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Spring Brings Open Windows and Window Safety Reminders
April 28, 2008 - Windows add light, comfort, energy efficiency and access to the outside in an emergency. However, windows can be dangerous if they are not properly maintained or when there are children in the household. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports:
- More than 4,000 children are treated in emergency rooms for window fall-related injuries each year.
- About a dozen children, 10 years old and younger die from their injuries each year.
- Most of the deaths and injuries happen to children under the age of five.
"Windows play a critical role in home safety, serving as an escape route in case of an emergency. Spring is the perfect time to inspect your windows, get them in proper working order and remind your family how to be safe around them," said Dave Gordon, President and CEO of Regency Windows. "We want to remind everyone about window safety in the communities we serve. By following these basic tips, you can help protect your family from a tragedy."
- When performing spring repairs, make sure that your windows are not painted or nailed shut. You must be able to open them to escape in an emergency. Consider replacing windows that do not meet these requirements.
- Windows provide a secondary means of escape from a burning home. Determine your family's emergency escape plan and practice it. Help them learn to safely use a window under these circumstances.
- Keep your windows closed and locked when children are around. When opening windows for ventilation, open windows that a child cannot reach, or in the case of a double-hung window, open the top sash only.
- Set and enforce rules about keeping children's play away from windows or patio doors. Falling through the glass can be fatal or cause serious injury.
- Keep furniture - or anything children can climb - away from windows. Children may use such objects as a climbing aid.
- If you have young children in your home and are considering installing window guards or window fall prevention devices, be aware that the window guards you install must have a release mechanism so that they can be opened for escape in a fire emergency. Consult your local fire department or building code official to determine proper window guard placement.
- Some homes may have window guards, security bars, grilles or grates already covering their windows. Those windows are useless in an emergency if the devices on them do not have a functioning release mechanism. Time is critical when escaping a fire.
- Do not install window air conditioners in windows that may be needed for escape or rescue in an emergency. The air conditioning unit could block or impede escape through the window. Always be sure that you have at least one window in each sleeping and living area that meets escape and rescue requirements.
- The degree of injury sustained from a window fall can be affected by the surface on which the victim falls. Shrubs and soft edging like wood chips or grass beneath windows may lessen the impact if a fall does occur.
Additional window safety tips are available at the National Safety Council's website: http://www.nsc.org/aware/window/.
You can also email Regency at safety@regencywindow.com for more information and an activity book for kids.
About Regency Windows Corporation
Regency, with offices in Cleveland and Columbus, has installed over 400,000 windows, patio doors and entry doors in Ohio since 1971. Regency is committed to safety, training and service; winning the 2006 Window & Door Magazine Dealers of the Year Excellence in Installation Award. Regency employs the largest team of InstallationMasters™ certified installers in North America. For more information, call 1-800-453-9861 or go online to
www.regencywindow.com.
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