HSE ENSORSES DHF INITIATIVE TO CUT POWERED GARAGE DOOR ACCIDENTS

Article first published 12/02/2010

A Door & Hardware Federation (DHF) initiative aimed at eliminating the risk of death or injury caused by poorly designed powered domestic garage doors has been endorsed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).  
 
The DHF has produced a Best Practice Guide which will enable specifiers, manufacturers and installers of powered garage doors to ensure there are adequate force limitation safeguards built in to the doors. These safeguards include a safety edge on the door leaf or a safety device incorporated into the drive system.  
 
These measures will eliminate the risk of any door striking or crushing a person with a degree of force that could cause injury.  
 
The DHF, which represents the leading UK manufacturers and installers of garage doors, produced this definitive guide in the wake of a number of cases in the UK where users of automatic doors and gates, including garage doors, have been killed or injured.  
 
Now the HSE has officially endorsed the DHF Guide to Force Limitation for the Safe Use of Powered Garage Doors. Nick Ratty, the head of HSE’s services, transportation and safety unit, said: “HSE believes that following this industry guidance will help manufacturers and suppliers to comply with the relevant product safety regulations.”  
 
This, he said, would lead to “the prevention of serious accidents involving powered garage doors. I am pleased to support its publication.”  
 
The DHF guide details the requirements for the force limitation for the safe use of vertically moving powered garage doors of all types including canopy doors, retractable doors, sectional overhead doors and rolling shutters. It describes the Standards covering garage doors, and includes a checklist that can be used by customers when selecting a garage door supplier.  
 
Said DHF chief executive officer Ian Wood: “Following a number of tragic accidents it became clear that some domestic garage doors are still not being safeguarded adequately against the risk of a door striking or crushing someone with enough force to cause injury.  
 
“In most cases where accidents have arisen it is clear that a properly designed and installed product would have prevented or mitigate the injury, even where the user - often a child - was misusing the product. We’re confident that correct use of the DHF Best Practice Guide will go al long way to eliminating these tragic accidents.”  
 
The DHF Guide to Force Limitation for the Safe Use of Powered Garage Doors is available for free download from the DHF website www.dhfonline.org.uk

Article ID No.: 191