Schools have all kinds of doors. Classroom doors, toilet cubicles, playground gates, fire doors, glazed doors and more. They can all trap fingers, but they do not all need the same type of guard.
Choosing the right door finger guards for schools means evaluating each door individually. Its size, hinges, opening angle, location and users. Fitting a single product across the whole site can affect the functionality and safety of some doors.
Find the actual risk
The hinge cavity usually presents the biggest danger on a standard hinged door. This is the gap that opens between the door and its frame. The hinge pin side can also trap fingers, especially when children can reach both sides of the door.
Other doors create different risks. Sliding doors, toilet cubicles and low gates may have gaps in less obvious places. Schools should check the following points before choosing a door finger protector:
- Where fingers could enter a gap
- Who uses the door
- How regularly it opens
- Whether children stand or queue beside it
- How far does it open
- Whether it is a fire door
- Whether users can reach both sides of the hinges
The age and needs of the students are a factor too. Younger children may not notice the danger. Some children with additional needs may also need more protection from door edges, frames and moving parts.
Classroom doors
Classroom doors get a lot of use. Children gather around them at the start and end of lessons, hold them open and sometimes stand right beside the hinges.
A full-length hinge cavity guard is a good choice for a normal timber classroom door. It should block access to the gap without stopping the door from opening and closing properly.
Pay attention to the opening angle. A door that opens to 180 degrees may need a different guard from one that stops at 90 degrees. Thick or wide doors may need a longer or modular system.
Do not forget the hinge pin side. It may also need protection when students can walk behind the open door or approach it from either direction.
Not every classroom door is timber. PVCu, glass, aluminium, steel, pivot and bi-fold doors may need specialist guards and different fitting methods.
Toilet and cubicle doors
School toilets have different door types in a small area. The area may include a main entrance, several cubicle doors, an accessible toilet and a cleaner’s cupboard. The entrance door may suit a standard hinge guard, especially when it opens into a narrow or busy space.
Cubicle doors tend to be less straightforward. They may have thin panels or exposed gaps that will not take a standard guard. Schools should check each cubicle separately.
The guard must cover the trapping point without obstructing the latch or preventing the door from closing and opening freely.
Accessible toilets need extra attention. Students with mobility, sight, sensory or coordination needs may be more likely to come into contact with the frame, door edge or hinge area.
Gates and play areas
Low gates are common around nurseries, play areas, stairways and controlled parts of a school. Their hinges can trap fingers in much the same way as a full-height door.
Schools may need to cover the main vertical hinge gap. They should also check the top of the gate, as an open gap there can sit at the perfect height for small hands.
Outdoor gates need regular inspections. Weather and movement in the hinges can change their position and make the gaps wider over time.
Fire doors
Schools can fit finger protection to a fire door, but the guard must not affect how the door works. It must not:
- Block the door’s movement
- Stop the closer from shutting it
- Interfere with seals, hinges or latches
- Require unsuitable fixings
- Weaken the door’s fire-safety function
The installer should test the door after fitting the guard. It must still close and latch fully.
A finger guard is not the same as a fire-door hold-open device. The guard covers the hinge area. A fire door may also require a separate alarm-linked retainer or a free-swing closer when it must remain open during normal use. These are different jobs.
Looking for door safety products for your school?
No single guard suits every classroom door, toilet cubicle, gate and fire door. The sensible approach is to inspect each opening and choose protection based on the door, its location and the people using it.
Safety Assured provides surveys, product advice, installation and maintenance for standard and non-standard doors. Visit the Safety Assured website or contact the team online for help choosing suitable protection.
FAQs
Do all school doors need finger guards?
No. Schools should fit finger guards at any accessible trapping point identified by a risk assessment. Busy doors in classrooms, toilets, corridors and early-years areas are the first ones to check.
Should both sides of the hinges be protected?
Sometimes. Schools should assess both the hinge cavity and the hinge pin side. Both sides may need protection when children can reach both trapping points.
Can every classroom door use the same guard?
The same guard suits every classroom door only when the doors have the same size, material, hinges and opening angle. Non-standard doors may need a different product or fitting method.
How regularly should finger guards be checked?
Schools should include finger guards in routine premises inspections. They should check the finger guards again whenever a door drops, a hinge becomes loose, someone adjusts a closer or damage appears.
Can Safety Assured survey a whole school?
Yes. Safety Assured can inspect doors across the site and recommend suitable protection for classrooms, toilets, gates, fire doors and other non-standard openings.
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