Normally when you think about door safety, you think about the security of your property, however this Blog post is a reminder to everyone to be aware of the risk of accidents involving doors and some ideas for preventing or reducing the risk of such accidents.
A friend of mine went through an awful experience recently when her two-year-old daughter trapped her fingers in the hinge of a door. They were visiting friends at the time and had not considered the risk. The door in question was a heavy exterior door that automatically closed as someone was leaving the property.
The incident was very traumatic for my friend and her daughter, but thankfully there is no lasting damage, however they did have to go to Accident and Emergency to check it out.
Apparently there are around 300,000 injuries per year involving doors in the United States. I could not find a statistic for the UK, however it is clearly a common occurrence. Injuries vary in severity but a slammed door can lead to amputation in serious cases.
My friends are now warning all parents to be extra vigilant when their children are playing near doors and they suggest checking out surroundings when going somewhere new. I must admit it is not something I had really considered prior to hearing about this.
There are a range of products available that can help to prevent accidents such as finger guards, which shield the gap between the hinge and the door. There are cushioning pads that prevent a door from shutting fully. Also there are devices that will slow down a closing door and avoid a sudden closure. Doorstops can also be used to avoid trapped fingers.
If you own a commercial property, you will need to consider the safety of anyone that enters your property. You could be held accountable if there was an accident and you had failed to take precautions.
If you are buying a new door from Doorsan then you may need to consider the safety of your doors once fitted.
