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
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