A Note About Safety

To keep their home safe, people often think of smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and electrical outlet covers. While these are all crucial, one of the biggest risks is unfortunately often overlooked. Garage doors have caused multiple deaths per year – commonly to children. Furthermore, they lead to approximately 20,000 injuries annually – not including those incidents that are not reported or treated in medical facilities. The U.S. Product Consumer Safety Commission reports that the vast majority of these injuries are to fingers and hands. Many are also caused by garage doors sliding down on people.

As a result of these tragedies, garage door manufacturers are making extreme efforts to minimize risk and maximize safety. Owners’ manuals include detailed precautions and warnings, which include the following:

Hire an industry professional to perform safety inspections annually. These include assessments of door alignment, spring assemblies, cables, electrical components, and various hardware.

Newer automatic garage door openers are required by law to be manufactured with safety features that trigger them to reverse if they come into contact with obstructions. These garage door openers should be checked monthly. If they are malfunctioning, they can drop with approximately 130 pounds of pressure. This is enough to shatter bones.

Wall controls for garage door openers should be mounted more than 5 feet from the ground – out of the reach of children.

There is no question that garage doors – especially older models – can be dangerous. They are usually the largest moving objects on family properties, and they often weigh hundreds of pounds. Proper installation, regular maintenance, and routine inspections are essential.