An air-conditioning (AC) unit fell from a 17th-floor apartment’s window and killed a university student, causing consternation.
An AC unit attached to the wall of a tall building could fall for several reasons. If heavy objects hit it from above, the unit could fall. If its brackets were damaged by strong winds, a tragic accident could happen. In Taipei, it is not unusual to see AC units precariously supported by worn-out brackets.
Whenever I see an AC unit above my head, I give it a wide berth or walk through a pedestrian arcade. More improvements must be made to protect people’s lives.
The Taiwan Electrical Appliance Association has stipulated areas of concern regarding safety and regulations for the installation of AC units. It requires business owners to provide an AC security cage when a unit is to be installed on a tall building. This way, workers’ safety is protected and the possibility of the unit accidentally falling from the window is minimized.
Regrettably, some consumers still choose brackets rather than a security cage. They believe that this saves money, and their view from their window would not be blocked by an iron cage.
Moreover, to compete with others, some business owners lower the cost of installing AC units, and use steel brackets that are cheaper, but less solid. This problem has yet to be addressed.
Without legislation to regulate the brackets of AC units and ensure they do not become worn out, pedestrians’ safety would continue to be jeopardized.
The government must deal with the situation by changing the law, making it mandatory for all AC units to be installed with security cages. If the government fails to pay greater attention to this problem, a tragedy might occur again.
Inadequately supported AC units are like a ticking time bomb, putting lives at risk.
Dino Wei works in the information technology industry.
Translated by Emma Liu
US President Donald Trump created some consternation in Taiwan last week when he told a news conference that a successful trade deal with China would help with “unification.” Although the People’s Republic of China has never ruled Taiwan, Trump’s language struck a raw nerve in Taiwan given his open siding with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression seeking to “reunify” Ukraine and Russia. On earlier occasions, Trump has criticized Taiwan for “stealing” the US’ chip industry and for relying too much on the US for defense, ominously presaging a weakening of US support for Taiwan. However, further examination of Trump’s remarks in
It is being said every second day: The ongoing recall campaign in Taiwan — where citizens are trying to collect enough signatures to trigger re-elections for a number of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators — is orchestrated by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), or even President William Lai (賴清德) himself. The KMT makes the claim, and foreign media and analysts repeat it. However, they never show any proof — because there is not any. It is alarming how easily academics, journalists and experts toss around claims that amount to accusing a democratic government of conspiracy — without a shred of evidence. These
China on May 23, 1951, imposed the so-called “17-Point Agreement” to formally annex Tibet. In March, China in its 18th White Paper misleadingly said it laid “firm foundations for the region’s human rights cause.” The agreement is invalid in international law, because it was signed under threat. Ngapo Ngawang Jigme, head of the Tibetan delegation sent to China for peace negotiations, was not authorized to sign the agreement on behalf of the Tibetan government and the delegation was made to sign it under duress. After seven decades, Tibet remains intact and there is global outpouring of sympathy for Tibetans. This realization
Taiwan is confronting escalating threats from its behemoth neighbor. Last month, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army conducted live-fire drills in the East China Sea, practicing blockades and precision strikes on simulated targets, while its escalating cyberattacks targeting government, financial and telecommunication systems threaten to disrupt Taiwan’s digital infrastructure. The mounting geopolitical pressure underscores Taiwan’s need to strengthen its defense capabilities to deter possible aggression and improve civilian preparedness. The consequences of inadequate preparation have been made all too clear by the tragic situation in Ukraine. Taiwan can build on its successful COVID-19 response, marked by effective planning and execution, to enhance
RSS