The hidden dangers of doors you don’t think about

04 Feb The hidden dangers of doors you don’t think about

Doors are everywhere – at home, at work, in public spaces, it’s hard to escape them! With constant comings and goings, it’s so easy to underestimate the dangers and safety risks doors present. In fact, trapping our fingers and hands in doors is often seen as a rite of passage.

Here at Fingersafe, we don’t accept door-related finger injuries as the status quo. Instead, as you can see from the evolution of our finger protection products, we’ve made it our mission to prevent them from happening in the first place. Uncovering the hidden dangers of doors is what we do to help everyone put safety first. In this blog post, we share just some of those hidden dangers – which are on your radar?

Crush injuries

Let’s start with the most obvious, and a safety hazard we are always drawing attention to at Fingersafe. Crush injuries are among the most frequent and serious hazards, with big and little hands both falling victim.

They’re most common in those aged 5 years or younger, with doors at home and school considered the riskiest according to this research. The injuries these children are left with however can be life changing as BAPRAS spokesperson and surgeon, Ms Anna De Leo, explains:

“Injuries to fingers and hands mean tying your shoe laces, typing, holding a mobile phone or eating become a lot more challenging. And this is nothing compared to the impact of a finger amputation. In this situation people may experience elbow pain, migraines and even depression. Fingertip injury alone can result in 20% loss of hand strength and can prevent people from pursuing their chosen career.”

Ranging from painful bruising and fractures to tendon damage and even amputation, crush injuries can be serious and happen in a split second.

Uncontrolled movement

Doors have a tendency to slam shut, with wind, air pressure and momentum all offering the push they need to do some serious damage.

Larger or heavier doors – including fire doors, security doors, patio doors and bi-folds – are particularly lethal. The uncontrolled motion they cause increases the force and significantly raises the risk of injury to fingers, hands and arms.

High footfall

Busy environments like offices, schools, hospitals and public buildings are prime locations for door-related finger injuries. In these settings, doors are opened and closed quickly, multiple people may use the doors at once, and attention is often focused elsewhere, creating the ideal conditions for accidents to happen.

Contamination risks

Doors are high-touch surfaces and in places like healthcare settings, commercial kitchens, workplaces and public buildings, poorly designed or hard-to-clean door components can actually contribute to the spread of bacteria and viruses, especially around moving parts and hinge gaps.

Legal issues

Did you know that being the owner of an unsafe door could leave you in hot water legally? Following a door-related finger injury, the injured party could be liable for general and special damages. These are designed to compensate the affected individual for any pain and suffering they experienced as a result of entrapment, as well as cover any financial losses incurred post-injury.

From travel costs and medical bills to lost earnings of the affected individual and their families, the legal costs certainly add up. You may also face financial losses due to reputational damage and health and safety breaches.

Prevent injury once and for all!

It is important to remember that most door-related injuries are entirely preventable – especially if you have our door finger guards installed throughout your property.

Whether increasing safety at home, in the workplace or another setting, door dangers (both hidden and visible) can be eliminated. Check out our brochure to find out more about how our finger guards can help.