Spring is here, which means the Window Safety Task Force, in partnership with the National Safety Council, encourages parents and caregivers to recognize the importance of practicing window safety during Window Safety Week, which is being observed April 7-13. However, open windows any time of year can be dangerous for young children who are not properly supervised.

“Now that warmer weather is arriving, most of us welcome the opportunity to enjoy fresh air through open windows,” said Angela Dickson, co-chair of the Window Safety Task Force. “However, to avoid accidental falls, the task force urges those in the industry to share window safety tips to keep children safe – post tips on your website and share via social media to help spread the word. There is a tip for each day of the week, and these simple steps could save a life.”

Each year, the Window Safety Task Force takes the first full week in April to educate parents and caregivers on the importance of practicing window safety year-round. Annually, about eight children under age five die from falling out a window and more than 3,300 are injured seriously enough to go to the hospital, according to Safe Kids Worldwide’s 2015 Report to the Nation: Protecting Children in Your Home.

To protect children, the Window Safety Task Force offers the following tips:

1. When young children are around, keep windows closed and locked.
2. When opening a window for ventilation, use those located out of a child’s reach.
3. Don’t place furniture near windows to prevent children from climbing to an open window.
4. Don’t allow children to jump on beds or other furniture to help reduce potential falls.
5. Don’t rely on insect screens to prevent a window fall. Insect screens are designed to keep bugs out, not to keep children in the home.
6. Supervise children to keep child’s play away from windows, balconies or patio doors.
7. Install ASTM F2090-compliant devices, which are designed to limit how far a window will open to help prevent a fall.

A new resource pertaining to window safety is now available. A technical bulletin has been released in collaborative partnership between the Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance and the Window & Door Manufacturers Association. The purpose of the document, AAMA/WDMA TB-24-01, is to clarify the definition of a window-opening control device to promote greater understanding of the role of WOCDs and provide an understanding of a WOCD’s function. Download AAMA/WDMA TB-24-01 in the FGIA Online Store or from the WDMA website.

Visit the window safety sections of the FGIA and WDMA websites to learn more. An infographic providing window safety tips is available for download and use on social media.