Garage Injuries: Four Common Examples
Statistics show that ineffective garage doors can be incredibly dangerous.
According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 25,000 injuries are caused as a result from accidents with garage doors, and at least five deaths or instances of brain damage take place each year – and it’s not really hard to see why.
Garage doors are, after all, extremely heavy, weighing well over a hundred pounds. They also contain a plethora of complex electrical machinery and several mechanical components. All it takes is for one of these components to malfunction, and your family could be in potential danger.
However, it’s not just the garage doors you need to watch out for. The entire garage can be equally as dangerous, depending on how well it has been set up and looked after. Listed below are some of the key garage-related injuries to watch out for and some advice on how to prevent the issues.
Cuts
One of the most common garage-related injuries there is, it can be very easy to cut yourself while in the garage. Garages are frequently used to house tools and garden equipment, each of which often feature serrated edges and sharp blades.
It can also be easy to catch your fingers in the garage door as it’s opening and closing which, in turn, can cause potentially serious burns, cuts and even traumatic amputations (i.e. finger loss). This is one of the more common injuries children suffer when in the garage, so make sure to keep an extra close eye on them and their prying fingers.
Head Injuries
Many of us use our garages to store household bits we no longer require in the house itself. Whether shoved into a bag, box or shoddily chucked onto a high shelf, when it comes to sorting the house out, it can be all too tempting to simply store goods as high up as possible.
However, when it comes to finding something you need again in the future, having your belongings stored so high up could increase your risk of a head injury, should it fall on you when taking an item back down.
To prevent this from happening, make sure you pack and store your goods sensibly. Put the heavier boxes closer to the bottom of the pile, with lighter goods stored on the top. That way, if the lighter goods fall on your head, they’ll do a lot less damage as a result.
Poisoning
As well as gardening tools, garages are often used to store hazardous chemicals like pesticides, bleaches and rat poisons. If these aren’t suitably locked away and contained in a safe storage space, there’s every chance that children or an unsuspecting person could get their hands on them, leading to potentially serious harm.
If ingested, hazardous chemicals like these can be incredibly detrimental to health. Not only can they cause life altering conditions like brain damage and cancer, they can also be potentially fatal. You therefore need to think carefully about how well they’ve been stored. Ideally, they should be locked away somewhere that prying hands can’t reach.
Dehydration/Claustrophobia
If the spring in your garage door fails, you could unintentionally get trapped inside. Since many garage doors now operate mechanically, via a key, sensor or remote control, unless somebody knows you’re in there, this could leave you trapped for quite some time.
While banging on the door and shouting may help to get someone’s attention, the longer you are left trapped in your garage, the more at risk you’ll be at suffering potential harm. You could, for example, become dehydrated after a long period of being stuck, with claustrophobia/panic setting in when the dark comes creeping in.
To prevent this from happening to you, make sure to have your garage door’s springs inspected regularly and put a failsafe mechanism or two in place.
If you have any queries about how to ensure your garage door is as safe as possible, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us today. Here at Wessex Garage Doors, we have substantial experience in garage door installation and repair, and our team are only ever a phone call away.
