SINGAPORE: There were more cases of fallen windows this year according to statistics released on Sunday (Dec 11) by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and Housing and Development Board (HDB).
In the first 11 months of this year, there were 41 cases of fallen windows compared to 30 cases in the same period in 2015.
Most of these cases are casement windows which had dislodged and fallen due to corroded aluminium rivets, the joint release from the BCA and HDB added.
Since 2005, homeowners have been required to change the aluminium rivets of casement windows to stainless steel ones. This mandatory requirement applies to windows in all residential units, except those in landed properties and the ground floor of buildings.
If homeowners fail to do so, they are committing an offence under the Building Control Act and can be fined up to S$5,000 and/or face a jail term of up to six months.
In addition, if a window falls due to lack of maintenance, it is an offence under the Building Maintenance And Strata Management Act, and homeowners can face up to a maximum fine of $10,000 and/or jail term of up to one year.
To date, 78 people have been prosecuted and fined in Court for failing to retrofit casement windows with stainless steel rivets. 303 people have also had their offences compounded and have had to pay composition amounts for fallen windows.
For casement windows, homeowners are required to ensure that all rivets are made of stainless steel. They should also check that the fasteners are not rusty or loose, and regularly clean and lubricate joints or movable parts.
“It is important to use a mirror to check the rivets on the underside and top of the window panel, to ensure they are not corroded or loosened,” said Er. Lim Beng Kwee, Director of BCA’s Special Functions Group.
