AUTOMATIC GARAGE DOOR OPENERS - HAZARD FOR CHILDREN

Objectives. Despite significant advances in automatic garage door open er design, automatic garage door openers continue to severely injure o r kill children. In this investigation, we sought to determine the fre quency and circumstances of accidents that have caused severe injury o r death to children. We also tried to develop a means by which homeown ers can evaluate their door openers. Methods. We present the histories of three children severely injured or killed by automatic garage door openers. We reviewed national data of similar accidents primarily pub lished by the US Product Safety Commission and Underwriters Laboratori es. Also, we evaluated 50 automatic door openers for safety of operati on. The reversing mechanisms of door openers were tested using a cardi opulmonary resuscitation mannequin, a roll of paper towels, and a bloc k of wood. Results. In the United States, at least 85 children have ha d permanent brain injury or have died since 1974 as a result of accide nts involving automatic door openers. A review of circumstances of the accidents illustrates that accidents are caused both by use of the op eners by children and by faults in design. Most accidents have occurre d when children have found access to the activation devices and have b een entrapped under closing doors that failed to reverse. However, in one case, an adult activated the opener and left the premises before t he door completely closed. Our evaluation of 50 garage door openers sh owed that although 88% percent reversed when encountering a block of w ood, 40% failed to reverse when coming down on a supine, child-sized c ardiopulmonary resuscitation mannequin. Conclusions. Automatic garage door openers pose a serious risk of severe injury or death to children . It is probable that many doors would not reverse if they came down o n a young child. Therefore, we have devised a way for homeowners to te st their door openers that closely mimics our evaluations using the ma nnequin by using a large roll of paper towels. If the door fails to re verse using this test, we suggest that homeowners disconnect their ope ners and operate the doors manually until the openers are serviced or replace their automatic openers with one that meets the latest Underwr iters Laboratory standards. We also have other recommendations regardi ng the safe operation of the doors, including improving the safety sta ndards for openers in apartment complexes. Compliance with these recom mendations should reduce the number of injuries to children caused by garage door openers.