SINGAPORE – There were 35 cases of fallen windows recorded in Singapore from January to November, 19 of them involving casement windows.

This is compared with 33 cases reported for the whole of 2022 – 17 were for casement windows, 15 were for sliding windows and one was for a louvre window, according to figures provided by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA).

Fifteen of the incidents in 2023 involved sliding windows, while one involved a louvre window, the BCA and the Housing Board said in a joint statement on Dec 12. No one was injured in the incidents in 2023.

Investigations found that the main reason for the casement window panels falling out was corroded and weakened rivets that were unable to hold the panels in place.

In the cases involving sliding windows, the main cause was a lack of proper safety stoppers and angle strips to keep sliding window panels within the tracks and prevent them from being dislodged. BCA advises home owners to make sure that safety stoppers and angle strips are in place and to replace any worn-out ones promptly.

Falling windows “are safety hazards as Singapore not only has a densely built environment but also many high-rise buildings. Glass shards, falling from height, can cause serious injuries and lead to other serious consequences”, said BCA group director for building resilience Thanabal Kaliannan.

“To mitigate these risks, we encourage home owners and occupiers to play their part by checking and maintaining their windows regularly.”

Since 2004, BCA has issued retrofitting orders requiring home owners to replace aluminium rivets in casement windows with stainless steel ones.

Home owners can be fined up to $5,000, jailed for up to six months, or both, for failing to replace all aluminium rivets in casement windows with stainless steel ones. If a window falls because of lack of maintenance, home owners can be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to one year, or both.

Since 2006, 406 people have been fined and 94 people prosecuted over fallen windows.

Home owners and occupiers are advised to check and maintain their windows at least once every six months, as the panels may detach and fall when their parts loosen or become defective over time owing to wear and tear.

A list of BCA-approved window contractors and window maintenance tips can be found at the BCA website and the HDB website, respectively.