The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) will be conducting inspections at public and private housing estates where there have been cases of falling windows.
It aims to send a strong message to flat owners about the importance of regular window maintenance.
This comes as the number of falling windows shot up 75 per cent in the first five months of the year, compared to the same period last year.
According to the BCA and the Housing and Development Board, there were 35 cases of falling windows between January and May, compared to 20 in the same period last year.
For the whole of last year, there were 57 cases, up from 50 in 2010.
Both agencies said seven in 10 cases were due to poor maintenance.
Most of these cases involved casement windows, which are attached to frames by hinges.
Authorities say 85 per cent of casement windows fall as a result of homeowners failing to replace aluminium rivets with stainless steel ones.
BCA and HDB said they have stepped up efforts to raise awareness, with 10 roving exhibitions on window safety planned for this year, compared to just one last year.
The exhibition shows homeowners how to maintain both sliding and casement windows.
Toolkits will also be distributed to residents to encourage them to check and maintain their windows.
For casement windows, homeowners should check that fasteners are not rusty or loose.
They should also clean and lubricate joints or moveable parts, and change all rivets from aluminium to stainless steel.
For homeowners with sliding windows, they should check that safety stoppers and angle strips are in place and change them if they are damaged.
They should also clean tracks and ensure window panels slide smoothly.
Under the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act, homeowners or tenants could face a fine of up to S$10,000 or a jail term of up to one year or both, if a window falls due to lack of maintenance.
Those found to have casement windows with aluminium rivets also face a further penalty of S$5,000 or six months jail or both, for failing to retrofit their windows with stainless steel rivets.
Source : CNA – 2012 Jun 4
Lush Dream Home 