The mechanics of finger guards: how they work to prevent injuries

13 Aug The mechanics of finger guards: how they work to prevent injuries

Few household accidents are as sudden and excruciating as trapping a finger in a closing door – yet, we’ve all been there!

In a split second, the force of the hinge can crush delicate bones, sever tendons and even cause debilitating deep tissue damage. For children, whose hands are still developing, the consequences can be even more severe, with entrapment injuries often leading to permanent deformity, loss of function and lifelong scarring.

While treatments for finger and hand injuries have improved over the years, the reality is that trapping your fingers in a door can mean months of pain, surgery and rehabilitation. Such injuries aren’t just physically damaging. The emotional stress can be overwhelming for the affected individual, with the potential for lasting fear of doors in young children.

The good news is that this type of accident is almost entirely preventable with a simple, low-cost safety measure. In this blog post, we talk you through the mechanics of the door finger hinge protector and how it could save you a lot of heartache.

An addition with purpose

Despite being a common fixture throughout homes, workplaces and public buildings (including schools and healthcare facilities), moving hinges are extremely dangerous, with the damage they can cause grossly underestimated.

Doors fitted with faulty hinges or those that aren’t the subject of regular door maintenance present yet more problems as Snag Doctor explains:

“Neglecting door repairs can lead to serious consequences that may put both your property and loved ones in danger. Doors are extremely important for a home’s security, privacy, and comfort so it is essential to stay on top of repairs to protect your home and loved ones… Faulty doors pose a risk of potential accidents and injuries to all members of your home. Doors that slam unexpectedly, or have loose hinges or handles can cause trips, falls, and injuries.”

Designed to close off the dangerous gap between the door and its frame, our finger protection devices act as physical shields to ensure curious little hands – and distracted adult ones – don’t get caught where they shouldn’t.

Protecting from the push side

Here at Fingersafe, we offer complete solutions for both sides of the door. But, when reviewing the mechanics of the hinge protectors we make possible, it is important to acknowledge that the mechanism on the push side and pull side work very differently. Let’s start with the push side…

Here the protector is inconspicuous, it uses high-quality uPVC to make this essential piece of safety ironmongery possible with the device screw fixed to the front of the door to cover the hinge. With this, the guard completely blocks access so wandering hands and fingers simply can’t enter the hinge gap area of the door.

Even if fingers enter the folds of the protector, the device actively ejects them from the opening, offering a double layer of protection for those digits.

Essential coverage for the hinge pin

From the other side, or the rear or pull side of the door, it’s the hinge pin that presents the problem. Our rear pinch protectors are installed over the hinge barrels, providing coverage down the entire length of the door. While designed primarily for the standard parliament hinge, the design can be adapted for use on larger openings as well as fitted on internal and external doors.

When combined, both the MK1A push side protector and the MK1B guard for the pull side work in perfect harmony to ensure the most effective safeguards you can install on standard door frames in any school, workplace or commercial environment.

Don’t forget we also offer door finger protection solutions for the home and industrial premises too. Check out our full range of protective products in our latest brochure.