How to Safely Operate Your Automatic Garage Door

An automatic remotely operated garage door is a wonderful convenience but does have some inherent risks in operation if the garage door does not come with an auto reverse system. To date, there have been many sometimes fatal, instances of child entrapment under garage doors around the world. The opener should incorporate an automatic reversing feature intended to prevent serious injury, or death to children or animals, through being trapped under a closing garage door. To ensure the safety of your family and pets please operate it with due care and attention as follows.

1. Only operate the door remotely when you are in a position to watch it close or open completely. Children often follow their parents unexpectedly. Always watch the garage door close safely.
2. Never walk or allow others to walk under a door while it is operating.
3. Never leave remote controls lying around for children to play with, or allow them to ‘play’ with the door.
4. Ensure wall buttons/controls are placed at least 1.5m from the ground and that manual release handles are no more than 1.8m from the ground.
5. A modern, correctly adjusted, automatic door opener should have the inherent safety features and performance tested as above. However, if you have concerns around the safe operation of your door, consider fitting a secondary safety device, such as infrared beam protection at the bottom of the door opening or an electronic contact strip along the lower edge of the door.

Consult Steel-Line Garage Doors for more information. We are always there to help you.