Spring should be called fall, says a safety products firm as the season’s warmer weather prompts people to open their windows and enjoy the fresh air after a wet winter.
Jackloc aims to raise awareness of the risk of falls from unrestricted open windows at this time of year, when people are keen to enjoy the finer weather. Jackloc Director Emma Wells said: “As the spring finally arrives, it is natural that people want to make the most of the warmer, dryer weather and let some fresh air into their homes and workplaces by throwing open their windows.
“But it is a tragic fact that people of all ages die needlessly each year – and thousands are injured – in the UK through falls from unrestricted windows. It is important that people realise the hidden danger in our homes and take action to try to prevent such tragedies.”
Family-run company Jackloc, which created its original universal window restrictor in 2003, works with its clients and bodies such as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) to promote risk assessments, appropriate safety measures and ongoing checks on such equipment in a variety of settings, from care homes to hotels.
A number of children are killed in falls from windows in the UK each year and RoSPA estimates that around 4,000 are injured. Each year, there are also a number of deaths in care home and health settings due to window falls. Jackloc is campaigning to make restrictors compulsory on all windows above ground floor level.
Technical building consultant Derek Horne originally designed the Jackloc after he saw a young child hanging out of a hotel window, screaming for help. Derek’s daughters Emma Wells and the late Deborah Jennings took up his creation and set up the family company.
Jacklocs have been installed for safety and security in buildings such as private homes, care homes, hospitals, schools, hotels, student accommodation and high-rise flats all over the world, including Arabia, Russia, South Africa, Mexico, Australia, the USA, Singapore and Malaysia. The lock comprises a flexible cable between a window or door and its frame, restricting how far it can be opened to 10cm. Jacklocs can be fitted to any type of window or door, whether wooden, metal or uPVC.
