When falls from windows occur, they are usually accidental, or the result of a person being in a confused or disorientated state. The risk of a fall from height from an open window, which invariably results in serious or life-changing injuries or death, is most often associated with highly vulnerable people, such as toddlers and the elderly. However, with the growth of private student accommodation, particularly multistorey buildings, falls from height must be considered as a potential danger, both to residents and passers-by at street level below.
Falls From Student Windows: A Clear And Present Danger
Searching the internet for news reports of students who have fallen from windows unveils many examples of needless and avoidable deaths and injuries:
- In 2021, a third-year student in Wolverhampton died after falling from the fourth floor of university accommodation.
- In 2019, a student from the University of Hertfordshire fell from the third floor while trying to close a window, sustaining serious, life-changing injuries.
- During the same year, a 21-year-old chemical engineering student died in Edinburgh after a fall from height.
How Window Restrictors Could Improve Student Safety
Windows in student accommodation are often installed with a basic restrictor which prevents them from being opened fully, thereby, making it less likely that a resident will fall through the gap. However, these can often be overridden, with evidence in online forums of students discussing how to release the mechanism to fully open the windows in their rooms.
At Mila Maintenance, we use Jackloc window restrictors which can only be opened with a key, thereby preventing students from accidentally releasing them. Used across the hospitality industry by brands such as Travelodge and Sheraton, Jackloc restrictors are:
- The strongest window restrictors on the market, able to resist a force of seventy-four stone.
- Designed and manufactured in the UK using high-quality components.
- The Queen’s Award winner for Enterprise: Innovation in 2017.
By installing Jackloc window restrictors, student accommodation will be safer as:
- Windows will only open 100mm, making it impossible for a student to accidentally fall out.
- Intruders will not be able to force entry via a window due to there being insufficient space through which to climb.
- Objects cannot be easily thrown from windows which risks injury to people at street level.
Contact Us To Find Out More
If you would like to obtain a free, no-obligation quotation to fit Jackloc window restrictors in your student accommodation, please call Mila Maintenance today on 0808 100 8881.
