New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

Window Falls Prevention Program

To help prevent children from falling out of windows in apartments, apartment buildings in New York City are required to contain window guards. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is responsible for inspecting apartment buildings when there is reason to believe that children may be endangered by unprotected or inadequately protected windows. If the inspections determine that action is needed to provide adequate protection against window falls, the Department is responsible for following up with apartment owners to ensure that such action is taken. We examined certain aspects of the Department’s inspection and follow-up activities and found that improvements were needed. For example, the Department sometimes closed cases without determining whether window guards were necessary, and did not always follow up to verify that guards had been installed when it was determined that they were necessary. We also identified long delays in the Department’s resolution of cases. We recommended that certain improvements be made in the Department’s administration of the Window Falls Prevention Program.

For a complete copy of Report 2003-N-11 click here.