Window Safety for Children: Tips for a Secure Home
Windows can be one of the most potentially hazardous places in a home. Without taking proper care, it’s possible for many mishaps to occur with children around windows. For example, a child might get their hand stuck in a window grille or a pet might accidentally jump or fall out of a window. That said, it can be beneficial to take steps to improve window safety and protect your children from harm. In this post, we take a look at some tips for a more secure home.
Understanding the Risks
To better safeguard yourself and your children from window-related mishaps, it’s essential for you to understand the common injuries and hazards associated with windows. Some of the more common window-related accidents and injuries include:
- Fall Injuries: It is common for young children to accidentally fall out of windows if they’re not careful or if they play near or around windows. While this may not be too much of an issue if you live in a single-storey home, it can be a cause for concern if you live in an apartment on a high floor.
- Entrapment: Entrapment is another common hazard that children might experience when operating windows. This may occur when the limb or finger of a child gets stuck between window grilles, and they’re unable to remove it.
- Broken Glass: If your child accidentally damages a window and it shatters, it’s also possible that they may experience cuts or scratches that are caused by the broken glass.
Tips for Creating a Safer Environment
Here are some tips that you can follow to create a safer environment for your children and help them avoid the window-related hazards mentioned above:
Educating Your Children
Arguably the most important aspect of creating a safer environment for children at home is education. By educating your children, you can teach them about the importance of taking proper precautions when playing or even just being near or around windows.
Installing Safety Grilles
If your children are too young to understand the importance of proper window safety, it can also be beneficial for you to install safety grilles on your windows. These tend to be child-proof and can help to prevent fall and entrapment-related injuries.
Using Laminated Glass
You can also opt to use laminated glass for your windowpanes. This type of glass does not shatter when broken. Instead, a plastic sheet between the two layers of glass keeps the entire sheet of glass in one piece. This helps you avoid having broken glass shards around if your window were to break.
Enhance Your Windows with Valley Windows
Valley Windows is a leading manufacturer and installer of custom windows in Melbourne and the surrounding areas. If you are looking for new windows or want to improve your existing windows for safety reasons, we can help. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation and let us help with all your window-related needs.