The Danger Spot That Few Parents Recognize

It’s the kind of home accident you never expect. The child you think you’re watching closely somehow reaches a window and falls out.

A dozen children each year in the U.S. are killed falling from windows. And a national emergency room hospital survey shows that nearly 5,000 children last year suffered injuries falling from windows. The majority of the injuries were to the head.

But there’s an answer to window safety if you live on a second floor or above. It’s window guards, and you can buy them cheaply, anywhere from $15 to $50.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recently announced new standards for window guards to help parents protect their children from falls. The new standards assure that window guards are strong enough, yet can be opened easily for escape in the event of a fire.

“Most people who live above a first floor do not have window guards,” said Ken Giles, commission spokesman. “Perhaps because there’s not much public awareness of the problem. But also, a lot of people consider them unattrac- tive.”

They’re sold in different sizes for various windows. You can also buy new windows that come with window guards already installed.

But if you’re thinking about installing window guards, here’s an important qualification:

Buy only the kind that can be removed quickly in case of fire.

Unless you’re living on the seventh floor or above, which is out of reach of most firefighter ladders, you’re in greater danger if you install permanent window guards. Plus, you may be in violation of your city’s building code.

“Window guards are highly recommended,” said John Poole, code enforcement manager for the city of Anaheim, “but only if you can remove them. Our code requires a release mechanism without using a key. Nonremovable window guards can trap you in a room filled with smoke.”

The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends window guards for any room in which a child might spend time alone, such as a bedroom, or the living room, for times you’re out of sight in the kitchen.

Two more good tips from the commission:

* If you have no window guards, whenever possible, open windows from the top, not the bottom.

* Keep furniture away from windows to discourage children from climbing near them.

The Arizona Child Care Referral Office adds this recommendation: Consider putting in shrubs or plants underneath windows to cushion potential falls.

Window Guards Mean Fewer Injuries

There’s plenty of proof that window guards work. Since New York launched a campaign drive two years ago to promote window guards, fall-related injuries have dropped by 35%.

Just a note of caution: I stopped to look at window guards for sale at a Home Depot. What I would not have known, unless I asked, is that, for some, a “trip latch” is sold separately and must be ordered. Be sure you’re buying such a latch.

Here’s another stern warning from all the experts, including the Timothy Healey Foundation in Randolph, N.J., which promotes window safety:

Don’t be lulled into thinking a window screen is adequate protection.

Timothy was 7 years old when he died two years ago, falling through a screen from just the second floor. Said his mother, Kim Healey, now devoted to the cause: “Parents need to be aware that open, unguarded windows can be dangerous and that screens will not protect a child from a fall.”

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Readers can reach Hicks by calling (714) 966-7789 or e-mail to jerry.hicks@latimes.com.