Emergency services were called to an apartment complex at South Terrace, Bankstown, at 8.50am on Sunday February 12th, following reports that two children, aged three and five, had fallen out a window.

The two young siblings were taken to hospital after plunging 10 metres from the third floor of their apartment  reportedly playing on a bunk bed when they crashed through a fly screen.

Child safety expert, Christine Erskine, said parents should be wary about placing furniture close to windows,“beds become trampolines, cupboards become vantage points”. Ms Erskine, reported that new strata building laws would require all windows in NSW to have locks and restrictors by March next year.

THE AGE ARTICLE | Two Children Fall from Third Storey Window

In Victoria bedroom window openings must be protected if the floor below the window is more than 2m above the surface in a Class 2 Building e.g. apartment complex.

If the lowest level of a bedroom window opening is less than 1.7m above the floor the window must also be protected with a device capable of restricting the window opening or incorporate a fixed screen. These restrictors or fixed screens must not permit a 125mm sphere to pass through and have a child resistant release mechanism if the screen or restrictor is able to be removed, unlocked or overridden.

NCC Clause D2.24 – Protection of openable windows

(a)  A window opening must be provided with protection, if the floor below the window is 2m or more above the surface beneath  in:

(i)    a bedroom in a Class 2 or 3 building or Class 4 part of a building; or

(ii)   a Class 9b early childhood centre.

(b) Where the lowest level of the window opening is less than 1.7 m above the floor, a window opening covered by (a) must comply with the following:

(i)   The openable portion of the window must be protected with:

(A) a device capable of restricting the window opening; or

(B) a screen with secure fittings.

(ii) A device or screen required by (i) must:

(A) not permit a 125 mm sphere to pass through the window opening or screen; and

(B) resist an outward horizontal action of 250 N against the (aa) window restrained by a device; or (bb)  screen protecting the opening; and

(C) have a child resistant release mechanism if the screen or device is able to be removed, unlocked or overridden.

(c)  A barrier with a height not less than 865 mm above the floor is required to an openable window:

(i)  in addition to window protection, when a child resistant release mechanism is required by (b)(ii)(C); and

(ii)  where the floor below the window is 4 m or more above the surface beneath if the window is not covered by (a).

(d) A barrier covered by (c) except for (e) must not:

(i)  permit a 125 mm sphere to pass through it; and

(ii)  have any horizontal or near horizontal elements between 150 mm and 760 mm above the floor that facilitate climbing.

(e)  A barrier required by (c) to an openable window in:

(i)  fire-isolated stairways, fire-isolated ramps and other areas used primarily for emergency purposes, excluding external stairways and external ramps; and

(ii)  Class 7 (other than carparks) and Class 8 buildings and parts of buildings containing those classes; must not  permit a 300mm sphere to pass through it.

 

In addition to Apartment Developments, a Hotel Development could also potentially invite similar risks relating to openable windows.

The Vic Appendix raises these matters as noted below:

In Victorian hotels (Class 3 Building) – the sill height of windows in habitable rooms (except kitchens) must be not more than 900mm above the floor and if the windows are openable they must be provided with flyscreens.