I ran across a video the other day, which highlights a product designed to notify people on the pull side of a door that someone is about to open it from the push side. It made me wonder how common this problem is – doors that open blindly and could injure someone passing by or preparing to open the door from the opposite side. Here’s the video:
A few questions for you…
- Is it a common problem for a door to open blindly into tight spaces in the path of pedestrian traffic?
- Are you aware of injuries that have occurred, or safety concerns with this configuration?
- With existing situations like the one in the video, what would you do to solve the problem?
- What are some other door-related accidents that occur frequently?.
WWYD?
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Is it a common problem for a door to open blindly into tight spaces in the path of pedestrian traffic?
Yes, plus inward opening doors can have the same problem
Are you aware of injuries that have occurred, or safety concerns with this configuration?
Not really
With existing situations like the one in the video, what would you do to solve the problem?
Most of the time a simple sign, “ open door slowly”
What are some other door-related accidents that occur frequently?.
Hummm, ??
My own sister at 7 years old got her front teeth broken by the protruding pull (just like the one in the video) in elementary school this way because the gym doors were solid and not in an alcove in the corridor. Vision panel would have helped.
We’ve seen many broken fingers (and noses) of people in this situation. Even more before presence sensor were required on auto door openers. I like the product but the people most likely to be injured are the same people who most likely ignore the warning signs and flashing indicators. After the first broken finger they are usually more cautious.
I like that is takes the onus off of the push-side person, and puts it all on the pull-side person.
What happens if you don’t notice the warning soon enough?
If an “OPEN DOOR SLOWLY” sign won’t work, how about a warning system that someone is on the other side, from both sides?
A window might be an idea. But it might also be an idea to design into an alcove plus add a closer with back check. This ‘sample’ door for their infomercial has no closer and yet has a latch plate.
It is a real issue but not as much as this door shows. The detectors they show are not all that new tech so in my opinion, this this being badly oversold.
Interesting concept, I’ve still got a bump on my noggin from when somebody came flying out of the men’s room as I was entering at a bowling alley; and I got hit with the outswinging hollow steel door!
More common then most might think. My first week at this job, someone coming out of the control room knocked me on my butt. The next week, same door, I got hit in the face. The third week I put in a new door with a vision panel. I have been here 8 years and its never happened since.
I have come across this all the time by installing vision kits to see who is coming thru the doors at universities
See this a lot in rated stairwells, particularly when designs use egress stairs to double as general circulation, but the landings are kept to code a minimum without alcoves. People enter the stairwell at an in-swinging door right as people are walking down stairs with momentum. Even when the circulation meets code, its very easy for someone to be walking in a way that leads them to get hit, and it can be hard to avoid. I encourage a vision kit, but it is often not desired for a small list of reasons, generally cost.