Each year, at least 12 children are admitted to The Children's Hospital at Westmead after a balcony or window fall. Many of these falls occur in the child's own home. Are your kids safe in your home?

How common are these injuries?

Over the past 10 years there have been 91 children admitted to the Children’s Hospital at Westmead after falling from windows. Almost all of these children fell from a window in their own home.

Over the past five years:

• 4 out of 5 children admitted to hospital because of a fall from a window were under 5 years;
• 80 per cent had fallen more than two metres;
• 80 per cent had significant /severe injuries;
• 3 out of 5 cases admitted to hospital were boys;
• About half of the cases were associated with furniture near the window.
  

How may a child be injured?

Children can fall out of windows if they are able to climb on furniture to reach the window or if they are jumping or playing on a bed near an open window.

Injuries resulting from children falling from windows range from cuts and bruises to head injuries, broken limbs and even death.

An increasing number of children are admitted to hospital each year as a result of falling from windows and balconies. These falls are often in their own home and can result in death or serious injury.

Children aged from one to five years are most at risk as they are naturally curious but lack the ability to recognise danger.

Falls occur more often in the warmer months when families leave windows and doors to balconies open both during the day and at night.

There are no laws that require windows and balustrades in older buildings to meet current and safer building standards.

There are however things you can do to improve safety.

Window safety

Children can fall out of a window which is open more than 10cm, even if a fly screen is fitted.

To prevent children falling from your windows, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead recommends that all windows, especially bedroom windows, where possible:

• Not be opened more than 10cm when located above the ground floor.
  
• Have window latches/locks fitted to stop windows opening more than 10cm or guards to protect the opening.
  
• Open from the top.
  
• Beds and other furniture are kept away from windows, so that children can not use them to climb up to the windows.
  
• That you do not rely on fly screens to prevent a child falling out of a window.
  
• Children are taught to play away from windows.
  
• Children are always supervised.

Balcony Safety

To prevent children falling from your balcony, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead recommends that balustrades, where possible:

• Be at least one metre high.
  
• Vertical bars must be no more than 12.5cm apart (use a ruler to measure the gaps between your vertical balustrade posts).
  
• Have no horizontal or near horizontal parts that would allow children to climb.
  
• All furniture, pot plants and other climbable objects are kept away from the edge of balconies.
  
• That you be aware of furniture that is light enough for children to drag to the balcony edge.
  
• Children are always supervised.

In 2009, The Children's Hospital at Westmead formed a working party to address the prevention of children falling from residential buildings, producing a report that details the efforts required in NSW to prevent further child injuries. The report outlines the extent of the problem, providing strategies for implementation in order to make homes safer for children.

Download The Children's Hospital Window and Balcony Safety full report