Here’s a handy Garage Door safety checklist from CHI Overhead Doors

It includes 4 tests that make up a 5 minute Monthly Garage Door Maintenance procedure.

Garage Safety pdf

1. Playing With Garage Doors

Nearly 100 children are injured each year playing with garage doors, whether riding them or racing in and out as the door closes as a way to have fun.

To prevent this, it’s simply a matter of making sure that you are educating any children in the house that garage doors are not toys.

2. Trying to Get Into the Garage Before It Closes

Over 130 people each year injure themselves or damage their garage doors by trying to race it as it closes. Modern garage doors have sensors as a safety feature to prevent impacts, however it’s still a risky move.

The best way to avoid injury here is to never race the door. You may have to stop for a few seconds and wait as the door re-opens, but that’s much better than hurting yourself. If you’re racing to exit your garage as the door is closing, try using an alternate route such as a smaller entry door instead.

3. Entrapments

There’s always a risk that fingers can get caught between the rollers and the tracks if you’re not careful. This accident happens to nearly 200 people every year, and in certain cases can lead to severe injury and even amputation.

4. Broken Doors

Garage doors that simply aren’t operating as expected can contribute to over 200 injuries per year. There can be many reasons for a broken garage door, such as malfunctioning sensor or problems with the garage door opener.

To be sure that you’re not surprised by a broken garage door and possibly injured as a result, it’s a good idea to test all mechanical and moving parts while you’re performing regular maintenance.

5. Springs

Every year, more than 300 people suffer injuries from broken garage door springs or by getting their hands stuck while performing maintenance on them.

The best thing you can do to avoid spring-related injuries is to simply keep your hands away from these areas. Maintenance on garage door springs should ideally be conducted by certified dealers to keep yourself out of danger.

6. Glass

If your garage door has windows, or is a contemporary glass-based design then at some point you may have to deal with broken glass. Each year, this causes more than 300 injuries.

While you often can’t do much to prevent glass from breaking, it’s important to use extra care when cleaning up the mess. Be sure to clear up the broken glass as soon as possible and don’t leave any shards around that may cause injuries in the future.

7. Sharp Edges

More than 800 people each year cut themselves on the garage door’s track or other sharp edges. Most injuries can be minor, but if the metal has rusted or is dirty there may be the risk of an infection.

To prevent any cuts, it’s a good idea to work carefully, use the right tools for the job, and wear protective gloves.

8. Do It Yourselfers

Some of us prefer to work on our own garage doors rather than seek professional help. While this can be an affordable option for quick maintenance and repairs, there’s always the chance of injury if you’re not familiar with the specifics of your door. Unfortunately, there are more than 1,600 DIY related injuries per year.

If you’re determined to do repairs yourself then always carefully study your garage door’s manual. If you’re still feeling unsure then contact a certified dealer and have them take care of everything instead.

9. Falling Doors or Sections

If a garage door is not properly maintained, then there’s the chance that a section, or the entire door itself can fall and cause serious harm. Each year, this occurs over 2,000 times and it can do damage to people and cars.

Regular maintenance is the best way to prevent garage door malfunctions on this scale. When doing your seasonal checks, always be sure that all bolts are tightened and hinges are in perfect working condition.

10. Pinches and Crushes

One of the most common types of injury is pinching and crushing caused by the garage door’s section joints. In fact, this happens over 7,000 times per year.

To avoid this type of injury, always be careful to avoid placing your hands near any joints because you never know if you’ll be unlucky and get pinched.