Parents' alerts - children's safety

Bunk Bed Dangers

Falls from WindowsSam Montross, 415/324-2743CONTACT: China Horse Inc., Palo AltoIf local fire codes permit window guards, install these metal bars in the lower half of the window to prevent falls. In New York City the Health Department requires the use of window guards in multi-family housing.chinahorse@aol.com"With the advent of the Twin Doubler, having twin beds has become a real advantage to hotels because the operators now have a choice for their guests: twin beds or a king," said Sam Montross, president of China Horse.Manufactured by China Horse Inc. of Palo Alto, the Twin Doubler will be marketed to hotels, destination resorts, bed and breakfast inns, and homeowners whose guests are often unhappy when forced to spend a night in a room with twin beds.Do not depend on screens to keep a child from falling out of the window. Screens are designed to keep insects out, not children in.To help prevent falls from windows, the CPSC advises:The Consumer Product Safety Commission recently warned owners of children's tubular metal bunk beds that they may be at risk of collapsing. The bunk beds have been welded poorly or have inadequate material thickness around the mattress support fins which connect to the side rails.The Consumer Product Safety Commission warns that children should be kept away from open windows to prevent falls. This may seem like common sense, but each year about 70 children die from window falls. Twenty-five percent of these deaths are children under 10 years old.

If local fire codes permit window guards, install these metal bars in the lower half of the window to prevent falls. In New York City the Health Department requires the use of window guards in multi-family housing.