BT : More windows fall from high-rise flats

Business Times - 05 Jun 2010

More windows fall from high-rise flats

SEVENTY-ONE windows fell from high-rise flats and apartments last year, up from 44 in 2008, says the Building and Construction Authority (BCA).

This rise was attributed to an increase in the number of sliding windows that fell. Twenty-nine such windows fell in 2009, up from 16 in 2008. And this year, 40 per cent of the windows that fell between January and May were sliding windows.

Lack of maintenance and the failure to replace aluminium rivets in casement windows with stainless steel rivets are the main reasons windows fall.

People are encouraged to check and maintain their windows regularly and make sure sliding windows have safety features such as angle strips and stoppers installed. Window safety is vital in Singapore because more than 80 per cent of people here live in high-rise buildings.

June 6 and Dec 12 have been designated 'Window Safety Day', when home owners are encouraged to check their windows.

Under the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act, should a window fall due to lack of maintenance, owners or tenants face a maximum fine of $10,000 and/or a jail term of up to a year. A fallen casement window found with aluminium rivets, which can corrode, can result in a penalty of up to $5,000 and/or a jail term of up to six months.

Copyright © 2010 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.