Commercial garage doors are an important component of a business’s day-to-day operations, yet they often don’t get the same respect or training as other machines capable of serious bodily injury. The powerful mechanisms used in commercial garage doors could maim in an instant, and for your employees’ safety, it’s essential to have training on the proper use of commercial garage doors.

Avoiding common mistakes and promoting employee education are essential for anyone with an industrial garage door. At American Door Works, we install professional commercial garage doors and provide garage door service that will keep your employees and business safe. We’ve compiled our favorite commercial garage door safety tips to maintain and enhance the safety of your employees.

Reduce Commercial Garage Door Operator Errors

Reducing the risk of serious injury means setting boundaries for anyone operating your industrial garage door. Set rules pertaining to the safe operation of your commercial garage door and clearly display those rules near the garage door and throughout your facility at large.

Here are a couple of rules to have in place:

• No dawdling under the garage door, especially when it’s moving
• During operation, watch the garage door to ensure it’s clear of obstacles
• Always ensure the garage door is fully open or fully closed
• Never operate your industrial garage door under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Ensure the area surrounding the garage door is entirely free from obstruction
• Always operate your industrial garage door with your complete attention and follow company protocol

Regular Industrial Garage Door Maintenance

Part of ensuring a safely operating commercial garage door is regular maintenance. Have an ongoing relationship with a professional garage door technician, and schedule regular maintenance through them. Repairs should always be handled by a trained and certified garage door technician. The nature of the heavy machinery makes proper certification essential—don’t ever attempt to DIY your industrial garage door maintenance. A professional garage door technician will be able to identify and address potential safety hazards before they become a serious issue. Without the help of a technician, hazards could potentially spiral out of control and require emergency repair.

Training Employees

Like the operation of any heavy equipment, operating an industrial garage door requires employee training for safe use. Strictly limit the use of your garage door to trained employees to ensure safe operation.

Here are a few things that are important to go over with your employees:

• The possibility of serious harm that is involved in industrial garage door operation
• What to do in the case of an injury or emergency
• How to spot improper use of a commercial garage door
• Company safety protocols regarding the use of your industrial garage door
• How to conduct a visual hazard assessment of the area to ensure the operation of the garage door is safe

To businesses of all shapes and sizes, contact American Door Works for the service, training, or installation of your industrial garage door. Contact us today to get your garage door operating in the safest manner possible.