Doors can often act as a hazardous trap when closed carelessly or in a hurry. Kids under five are especially prone to jammed hand and finger injuries. However, this does not mean adults are safe!
If you have ever faced a door-related injury, you can understand the discomfort and pain it can cause! Now, imagine that happening to a child. A door-related injury could result in kids having crushed, fractured, or even amputated fingers!
While such injuries could occur from both the handle and hinge side of the door, door hinge injuries are generally the worst! If you own nurseries, creches, indoor play areas for kids, or any other place often accessible to children, you must do your best to mitigate this threat on your property. Door-related injuries will not just result in tremendous pain and suffering but can also result in a personal injury claim that can leave a significant mark on your reputation and pocket. Today’s article will give you some tips on how you can try to prevent such injuries on your property!
While handle-side injuries are common, it is essential to note that these injuries rarely result in severe damage. It is easy to reduce the risk around the handle side of the door. Simply install self-closing devices on all high-traffic doors to help reduce the speed of the door. Alternatively, if the door doesn’t have to be fully shut at all times, you can also consider installing foam bumpers for safety.
Whenever you open a traditional door, you can notice a wide gap created between the door and its frame between the hinge cavity (where the pin for the door hinges is located). While this gap may seem small at first, it can pose a significant risk to small kids, resulting in fractured bones and ruptured ligaments. Given the severity of such injuries, getting door finger guards for schools and all other properties that deal with kids regularly is not an established practice.
Door finger guards are semi-rigid plastic covers installed on the hinge side of the door to prevent any curious fingers from reaching in and getting stuck. You can easily find an ideal door hinge guard for your property since they come in various sizes and shapes.
These guards are pressed into folds when you close the door and open up to cover the hinge gap when the door is open. Not only are they aesthetically pleasing, but most door finger guards are also very easy to install and don’t require hiring professionals or making holes in your door.
While these guards come at a pocket-friendly price, they can help your business save thousands of dollars in personal injury claims. Since these injuries can result in life-long injuries for kids, the compensation for such personal injury cases can go relatively high.
So, if you wish to avoid such accidents in your vicinity (and the lawsuits that follow), we suggest you invest in high-quality door-finger guards today!