Health Tip: Practice Window Safety

(HealthDay News) — As spring approaches and the weather warms, you should be thinking about window safety and how to prevent falls and fire hazards.

The National Safety Council suggests:

Never paint or nail a window shut.
Do not install an air conditioner in a window that may be needed for escape during a fire.
All window guards, security bars, grilles or grates must have a release mechanism.
Create an emergency escape plan and practice it often.
Keep emergencyescape ladders in second- or third-story bedrooms andteach everyone in the homehow to use them.
Remember that a window screen cannot support a person’s weight.
Never leave children unattended around an open window.
Any window within a child’s reach should always be closed.
Don’t put furniture under a window. Doing so could allow a child to climb on the furniture and fall from the window.