It’s National Window Safety Week
National Window Safety Week is observed every April to educate the public on how to keep children from falling out of residential windows – which, unfortunately, is not an uncommon issue. Window safety needs to be a year-round practice, however, especially when there are young children in your household.
NYCHA’s Environmental Health and Safety Department (EHS) would like to share these tips for keeping children safe:
- When young children are around, keep windows closed and locked.
- When opening a window for ventilation, use those located out of a child’s reach, and open windows at the top.
- Supervise children to keep child’s play away from windows.
- Avoid placing furniture near windows to prevent young children from climbing and gaining access to an open window.
- Don’t rely on insect screens to prevent a window fall; they are designed to keep bugs out, not to keep children in.
- Teach your child how to safely use a window to escape during an emergency (such as a fire).
The NYC Health Department requires that window falls by children 16 years or younger are reported to their agency within 24 hours of the incident by calling 646-632-6023 (Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) or 311 outside of business hours.
Properly installed window guards can help keep children safe; they 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 (use a measurement tool to check);
- Be able to withstand 150 pounds of weight; and
- Have an NYC Health Department approval number.
NYCHA staff will always conduct the following 5 ALIVE safety checks whenever they visit your apartment to make repairs or do inspections.
5 ALIVE
| Alarms | Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors Present, installed, operating |
| Ledges | Window guards* Every window in units with children, never on fire escape/emergency exit windows *Window guards may only be removed when air conditioners are permanently and immediately installed in their place. You must obtain written permission from your property management office before installing ACs. |
| Info | Fire safety notice Posted on door |
| Volts | Ground fault circuit interrupter outlets Power cuts out when tested |
| Entrance door | Closes and latches Self-closing, latch catches |
Please call the Customer Contact Center at 718-707-7771 or use MyNYCHA (nyc.gov/MyNYCHA) to create a work ticket and report any missing, broken, or improperly installed window guards.
If you have questions about this or any environmental health and safety matter, please email ehs@nycha.nyc.gov. Residents, employees, and any member of the public can submit environmental health and safety concerns at on.nyc.gov/submit-concern.
For more information on window safety, please visit: