Media Enquiries:
Angus Kell, ACT & NSW State Manager Archicentre Mobile: 0412 565 023
Ron Smith Corporate Media Communications Archicentre Mobile: 0417 329 201
Media Release
23rd October 2009
Archicentre calls for window modifications on multi storey flats and houses
Following Second Fall in A Week
Archicentre has renewed its call called upon parents with young children living in multi storey flats
and houses to modify windows to prevent children falling out of them following a second accident
within a week.
The call follows the death of a three year old toddler in Sydney earlier this week who fell from the window of
a third floor flat and a the fall by a six year old boy from the second storey of his home whilst playing in a
bedroom yesterday.
Angus Kell ACT and NSW Manager from Archicentre said that there had been a number of child deaths and
injuries in the last few years throughout Australia from window falls and the main problem was children
jumping or playing on beds near windows.
With summer coming up windows will be opened more often.
“The most dangerous situation involves aluminium sliding windows which provide a large unobstructed
opening when fully open. Some parents think that flyscreens provide a barrier, but a small child jumping on
a bed will go right through a flyscreen if they hit it hard.”
Mr.Kell said that The Building Code of Australia limits the width of openings in stair balustrades to 125mm to
prevent children falling through and similar precautions should be taken with upper floor windows.
“Parents can easily modify sliding aluminium windows themselves by drilling a hole in the bottom track and
screwing in a self tapping screw at the back of the opening part of the window to prevent the window from
opening to its full width. Similar modifications can be made to wind out windows.”
Mr. Kell said that Archicentre’s pre-purchase home inspections and inspections for Owners Corporations
show that sliding aluminium windows were the most common type in multi storey flats and wind out windows
in multi storey houses.
He also recommended that Owners Corporations should encourage the modification of windows in
flats to minimize the chances of expensive insurance claims which could have an effect on all of the
owners in a block of flats where an incident occurred.
Kidsafe and Archicentre have released a home safety fact sheet which is available on the
Archicentre web site in the download area.
NEWS 
