CPSC: Parents, Caregivers Should Consider Safety Before Opening Windows

WASHINGTON, April 8, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As temperatures go up, so do windows in many homes. Opening windows in your home to enjoy the warmer temperatures may seem harmless, but open windows have proven to be sources of injury and death for young children.

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This week, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) joins the National Safety Council in recognizing National Window Safety Week and urges parents and caregivers to be aware of the dangers of leaving windows open when young children are present.

According to CPSC data, falls from windows result in an average of about eight deaths yearly to children five years or younger, while an estimated 3,300 children ages five and younger are treated each year in U.S. hospital emergency departments.  On average, one of every three children, about 34 percent, required hospitalization after falling from a window.

These deaths and injuries frequently occur when kids push themselves against window screens or climb onto furniture located next to an open window. These incidents increase dramatically during the spring and summer months.

"We want parents and caregivers to think 'safety first' before opening windows where young children are present. The deaths and life-altering injuries are heartbreaking and in many cases preventable," said CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum.

To help prevent injuries and tragedies, CPSC recommends the following safety tips:

• Safeguard your children by using window guards or window stops.
  • Install window guards to prevent children from falling out of windows.
  • For windows on the 6th floor and below, install window guards that adults and older children can open easily in case of fire.
  • Install window stops so that windows open no more than 4 inches.
• Never depend on screens to keep children from falling out of windows.
• Whenever possible, open windows from the top - instead of the bottom.
• Keep furniture away from windows to discourage children from climbing near windows.
• Some jurisdictions require landlords to install guards. Check your local regulations.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of the thousands of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction.  Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $800 billion annually.  The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals – contributed to a significant decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772, teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit www.saferproducts.gov. Consumers can obtain this press release and recall information at www.cpsc.gov. To join a free e-mail subscription list, please go to www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx.

CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission