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| '''Door safety''' relates to prevention of ]-related ]s. Such accidents take place in various forms, and in a number of locations; ranging from car doors to garage doors. |
'''Door safety''' relates to prevention of ]-related ]s. Such accidents take place in various forms, and in a number of locations; ranging from car doors to garage doors. | ||
| ==Severity and Frequency of Accidents== | |||
| Because of the number of accidents taking place, there has been a surge in the number of ]. As organisations are at risk when car doors or doors within buildings are unprotected, businesses have begun offering solutions (such as '''door guards''') to neutralise the threat posed by doors. A closing door can exert up to 40 ]s per square inch of ] between the hinges. | |||
| Accidents vary in severity and frequency. According to the ] in the ], 300,000 injuries are caused by doors every year. | |||
| The types of accidents vary from relatively minor cases where doors cause damage to other objects, such as walls, to serious cases resulting in human injury, particularly to fingers. A closing door can exert up to 40 ]s per square inch of ] between the ]s. Because of the number of accidents taking place, there has been a surge in the number of ]. Thus organisations may be at risk when car doors or doors within buildings are unprotected. | |||
| ⚫ | According to the ] |
||
| ⚫ | According to the US ]: | ||
| ⚫ | :"...It is essential that children's fingers be protected from being crushed or otherwise injured in the hinge space of a swinging door or gate. There are simple devices available to attach to the hinge side, ensuring that this type of injury does not occur. As the door closes, the hand is pushed out of the opening, away from harm. In addition, young children are vulnerable to injury when they fall against the other (hinged) side of doors and gates, striking projected hinges. Piano hinges are not recommended to alleviate this problem as they tend to sag over time with heavy use. Instead, an inexpensive device fitting over hinges is available on the market and should be used to ensure safety..." | ||
| ⚫ | :"...It is essential that children's fingers be protected from being crushed or otherwise injured in the hinge space of a swinging door or gate. There are simple devices available to attach to the hinge side, ensuring that this type of injury does not occur. As the door closes, the hand is pushed out of the opening, away from harm. In addition, young children are vulnerable to injury when they fall against the other (hinged) side of doors and gates, striking projected hinges. Piano hinges are not recommended to alleviate this problem as they tend to sag over time with heavy use. Instead, an inexpensive device fitting over hinges is available on the market and should be used to ensure safety..."<ref>USA General Services Administration Child Care Center Design Guide, June 1998</ref> | ||
| ⚫ | == Door guards == | ||
| ==Accident Types and Prevention== | |||
| ⚫ | Door guards |
||
| === Doorstops === | |||
| ]s are simple devices used to prevent a door from come into contact with another object (typically a wall). Without the door stop damage might be done to the wall. They may either absorb the force of a moving door, or hold the door in place to prevent unintended motion. | |||
| ⚫ | === Door guards === | ||
| The purpose of door guards is to reduce the number of finger trapping accidents in doors, as doors pose a risk to children especially when closing. | The purpose of door guards (also known as hinge guards, anti-finger trapping devices and / or finger guards) is to reduce the number of finger trapping accidents in doors, as doors pose a risk to children especially when closing. | ||
| ⚫ | Door guards protect fingers in door hinges by covering the gap that is created by opening doors by covering the hinges of doors with a piece of rubber or plastic that wraps from the door frame to the door. | ||
| ⚫ | There are various levels of door protection |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | There are various levels of door protection. Front door protection a front anti-finger trapping device but leaves the rear hinge pin side of the door unprotected. Full door protection uses front and rear anti-finger trapping devices and ensures the hinge side of a door is fully protected. | ||
| ⚫ | There is also handle |
||
| ⚫ | Which level of protection is appropriate should be determined by a ] of the door. | ||
| ⚫ | There is also handle-side door protection, which prevents the door from slamming shut on the frame, which can cause injury to fingers/hands. | ||
| ⚫ | == See also == | ||
| === Glass doors === | |||
| ]s pose the risk of unintentional collision if a person believes the door to be open when it is closed, or is unaware there is a door there at all. This risk may be particularly pronounced with sliding glass doors because they often have large single panes which are hard to see. To prevent injury from glass doors, ] or other types of warnings are sometimes placed on the glass surface to make it more visible. | |||
| ===Fire=== | |||
| See main article: '']s'' | |||
| Special purpose fire doors are often employed in buildings to reduce the overall risk of fire, particularly by preventing the spread of fire and smoke. In cases where they are improperly installed, employed, or tampered with, the risk of fire can be increased. | |||
| ===Automobile doors=== | |||
| There may be an increased risk of trapping hands or fingers in car doors compared to other types of doors. {{fact}} | |||
| In some car accidents, injury to occupants from the movement of car doors may occur. {{fact}} | |||
| Bicyclists often fear collision with an opening car door in case the car's occupant does not look carefully to check that it is safe to open the door. Because cyclists often ride near parked cars along the side of the road (see ''']''') they are particularly vulnerable to this. | |||
| ⚫ | == See also == | ||
| * ] | * ] | ||
| * ] | * ] | ||
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Door safety relates to prevention of door-related accidents. Such accidents take place in various forms, and in a number of locations; ranging from car doors to garage doors.
Severity and Frequency of Accidents
Accidents vary in severity and frequency. According to the National Safety Council in the US, 300,000 injuries are caused by doors every year.
The types of accidents vary from relatively minor cases where doors cause damage to other objects, such as walls, to serious cases resulting in human injury, particularly to fingers. A closing door can exert up to 40 tons per square inch of pressure between the hinges. Because of the number of accidents taking place, there has been a surge in the number of law suits. Thus organisations may be at risk when car doors or doors within buildings are unprotected.
According to the US General Services Administration:
- "...It is essential that children's fingers be protected from being crushed or otherwise injured in the hinge space of a swinging door or gate. There are simple devices available to attach to the hinge side, ensuring that this type of injury does not occur. As the door closes, the hand is pushed out of the opening, away from harm. In addition, young children are vulnerable to injury when they fall against the other (hinged) side of doors and gates, striking projected hinges. Piano hinges are not recommended to alleviate this problem as they tend to sag over time with heavy use. Instead, an inexpensive device fitting over hinges is available on the market and should be used to ensure safety..."
Accident Types and Prevention
Doorstops
Doorstops are simple devices used to prevent a door from come into contact with another object (typically a wall). Without the door stop damage might be done to the wall. They may either absorb the force of a moving door, or hold the door in place to prevent unintended motion.
Door guards
The purpose of door guards (also known as hinge guards, anti-finger trapping devices and / or finger guards) is to reduce the number of finger trapping accidents in doors, as doors pose a risk to children especially when closing.
Door guards protect fingers in door hinges by covering the gap that is created by opening doors by covering the hinges of doors with a piece of rubber or plastic that wraps from the door frame to the door.
There are various levels of door protection. Front door protection a front anti-finger trapping device but leaves the rear hinge pin side of the door unprotected. Full door protection uses front and rear anti-finger trapping devices and ensures the hinge side of a door is fully protected. Which level of protection is appropriate should be determined by a risk assessment of the door.
There is also handle-side door protection, which prevents the door from slamming shut on the frame, which can cause injury to fingers/hands.
Glass doors
Glass doors pose the risk of unintentional collision if a person believes the door to be open when it is closed, or is unaware there is a door there at all. This risk may be particularly pronounced with sliding glass doors because they often have large single panes which are hard to see. To prevent injury from glass doors, stickers or other types of warnings are sometimes placed on the glass surface to make it more visible.
Fire
See main article: fire doors
Special purpose fire doors are often employed in buildings to reduce the overall risk of fire, particularly by preventing the spread of fire and smoke. In cases where they are improperly installed, employed, or tampered with, the risk of fire can be increased.
Automobile doors
There may be an increased risk of trapping hands or fingers in car doors compared to other types of doors.
In some car accidents, injury to occupants from the movement of car doors may occur.
Bicyclists often fear collision with an opening car door in case the car's occupant does not look carefully to check that it is safe to open the door. Because cyclists often ride near parked cars along the side of the road (see door zone) they are particularly vulnerable to this.
See also
References
- USA General Services Administration Child Care Center Design Guide, June 1998
External links
- US General Services Administration
- National Safety Council
- DTI S.M.A.R.T Award
- Fingershield Safety UK