Children fall from windows in Oregon from the time we open the windows in the spring until we close them in the winter. As an attorney, I’ve represented families whose children have been injured, obtaining a multimillion-dollar settlement. As an Oregonian, I have been working to prevent window falls since 2000.

New York City was the first to pass a law to reduce the risk of injury to children falling from windows. I tried to get a similar law passed in Oregon in 2001, but that effort failed. I’m pleased to report that a new Oregon Building Code regulation provides some protection for new construction while we work on more comprehensive protections plus public education.

The problem is not just high-rise apartments. Hospital trauma registries report that most injuries are from second-story windows. Think of it this way, hold your 4 year-old by the ankles, hold him over concrete, and start lifting. At what height are you prepared to let go? At what height will the child acquire a traumatic brain injury?

Parents can prevent these tragic injuries in the following ways:

1. Use window guards if you want to open windows all the way.
2. Use window blocks, and limit the window opening to less than the size of your child’s head.
3. Check furniture and make sure no bed is against a window screen. Make sure there is no couch or other furniture near windows that open.
4. Considering planting shrubs or placing other soft material under windows. Studies show that the seriousness of the injury from a fall is based more on the hardness of the surface below than whether the fall is from a second or third story window.

If it is too late, and your child has suffered a fall injury, call me, and I will guide you through your options. 503-665-4234.

If you want to get involved with Oregon safety professionals who are pushing for more protections, call me.

Window Fall Regulatory history