Cement fibre balcony panels fail safety tests, says Finnish investigation agency

The Safety Investigation Authority of Finland (Otkes) has warned that cement fibre panels used as balcony railings are too weak to prevent falls, according to an investigation into a fatal accident in Helsinki.

A woman died in September 2025 after stumbling through a balcony railing panel on the fourth floor of an apartment building on Hietalahdenkatu in Helsinki and falling to the ground.

Otkes conducted ten strength tests on the panel type. The results showed that the panel could break under the impact of a child as small as three to six years old, said expert Toni Kekki in a statement.

Glass balcony panels are required to meet a collision resistance standard equivalent to an adult stumbling against them, but no such requirement exists for cement fibre panels, even though they are used in the same role, Kekki noted.

Cement fibre panels have been widely installed on balconies in Finnish apartment buildings built between the 1960s and 1980s, largely due to cost efficiency.

Otkes has issued a hazard notification to the Ministry of the Environment and Helsinki’s building supervision authority, urging them to take action to improve balcony safety. The notification has also been sent to municipalities, cities, and housing companies.

Helsinki building supervision has advised housing companies and property owners to verify the safety of balcony and terrace cladding if cement fibre panels are used as fall protection.