How to create a door safety policy

29 Jul How to create a door safety policy

Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, it is every UK employer’s responsibility to protect their employees and any visitors to their premises from harm. The doors throughout your building pose significant risk, yet are often overlooked when identifying and reducing hazards. With this in mind, creating a door safety policy can be a valuable step in recognising, reducing and managing risks associated with doors.

In settings like nurseries, schools, offices and care homes in particular, the continuous use of doors by people with varying levels of mobility, awareness and vulnerability making finger trapping incidents common. Yet, with the right door safety policy in place, these painful injuries are entirely preventable. Read on to discover how to create a strong door safety policy that will serve you, your workers, residents/students and visitors well.

Identify and understand the risks

This is the first and perhaps most important stage of the development of any safety policy. Whether assessing the risks of classroom doors or preventing finger injuries at work, knowing exactly what you’re up against is crucial. The whole process starts with a risk assessment.

As well as identifying potential hazards and who could be harmed by them, the risk severity and necessary precautions should also be established as the British Safety Council explains:

“Assessing the severity of a risk requires an evaluation of the likelihood of an occurrence and how substantial the consequences are that it may cause. Some factors affecting this evaluation include the duration and frequency of exposure, the number of persons affected, the competence of those exposed, the type of equipment and its condition, and the availability of first-aid provision and/or emergency support.”

Hinge gap injuries are certain to make an appearance on your door safety risk assessment, and should be mitigated and regularly reviewed as a result.

Implement finger protection systems

You don’t have to accept finger entrapment as a day-to-day occurrence. By investing in our finger protection devices, you can reduce hinge gap injuries quickly, easily and affordably. Our door guards cover hinge gaps to prevent fingers from entering these danger zones in the first place, reducing the risk of finger trapping to zero.

Be clear on unsafe behaviour

While our finger protection devices work regardless of user behaviour, sharing guidance on what’s safe door use and what’s not remains important, especially when educating and raising awareness among children.

You can reduce unsafe behaviour by discouraging children from using doors as they shouldn’t, keeping fire doors closed rather than wedged open, managing high traffic areas thoughtfully, and ensuring all doorways are clear of obstructions.

Your staff need training too

Your staff will play a vital role in ensuring service users, residents or students behave safely around doors, so make sure they have the right support and knowledge to deliver the facts. Your staff should be made aware of the causes of finger entrapment injuries, the locations where they are most prevalent, the safest supervision methods, correct use of doors and safety devices, and emergency response procedures should a trapping injury occur.

In accordance with your door safety policy, the maintenance and inspection of safety equipment should also be part of the solution. Stipulate the inspection frequency, who is responsible, and the procedures for record keeping, repair and replacement.

Share safety measures with all

When it comes to parents, carers and other family members entrusting you with the care of their loved ones, the communication of the safety measures you have in place can provide vital reassurance. In nurseries and schools in particular, parents appreciate knowing that foreseeable hazards have been proactively addressed and their child is being left in a setting they can trust.

Share your door safety policy far and wide to demonstrate your commitment to safety. Don’t forget to review, improve and communicate your policy regularly to prioritise safety going forward.

Boost door safety in an instant by installing our finger protection guards throughout your premises. Get started today!