The NYCHA Journal

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Window safety
Health & Safety Top Story 

It’s National Window Safety Week

Michael

With the arrival of spring and warmer weather, the National Safety Council designated the first week of April as National Window Safety Week. But it’s important to practice window safety year-round, and NYCHA’s Environmental Health and Safety Department would like to provide you with the following safety tips.

General Window Safety

  • Set and enforce rules about keeping children’s play away from windows. Falling through an insect screen, open window, or glass can be fatal or cause serious injury.
  • Keep furniture – or anything children can climb – away from windows. Children may use such objects as an aid to climb to an open window and potentially fall.
  • Keep your windows closed and locked when young children are present. When opening windows for ventilation, open windows that a child cannot reach.
  • Do not install 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.

Window Guards at NYCHA

  • Twice a year (in the summer and again in the fall), NYCHA inspects the exterior of development buildings for missing window guards.
  • If an apartment has unguarded windows, staff must determine if a child 10 years or younger lives in the apartment.
  • If a child 10 years or younger lives in the apartment, staff are required to install window guards.

Are Your Window Guards Installed Safely?

Window guards must:

  • Be installed in all windows of the apartment, except for windows leading to fire escapes or used for emergency escapes, or in windows where air conditioner units are permanently and safely installed.
  • Be securely and permanently installed.
  • Prevent windows from opening more than 4½ inches in any direction. There should never be more than 4½ inches of open unguarded space. Use a measurement tool to check.
  • Be able to withstand 150 pounds of weight.
  • Have a NYC Health Department approval number.

Please call the Customer Contact Center at 718-707-7771 to report any missing, broken, or improperly installed window guards.

For additional window safety tips, please visit:

As always, if you have questions about this or any environmental health and safety matter, contact ehs@nycha.nyc.gov.