There has been more cases of fallen windows in Singapore this year, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and the Housing Development Board (HDB) said on Sunday (Dec 11).
According to BCA’s statistics, there were 41 cases of fallen windows in the first 11 months of the year, up from 30 cases over the same period in 2015.
Most of the cases involved casement windows that had dislodged and fallen due to corroded aluminium rivets.
Since 2005, it is mandatory for homeowners – except for those living in landed properties and the ground floor of buildings – to change the aluminium rivets of casement windows to stainless steel ones.
If they fail to do so, they can be fined for up to $5,000 and/or face a jail term of up to six months. And if a window fails due to lack of maintenance, homeowners can be fined up to $10,000 and/or jailed for up to one year.
Besides ensuring that all window rivets are made of stainless steel, the agencies said that homeowners should also check that the fasteners are not rusty or loose, and clean or lubricate joints and movable parts regularly.
For sliding windows, homeowners should check whether the safety stoppers and angle strips are out of place or damaged, and replace any worn out parts. They should also clean the tracks so that the window panels can slide smoothly.
Er. Lim Beng Kwee, director of BCA’s special functions group said: “It is important that homeowners check their windows at least once every six months, and engage an approved window contractor to repair them if necessary. By making a small effort to maintain our windows regularly, we can create a safer environment for all Singaporeans.”
minlee@sph.com.sg
