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Getting one of your fingers trapped in a door is one of the most painful experiences of your life when your fingers are only small. A door finger guard is an easy method of prevention.
And it’s a bigger problem than you think it is. According to RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) the estimate is that 30,000 children trap and seriously crush their fingers every year.
The majority of these accidents can be made better with a kiss, a cuddle and some ice. But more than 1,500 of these children will require surgery of some kind.
Even we adults can be brought to tears when the pain and shock of catching our fingers in the doors hits us.
The most common of these accidents happen on internal and external doors and often happen on the hinge-side of the door. And fire doors which are heavy and fitted with self-closing mechanisms are some of the worse culprits.
Fitting your doors with finger guards is the most efficient and easiest option.
Preventing Finger Injuries on Doors
Door hinge guards are available for both sides of the door. They make it impossible for us grownups to accidentally put our fingers in the door frame, and stops little inquisitive hands from investigating even the small gaps.
And they don’t have to be an eyesore either. Transparent finger guards are unobtrusive and you won’t really know they’re there. Other door guards are available in different colours so you can choose one which best matches the door and frame.
They’re often fairly easy to fit as well, with many only requiring a few screws. More heavy-duty doors require a carrier to be fitted to the door and frame, in which you can then slide the plastic strip which acts as the hinge guard.
These can be retrofitted to most doors, so don’t worry about getting a new door. And if the finger guards you get are too big/small for the door, they can be cut down to size or installed alongside additional strips.
Cupboard doors are also a common cause, which is why it is suggested that childproof latches are fitted to kitchen cupboard doors to prevent children from opening them in the first place.
Other Accident Prevention Suggestions
When children are around, and in buildings open to the public, it is also recommended that window restrictors are fitted too. These allow the window to be opened in order to allow ventilation, whilst stopping it from being opened wide.
Not only are these a good idea because they stop people from falling or escaping out of windows, but they also prevent people from gaining entry from outside through the window.
With a cable window restrictor, you’re also able to open the window wider when needed with the use of a key. That allows the window to be used as an escape method in an emergency situation, such as a fire.
Just ensure that those authorised to use them, such as fire wardens, know where they can find the keys when they’re needed. And don’t forget to include this in your fire action plan.
They can be fitted to almost every type of window, they’re capable of withstanding a lot of weight and are easy to fit as well.
These may look like only small changes to make, but they can prevent accidents which can have a serious impact on the lives they affect.
