The rule, line by line
- lowest part of the window within 1.7 m of the floor
- floor 2 m or more above the ground
- opening stopped at 12.5 cm
The NSW Government’s strata safety page says windows within a strata scheme must have a safety lock when both of these are true:
- the lowest part of the window is within 1.7 m of the inside floor, and
- the inside floor is 2 m or more above the ground outside.
The same page says a safety lock must stop the window opening more than 12.5 cm, that all locks must be childproof and resist force equal to 25 kg, and that fixed windows, the ones that do not open at all, do not need a lock.
Where a screen can do the lock’s job
The page names two alternatives to window locks, each with its own condition. Both are quoted below.
Security screens
“Security screens, such as bars or grills on the windows, can be used instead. If so, any gaps must be less than 12.5 cm.”
Flyscreens
“Flyscreens are allowed instead of locks, only if they can resist very strong outward pressure to stop a child falling through.”
That second condition is the clearest line this guide found between an insect screen and a screen built for a load: the rule asks whether it will hold a child, not whether it keeps out insects. More on the two kinds of screen.
Who pays, in a strata building
The owners corporation must pay to install and repair window locks, unless the scheme’s by-laws say otherwise. The page adds: “Generally, the strata committee can arrange to buy or install a safety lock using the administrative fund.” A review of all window safety locks and larger maintenance costs may be scheduled through the scheme’s 10-year capital works plan.
The page describes these as safety rules for common property and says: “The owners corporation must obey window, pool and spa, fire safety and pesticide laws.” The owners corporation may ask a strata manager to take on the task.
What the health advice says, wherever you live
Pregnancy, Birth and Baby, the Australian Government-funded service run by Healthdirect, gives this advice, among other steps, for babies who can crawl:
- keep low furniture clear of windows
- put safety locks on windows so babies cannot climb out, and make sure you know where the keys are, in case there is a fire
- cover any gap wider than 12.5 cm between banisters or balcony railings
The middle line holds the whole tension of this subject in one sentence. A lock that stops a child must still let an adult out. The CFA asks households to plan two ways out of every room, with doors and windows both counting as exits. If a keyed window lock is part of your answer to the first problem, the key’s place is part of your answer to the second. The fire services’ advice on keys.
If you are not in a NSW strata scheme
The numbers above come from a NSW page about strata schemes. They are not offered here as the rule for a freestanding house, or for any other state or territory. For those, check with your state’s building or fair trading body, and use the health advice above as general guidance for any home with small children.