Falls Through Windows

Falls through windows pose a significant safety risk. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recently conducted a study of the effectiveness of guarding to prevent falls through window openings. This research focuses on evaluating the measures used to prevent falls from windows, a critical safety concern in both residential and commercial buildings.

Summary of the research

This research aims to provide evidence-based insights to improve safety standards and reduce the risk of falls through window openings. The study includes:

• Review of Scientific Literature: Analysing existing research on window safety and fall prevention.
• Examination of Building Regulations: Assessing current regulations and their effectiveness in mitigating risks.
• Evaluation of Guidance Documents: Investigating the recommendations provided in safety guidelines.
• Effectiveness of Guarding Strategies: Testing various methods and designs for guarding windows to prevent falls.

Key findings include:

• Guard heights of 1100mm are likely to protect over 99% of the adult British population, while guard heights of 800mm would protect less than 1%.
• There was no evidence for having different guard heights for different storeys of a building.