Published: 20th July 2016 03:59 AM Last Updated: 20th July 2016 05:22 AM CHENNAI: In a tragic incident, the likes of which has never been heard before in Chennai, a two-year-old boy died after falling out of a window of a 12th floor apartment in Triplicane on Tuesday. The incident sent shockwaves across the community living in the neighbourhood.The police have not yet registered a case of death, though it is mandatory to do so as per the Criminal Procedure Code. When contacted by Express, a reliable police source confirmed the tragedy. A view of the upscale apartment building in Triplicane where a toddler died after falling off the 12th floor | “The child was playing on his bed which was placed close to a window,” the source said. “He must have accidentally fallen out of it.” The window did not have any other protection beside a glass pane. There were no grills fitted for safety.The toddler hit several AC units before landing on the ground. A person who was at the scene of the fall alerted the residents of the apartment.

Until then, the child’s family had been unaware of the tragedy. The child died even as his family was rushing him to a nearby hospital.While it is mandatory for the police to register a case in all such instances of unnatural deaths, no case was registered on this occasion, according to sources.The Police officials claimed that a case was not registered as there was no complaint filed by the family members or others residing in the apartment.Despite TV channels repeatedly telecasting the news, no investigation was launched by the police. Ironically, the Triplicane police station is just a stone’s throw away from the apartment where the  incident took place.A senior police officer said they are not investigating the case since the family was in extreme despair and if the case was registered, the family may have to undergo legal formalities and wait for the autopsy to perform the final rites. Looking for a life partner? Register FREE on BharatMatrimony. 'M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story' review- An engaging but forgettable T20 instead of a memorable drama filled Test match

Romancing the Bali stones How A Basque Chef Smokes Out Food’s Subtle Natural Flavors Rao cleaned the mess created by Indira, Rajiv: Sanjaya Baru Disclaimer: We respect your thoughts and views! But we need to be judicious while moderating your comments. outside ac unit runs continuouslyAll the comments will be moderated by the NIE editorial. ac units for narrow windowsAbstain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks. ac unit for a tentTry to avoid outside hyperlinks inside the comment. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines.Loose objects (even state-of-the-art video cassette tapes) should not be used to support window-mounted air conditioners.

Although Local Law 11/98 (now the Facade Inspection and Safety Program, or FISP) does not specifically focus on window-mounted air conditioners, the units are already covered under the existing administrative code (C26-105.3), which stipulates that exterior walls and appurtenances must be maintained in a safe condition. So the law has not changed. But as you have noticed, the New York City Department of Buildings has been scrutinizing facade inspection reports more closely than ever before and rejecting those reports that fail to affirm the stability of window-mounted air conditioners, or have photos that show potentially unsafe units. The reality is that window-mounted air conditioners are not seen as serious an issue as cracked bricks or loose masonry. That's probably because there haven't yet been any high-profile cases in New York City of air conditioners falling out of windows and injuring or killing someone. But a poorly installed air conditioner can pose as much of a danger to pedestrians as unsafe facade conditions, so property managers and boards must make sure the units at their buildings are adequately secured.

On its web site, the DOB provides guidelines for safely installing window air conditioners. The first step is to make sure the right-sized air conditioner is being used. It should have enough capacity to sufficiently cool the room and have a dedicated outlet with the proper amount of electrical current. The window and window frame in which the unit will be mounted should be secure and in good condition. Building management should establish installation guidelines and make sure residents comply. The air conditioner should be braced from underneath with metal brackets, mounting rails, or similar supports, or firmly fastened from inside with supporting angles. The metal brackets and angles should be attached to the exterior of the building and be strong enough to support the size and weight of the unit. Anything used to adjust the position of the air conditioner, such as shims, should be independently secured to prevent shifting caused by vibration, wind, or ice. Tilting the unit for drainage is OK as long as it isn't at a steep angle.

Dangers come not only from an improperly secured air conditioner itself, but also from any loose objects used to support it. Bricks, wooden blocks, phone books, or (in one case we've seen) video cassette tapes should never be wedged between an air conditioner and the window sill. Items such as flower pots, satellite dishes, and bird feeders should not be placed on top of the unit, either. Aside from these general guidelines, there are factors specific to each installation that should be considered, such as the size and weight of the air conditioner, the width of the window, the depth of the windowsill, the condition of the window frame, whether the unit is installed on the top or at the bottom of the window opening, and how much of the air conditioner extends outside the window. Given the number of air conditioners in a multi-story building, problems accessing apartments, and the fact that air conditioner installations are not permanent and may change from year to year, it is impractical if not impossible for the engineer or architect conducting a Local Law 11/98 inspection to check every window-mounted unit.

RAND's protocol when conducting a typical Local Law 11/98 survey is to inspect at least one securely installed window air conditioner (which must conform to the guidelines listed above) that building management has established to be a standard for the entire building. When signing the inspection report, building management is asked to confirm that all other air conditioner installations meet or exceed that standard. Under this arrangement, building management must establish installation guidelines and procedures and make sure all residents comply. For example, management can establish a rule that window air conditioners can be installed only by someone deemed "qualified," such as the building superintendent, a maintenance person, a technician from the store where the unit was bought, or perhaps an exterior contractor. (Currently there are no licensing requirements for installers.) Residents might be asked to complete a simple form verifying that a qualified installer put in the air conditioner.

Residents should not install window air conditioners on their own. To maintain a uniform standard of safety, it is probably not a good idea to permit residents to install window air conditioners on their own, especially on street-facing facades. Property managers will no doubt face resistance from residents and boards questioning why they need to hire an installer to put in their air conditioners when they can do it themselves and have done so in the past. The issue, however, is not unlike apartment alterations. Most residents, for example, accept that they cannot renovate their apartments without board approval. They realize that accidentally removing a load-bearing wall or rupturing a gas or plumbing line would damage not only their apartment but also their neighbors' and possibly the building as a whole. Similarly, without established air conditioner guidelines that require a qualified installer, some residents will no doubt hastily shove a unit in a window, close the sash, and be done with it.

The more apartments in the building, the greater the risk that some of the air conditioners will not be adequately secured. It will no doubt take an industry push to get managers, boards, and residents to comply with proper procedures for installing window air conditioners. Years ago, regulations for testing for asbestos during construction work also met with opposition from owners, managers, and contractors. Eventually, however, asbestos testing became standard operating procedure for renovation and upgrade projects, and now no one questions it as a necessary safety practice. Likewise, as more and more cooperatives and condominiums adopt rules for window air conditioners, requiring approved installations will gradually become an accepted part of building operations. Licensing standards set by a city agency to govern installer credentials would help speed the process. But before the industry reaches that point, boards and managers will have to remain vigilant. While individual residents will have to assume responsibility for making sure their air conditioner installation conforms to building standards, property managers and boards will still be required to monitor and enforce compliance.