Window & Door Safety

Doors are the primary entry and exit points for most residential structures. Windows provide a view to the outside world, and they are used as secondary exit points within many homes, if an emergency occurs. Window and door safety is important for securing a home against intruders, protecting people from outside environmental conditions and protecting children from injuries.

Doors

• Securing windows and doors is an important part of home safety, since they are the primary entry points for intruders. Modified or security doors are designed to offer a higher level of resistance against home invasions. These types of doors are made out of durable materials (such as steel or iron), use shatter proof glass and many come with vandal-proof locks and hinges.

Windows

• Windows offer safety and security by being strengthened or manufactured using shatter proof glass. Window and Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA) recommends removing furniture and objects away from windows if children might be tempted to climb onto them. Window latches provide safety by keeping children from opening or controlling a window's movement and fall prevention devices---such as bars---to prevent children from falling out of window openings.

Safety Tips

• Kidshealth.org offers further safety recommendations for windows and doors, and recommends installing finger pinch guards on doors, using childproof locks on sliding doors, installing one-piece door stops and placing decorative markings on glass doors, so they will not be mistaken for open doors.