The authority is currently taking measures to prevent any unsafe products from reaching the market
In existing buildings, the municipality has introduced modifications to ensure safety of children. Speaking to Khaleej Times, Gaith Abdul Rahman Al Shamsi, Director of Construction Licensing, said the municipality is taking all steps to ensure safety of children.
He said that under the instructions of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, who is most concerned about child safety and family stability, the municipality has recently introduced precautionary measures and intensified technical and engineering monitoring to ensure that the safety specifications have been implemented during construction.
He added that based on the article 11/2 which has been modified in 2012, Sharjah residential apartments, new and old, should now have window safety locks and at least 120cm-high balcony railings. Window sills must also be at least a metre high from the floor level and not open more than 10cm wide.
The municipality also instructed old building owners and management to install locks in the windows, which should not be opened to more than 10 centimetres.
Al Shamsi said that these conditions must be implemented to prevent deaths of children, who were in many cases, left unsupervised and managed to climb through open windows or over balcony enclosures only to plunge to their deaths. Violations of these conditions and regulations will result in hefty fines.
"Any kind of changes to be done in the windows or balconies must require the approval of the municipality which would make sure such changes will not affect the security and safety of the children," he said.
He also said that incidents of child falls do not occur due to fault in specification of a building or its drawings, but rather due to negligence as many parents fail to take precautionary measures.
He added that parents must ensure that safety and security measures are strictly implemented at their homes. Small children and toddlers should never be left alone on balconies or near open windows. "They should always be accompanied by their elders and mothers should not depend on the maids all the times," he added.
January 8: Two-year-old girl falls to death from 7th floor in Dubai
A two-year-old Pakistani girl died after falling from the window of her seventh floor apartment in Dubai's Al Khail Gate community
February 4: Eight-year-old girl dies in fall in Sharjah
An eight-year-old Syrian girl died after falling from an eighth-floor apartment in Al Tawoun area of Sharjah.
May 3: Young girl falls to death from building in Sharjah
A three-year-old Pakistani girl died after falling from the seventh floor of a building in Al Qasimiya area in Sharjah
June 14: Four-year-old boy falls to death in Sharjah
A four-year-old Algerian boy died on the spot after he fell from his 18th floor flat at Sharjah's Al Buhaira corniche.
June 29: Boy seriously hurt after falling from building
A five-year-old boy sustained severe injuries after he fell from the window of an apartment in the Mamoura area.
August 2: Class 12 student falls to death in Sharjah
A 16-year-old Sudanese teenager died after falling from the fifth floor of her building in Sharjah on Sunday. The girl, a final grade student fell from a window of her room in the apartment.
December 14: Three-year-old girl falls to death from a building in Fujairah
A three-year-old Arab girl fell to her death from the third floor of her building in Fujairah. The girl reached an apartment window using a piece of furniture.
afkarali@khaleejtimes.com
The authority is currently taking measures to prevent any unsafe products from reaching the market
Values reach an annual $2.6 billion in gross written premiums
The hospital has treated more than 18,000 cases that required medical intervention
Due to the recent holidays to mark Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, students received extended leave, including for the heat alert
UAE's Ministry of Finance has put in significant efforts with the savings awareness initiatives
The appointment comes a month after parliament elected Shahbaz Sharif as prime minister
The journalist was detained for allegedly spreading "fake news" about the armed forces
Realtor holding a special sales day in Abu Dhabi