Exercise Caution When Standing Close To Balcony

Balconies can be a hazard and can place your family at a risk of suffering serious injury or death.  Apartment balconies are inviting spaces because they add extended, outdoor living space to your home. However, balconies are not always safe for a variety of reasons. Children may be tempted to climb on balconies and slip off. Unsafe balconies could cause severe injury or death. Setting up of strict rules with respect to balcony safety can provide protection to anybody who enjoys balcony. Precaution from injury or death is not only required for toddler or children but also for elders. The main reason for these accidents may be carelessness, unsafe balcony, leaning or sitting on balcony balustrade etc.

The demand for apartments was high across the city. Balcony and windows without grills are new style or trend in residential apartments but these are places where most accident occurs. The after effects such as legal and financial implications as well as trauma faced by the family members or home owners will be very high. There are number of cases in our cities where people or toddlers got injured or fall to death from balcony or unsafe windows.

Fall to death

There are number of cases in our cities where people or toddlers got injured or fall to death from balcony or unsafe windows. Following are some news source where people or toddlers got injured or fall to death:

• Nagpur: Two-year-old Kalyani’s insatiable thirst for heights and seemingly unending energy had prompted the family to think high of her. It was beyond her parents’ imagination that Kalyani’s innate enthusiasm for climbing heights would claim her life too. Times of India

• Bangalore: Toddler leaps from mother’s arms, falls to death from 9th floor.

• South-Africa: Two men had been on the balcony of the apartment and had purportedly leant on the balcony wall, which gave way. Both men plunged to the concrete below, one landing on top of the other.  IOL-SA

• Ranchi: A housemaid died after falling from a fourth floor flat while trying to pull clothes from the clothesline in the balcony. Timesof India

Dos and Don’ts when standing near the Balcony

Nobody wants to see their loved ones fall to death in front of their eyes. We know how difficult for a family to overcome the shock or incident and how these parents or family feel the loss of their cute or loved ones. Though builder or developers are not providing the safe balconies, safety of balconies should be strictly followed by an association or apartment owner for the safety of its residents. Following are some dos and don’ts that can prevent balcony mishaps or fall.

• Make sure that there is nothing available to enable any child to climb up and hang over the wall or railings.

• Please make sure that none of your family, friends or guests is allowed to sit on the wall or railing under any circumstances.

• Ensure that the access door is securely locked at all times and put the key where your child cannot possibility reach it.

• Always place cribs, beds and other furniture away from windows

• Balcony is not a playground. Make sure that your kids are not alone at balcony and never allow them to play in balcony.

• Ensure your kids are supervised when they are in balcony.

• Do not place a bed or any furniture near the balcony’s barrier because anyone or a child could use the furniture to climb over the balcony.

• People should not sit or lean on railings. Many people feel the urge of sitting on the railings while talking and that may lead to an unknown accident.

• People tend to bend over balconies while observing the scenery or see any accidents. Due to overexcitement they might fall off the balcony.

• Sometimes people lean or bend to pull clothes and in the process forget how much they have gone forward.

Personal safety and the safety of children are the primary responsibilities of residents themselves.  Therefore, replace all glass windows and railing to complete grilling which is provides complete safety from break-in and prevents falls. Open balconies are really great to enjoy evening but there can be accidents or hazards hidden which can injure or cause death of residents. Ensure your balcony and windows are safe for you and your family member.