As they do each year, the door and window industry has put a spotlight on window falls during Window Safety Week, which takes place annually during the first full week of April. According to SafeKids Worldwide, an average of eight children age five and under die and more than 3,300 are injured each year from falling out of windows. Some companies are doing what they can to raise awareness, so this number doesn’t increase further. Companies such as hardware supplier Roto, and manufacturers Harvey Windows and Doors posted messages like this one from Harvey on social media: “This week we’ll be supporting their goal to build awareness and inform families on safe #window practices and their role in an emergency situation with helpful tips. Read their safety suggestions …”

And Pella Corporation issued a press release, and pushed out this message of safety through other channels as well.

“Ensuring our windows are both beautiful and safe is a top priority for all of us at Pella,” says Josh Alden, Macomb’s interim manufacturing facility manager. “We have a team of dedicated product engineers who design with safety in mind–every time. We also have quality engineers at each of our manufacturing locations who are responsible for checking each product line thoroughly and ensuring all necessary safety measures are in place and that the windows meet all code requirements.”

The company added that this includes making sure windows produced adhere to the well-established safety standards of the window industry, as well as the many different code requirements set forth by local communities.

The National Safety Council (NSC) and the Window Safety Task Force established Window Safety Week in 1997. The Window Safety Task Force includes representatives from the Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance (FGIA), the Window & Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA) and the Screen Manufacturers Association (SMA) in cooperation with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and other organizations, as well as manufacturers of windows, doors and screens.

The Window Safety Task Force strives to provide educational information and heighten safety awareness to help parents and caregivers take the necessary actions to prevent window falls and to understand the vital role windows and doors play in fire safety. The group has created a comprehensive media kit for companies to use to help raise awareness, which includes window safety tips, and how to spread the message of window safety year round.