Every spring, FGIA makes sure the industry is talking about an important issue: window safety. You might notice that our monthly newsletter, FGIA e-News, and our three monthly blogs in March all discuss Window Safety Week, recognized the first full week of April each year. That is because FGIA is a dedicated member of the Window Safety Task Force, a group that seeks to heighten awareness of what parents and caregivers should do to help keep their homes and families safer from the risks of accidental falls through windows while also teaching children how to use windows to escape during a fire. One facet of this work involves knowing your window hardware.

Two years ago, FGIA hosted a hands-on hardware workshop, which included a live demonstration of window opening control devices (WOCDs). Watch a recap of that workshop, including a clip of the WOCD demo, in this video:

ASTM F2090, Standard Specification For Window Fall Prevention Devices With Emergency Escape (Egress) Release Mechanisms, establishes requirements for devices intended to address the risk of injury and death associated with accidental falls through open windows by children five years old and younger. It applies to WOCDs and other related hardware used on operable windows, including those that are designated for emergency escape (egress) and rescue (ingress). The parameters of this specification were discussed at one station during the hardware workshop.

Last year, FGIA teamed up with the Window and Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA) to release a technical bulletin about WOCDs. This important technical bulletin, AAMA/WDMA TB-24-01, clarifies the definition of a WOCD compared with other opening limiter devices, explains related code requirements and identifies the two types of WOCDs to promote greater understanding of the role and function of these specialized components. It is available as a free download in the FGIA Online Store.

Learn more about this important fall prevention information by visiting the window safety section of the FGIA website.