The Higher Committee for Child Protection at the Ministry of the Interior (MoI), announced that it is launching a drive to review the public safety features in buildings to ensure they meet requirements in accordance with best international practice.
This is to prevent children from falling from windows, balconies and terraces of buildings and apartments. The committee would co-ordinate with the competent authorities at the MoI in the first stage and with bodies that are concerned with security and safety specifications in later stages.
An alarming number of recent incidents of children falling from high-rise buildings had come to light, secretary-general of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior and Head of the Supreme Committee for Child Protection, Major General Nasser Lakhrebani Nuaimi, said.
This trend was as a result of parents leaving children alone at home without supervision or as a result of poor awareness and lack of safety specifications for windows and balconies, he added.
Maj. Gen. Nuaimi said some countries had developed standards and requirements for safety, also holding the property owner responsible for windows and balconies not meeting stipulated criteria.
For his part, Lt. Col. Faisal Mohamed Al Shammari, director of the Centre of the MoI for Child Protection said the centre had prepared awareness brochures in Arabic, English and Urdu, which included guidelines and advice to protect children from unnecessary risk.
These brochures have indicated five key indicators to protect children from falling through apartment windows and balconies.
Supervise children
Young children need to be supervised when they are around any open windows. Insect screens especially — which are made to pop out in case of a fire or any such emergency — should be secured well enough to prevent a child from falling out of a window. A child leaning against such a screen could easily fall down.
Lock windows
Most windows easily slide open, and therefore, when not in use, lock them. Locked windows also keep out burglars.
Place ‘stops’
Window stops are another way to keep young children safe around open windows. They can be placed on the window frame to stop the window from opening up to no more than four inches wide.
Keep Furniture away
All furniture, as well as big toys, should be kept at a distance from a window. A curious child could push lightweight items over to an open window and climb on top of them to see what’s going on outside. Slight pressure against the screen could set off an accidental fall.
Balcony rules
Setting firm rules with regard to balcony safety or deck safety ensures protection for everyone, not just children. Even a fall from a balcony 2 meters from the ground can be fatal.
A child getting out on to the bal
