Builders of new homes have the opportunity to consider child safety at the early design stage, while existing homes and apartments need to find ways to accommodate the requirements while maintaining the amenity of the building.
The primary decision to be made in either case is whether a window lock or a window screen is the best solution.
As noted in the Outcomes Report , the most desirable feature of the window screen option is that it is permanently in place. In contrast, a window lock needs to be physically unlocked and relocked when a window is opened and closed.
The Report also noted that window screens provided better natural ventilation, allowing windows to be fully opened in summer months. This aspect is worth consideration, given their research showed fall incidents peak in the warmer months.
If screening is the preferred protection method, the next decision becomes how to select a product that will prevent falls, but will also provide (at a minimum) the functions of a traditional fly screen.