging others to do so. Responsible adults are the key to window safety. There’s no substitute for adult supervision when it comes to keeping children safe.”

Questions about the safety and security of your windows? Contact SEi today for more information.