The Educator Magazine U.K. Sept-Dec 2024 issue - Magazine - Page 36
Protect Your Children from Painful Finger-Crushing Accidents
Painful finger-trapping accidents are far more common than you might think. Did you know a staggering 30,000 people trap and seriously crush
their fingers in doors every year, according to RoSPA? And over 1,500 of these alarming incidents, particularly involving children, will require
surgery.
In fact, plastic surgeons warn of the lifelong problems often experienced when children’s fingers are crushed in a closing door. According to the
British Association of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (BAPRAS), fingers crushed in a door could result in long-term pain or even amputation.
Who’s at Risk of Finger Trapping?
Although finger-trapping accidents are more common with children under five, older people and those with additional needs, a painful fingercrushing incident can happen to anyone. And every door presents a potential risk. A finger-trapping accident can occur on the handle or hinge side
of a door and to eliminate the risk of painful, severe finger injuries that could cause lasting damage to finger bones, joints and tendons, you’ll need
to make both of these areas safe.
Hinge-Side Finger Trapping
Maybe surprisingly, a hinge-side finger-trapping incident can be extremely serious — fingers can easily be crushed, broken or cut off completely. A
hinge-side finger accident can potentially happen to anyone who places their fingers near the hinge side of an open door.
Due to the nature of this type of crushing and how the door closes, fingers can be trapped for a while. If this is the case and fingers become trapped
in the hinge side of the door for a prolonged period, the situation can become especially worrying as the trapped fingers begin to create toxins in
the tissue. Extended trapping has the potential to be fatal.
Handle-Side Finger Trapping
Whether slammed by the wind or closed too quickly, fingers near the handle side of a door can easily become trapped if not moved out of the way.
Although it's less likely that a more serious, extended trapping will occur on the handle side, fingers can still be broken, crushed or cut off.
The Lifelong Implications of Finger Crushing
Did you know plastic and reconstructive surgeons more commonly see fingertip injuries than any other hand injury? Unfortunately, toddlers are at
the most significant risk of a fingertip injury, and a shocking one in six of these injuries will result in amputation. According to BAPRAS, figures from
just one London hospital over one year revealed that a significant 630 nailbed injury operations were caused by fingers becoming crushed in doors.
And 40% of these operations were carried out on children.
Sadly, a finger-crushing accident can lead to permanent disability. Fully functioning hands and fingers are essential to undertaking many everyday
tasks. And finger injuries make holding and tying things, eating and typing much more difficult. Along with the challenges faced when experiencing a
finger injury, a finger-trapping incident could result in finger amputation, elbow pain, migraines and depression. Anna De Leo, a plastic surgeon and
BAPRAS spokesperson, says even a fingertip injury can cause a 20% loss of hand strength and impact a person's life.
Reducing the Risk of Finger Injury
An increased risk of finger-trapping incidents may occur in the following areas:
High pedestrian traffic areas
Settings that cater for children
Queuing or waiting areas
Changing rooms
Areas that have fire doors
Areas near entrances
Toilets
Areas that have heavy doors
Areas where strong draughts can occur
How to Prevent Door Finger-Trapping Accidents
Finger amputation and lasting damage to finger bones, joints and tendons can be avoided by assessing risk and making both the hinge and handle
side safe with:
Finprotect Plus Finger Protection Guards
Reduce the risk of serious hinge-side finger-crushing accidents by fitting finger protection guards to both sides of internal and external doors. Once
fitted, they’ll keep fingers safe year after year.
Salvadita Anti-Slam Device
Prevent doors from slamming shut on hands and fingers.
As with any potential hazard, it's essential to reduce risk where possible. Finger protection guards are typically recommended for all doors in
foundation stage and key stage one corridors, classrooms and toilets.
How ZEROplus Can Help
To help reduce the 30,000 finger-crushing incidents and many nail bed operations carried out on children every year, you need finger protection
guards you can trust. Our Finprotect Plus range has been successfully tested and assessed to BS EN 1634-1:2014, so can be installed on fire-rated
doors and provides fire protection regardless of the fire exposure direction. Both our Finprotect Plus finger protection guards and Salvadita antislam safety system are quick and easy to install and will continue to provide finger protection and prevent injury year after year.
Click Here to browse our safety products for schools today and use code FIN25 for your 25% educational discount.
