According to the HDB, nearly 80 per cent of the cases involved windows installed or replaced by flat owners.There have been no fatalities, with one case of minor injury. From December, flat owners will have to hire trained window contractors to install and replace windows.
Information about window safety and maintenance is available in the HDB Residents' Handbook, which was launched yesterday by Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan (picture).
"We are concerned and particularly targeting this aspect of maintenance. As 85 to 90 per cent of our population live in high-rise flats, if people get careless and neglect this area, it's not just about the 150 cases, it just takes one case to hurt or kill someone and that would be a major tragedy," said Mr Mah.
HDB targets falling glass
Killer litter in the form of falling windows is causing concern at the Housing Development Board.In the past six years, the HDB recorded 150 incidents of falling windows, with more than half of them in the last two years.