Educate Your Children About Garage Door Safety In These Three Ways
If you've taught your children to have a healthy respect for dangerous items in the house and garage – such as your lawnmower and chainsaw – it's important to remember that you should also provide some safety education about the garage door. While it might seem innocent enough, the garage door can pose a risk in several ways. Hospitals documented more than 13,000 cases of injuries in 2007 that involved garage doors. Given that children are often at risk of a garage door-related injury because they frequently play around it, it's imperative to set forth several rules that will discourage your children from playing in this manner. Here are three points to discuss with them.
Trying To "Beat" The Door
You've likely taught your children about the perils of trying to run across the street or a set of train tracks at the last minute, but attempting to "beat" the garage door as it's closing can also pose a high risk. Many children are enticed by the idea of running under a garage door as it closes – essentially a high-risk game of limbo – and may not grasp the dangers of this activity. If the door's safety sensors aren't working, a child can be crushed under the door as it closes. Additionally, there's a risk of a child hitting his or her head because of not ducking low enough. Teach your children to never attempt to run beneath the door if it's moving.
Not Touching The Opener
Children often gravitate toward trying to operate household devices and the garage door is no different. Upon seeing you open and close the door with the touch of a button, many children will want to perform the same task. However, there's a risk that they'll attempt to close the door when another child is beneath it, either as a joke or because they don't understand the risk. Inform your children that they're not to touch the opener under any circumstances. Go a step further by ensuring that the opener panel is mounted out of reach.
Avoiding Pinch Points
There are several points on the garage door that could severely injure a child's finger. Sticking a finger between the door panels as the door closes or jamming a hand on the tracks during the door's operation can leave your child with a serious injury. Make sure that your children know of the many dangers of touching the door and stress that they shouldn't touch any part of the door, even when it's not moving. Contact a business, such as Unifour Door Systems LLC, for more information.
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