Preventing falls: the essential role of window restrictors
A window restrictor prevents accidents by limiting how wide a window can open, reducing the risk of falls.
It’s highly important that all windows, particularly on our high-rise buildings, have restrictors for the safety of our residents.
Learning from the past
Tragically, in May 2024, a five-year-old boy fell to his death from a 15th-floor kitchen window in a tower block in Newham, east London. This heartbreaking incident is not isolated; such accidents have happened before.
One way to prevent falls, particularly from high-rise buildings, is to ensure that windows cannot open wide enough for a person to fall through.
What we do to ensure resident’s windows are safe
In 2022, we carried out a project to ensure our buildings had window restrictors. Since then, we have regular opportunities to check there are fully working restrictors on residents’ windows:
- Annual visit
- Existing contractor visits e.g., gas / fire door
- Surveying visits
- Stock condition survey
What residents can do
If your window has faulty restrictors, or none at all, let us know as soon as possible by contacting our customer service team.
Window restrictors are a simple yet vital safety measure that can prevent serious accidents. By making sure every window in tall buildings has working restrictors and is regularly inspected, we can help keep everyone safe. Your help in reporting any issues is important for maintaining a safe living environment.