It is something which is often overlooked when it comes to safety inspections – but it shouldn’t be ignored.

Young children are the most at risk of finger-trapping accidents which can often result in fingers being severed, life-long damage and limitations, expensive medical bills for the family and legal action taken against the school or child care center.

Last year, we reported on numerous different incidents which saw children as young as two years of age and as old as eleven trapping their fingers in unprotected doors.

These accidents could have all been easily prevented with the use of door finger guards and door stoppers – but it is up to the facility managers and directors to ensure that these measures are in place in the first place. Prevention is always better than cure – which is why we’re highlighting just some of the finger-trapping accidents of 2019 to bring more awareness to door safety in 2020…

Continue reading Finger-Trapping Accidents of 2019

Recently, a 2-year-old boy lost his fingertip in a door whilst at daycare. A surgeon was luckily able to re-attach the severed fingertip under general anaesthesia. Since the incident, however, the daycare’s license was suspended. No door finger guards were installed at the time of the accident.

A door-related injury occurs every four minutes in the US. The vast majority of finger-trapping accidents are completely preventable with the door finger guards in place – but in the unfortunate event that one of these distressing accidents does occur, it is important to know what steps to take to help the injured child as effectively and efficiently as possible.

Continue reading What to Do if a Child at Your Daycare Traps a Finger in a Door

Finger-trapping accidents have happened to children as young as two and as old as eleven. Children are most at risk to finger-trapping accidents due to their vulnerability and more often than not, this results in fingers being severed causing life-long damage. With children the most at risk to finger-trapping accidents, it makes sense that the chances of a finger-trapping accident occurring while at school are higher than other locations due to children collectively moving through high-traffic zones such as hallway doors or classroom doors.

We take a look at incidents which have occurred in schools over the years to highlight what can happen without door finger protection in place…

Continue reading Finger-Trapping Accidents that Have Occurred in Schools

A lawsuit has been filed against Anne Arundel County’s school board for damages in excess of  $75,000.

The suit was filed last year after an incident which happened at the student’s middle school in October 2017.

While in French class, the student got up to ask her teacher a question. Her hand was resting on the door jamp and she was looking out the window. The teacher then tried to get the attention of the class by slamming the door.

The three middle fingertips of the student’s hand were severed.

Continue reading School Board is Being Sued for $75,000 after Student Severs THREE Fingers in Classroom Door

At Fingershield™ LLC, we care about the safety of our children – of all children – and it’s our mission to ensure that they are as safe as possible, especially when at daycare or pre-school.

It’s something which is often overlooked during frequent health and safety risk assessments: Doors.

In 2017, the BBC and the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported on the life-long effects of door finger-trapping accidents. Research in the US shows that more than 600,000 injuries resulting from getting fingers caught in doors occurred between 1999 and 2008 – leading to more than 67,000 amputations. In fact, BAPRAS reported that 1 in 6 fingertip injuries results in amputation.

41% of all door-related injuries happen to children aged four and under.

But how do you carry out a door safety risk assessment to understand what protection your doors need? Well, we’ve laid out a simple guide below to help you out.

Continue reading Child Care Centers: Is Your Door Safety Good Enough?

According to Primary Children’s Hospital, nearly 15,000 children are injured every year in the US due to a fall from a window, with 15 – 20 children being fatally injured from a fall.

A study by investigators at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in 2011 found that children ages 4 and younger account for 65% of hospitalizations for falls with head and neck injuries account for half the injuries.

Continue reading 15,000 Children Injured from Falls from Window Each Year

Last October, both the BBC and the Times in the UK reported on the life-long effects of finger-trapping accidents after the British Association of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (BAPRAS) urged for the use of door stoppers and hinge protectors to be used to reduce fingertip injuries.

Research in the US shows that more than 600,000 injuries resulting from getting fingers caught in doors occurred between 1999 and 2008 – leading to more than 67,000 amputations. An additional 580,000 injuries were caused by impact with a door or hinge. 41% of all these injuries are to children aged four and under.

Continue reading Trapping Fingers in Doors can cause Life-Long Problems