The Door & Hardware Federation (DHF) Garage Door Group is working closely with trading standards officers in a bid to reduce the number of unsafe and non compliant domestic garage doors being installed.
Of the thousands of garage doors installed each year, the DHF Garage Door Group estimates that 15% are either unsafe or have not undergone the legally required testing procedures. The DHF Garage Door Group, which represents the UK’s leading suppliers and installers of domestic garage doors, made this estimate following a number of site inspections carried out over the last 12 months.
Michael Skelding, DHF general manager and secretary said:
“The extent of non compliance is shocking, particularly regarding roller shutter doors. In one case, our inspectors identified a non-DHF company which has supplied hundreds of non compliant domestic garage doors. A garage door can be the largest and heaviest moving part in the home. If it’s unsafe then it’s quite capable of causing serious injury, or worse.In those cases where the DHF has found unsafe or non compliant installations, it has worked with trading standards officers in order to take appropriate action to bring suppliers into compliance.
“Householders wanting a new garage door, or are having their existing door motorised, need the confidence that their supplier will fit a product that is legal and safe for their family to use.”
DHF investigations into non compliant garage door installations revealed an alarming list of faults including:
- Unprotected roller mechanisms that could trap hands
- Deficient fixings that could collapse without warning
- Lack of protection against the door closing violently in the event of parts failure
- Lack of touch sensitive protection to prevent crushing injury
- Faulty electrics.
Homeowners should ensure their garage door has been CE marked and should ask the garage door company to provide Declarations of Performance and Conformity to demonstrate it has undergone the required testing and complies with the Construction Products Regulation and the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations.
Concluding Michael Skelding said:
“As a trade association we’ve made great strides in ensuring our members comply with all relevant safety, legal and performance criteria. We provide comprehensive guidance on meeting standards to our own installer members. The DHF is a member of the Chartered Trading Standards Institute and we intend to work closely with trading standards officials over the coming months to carry on raising levels of compliance and safety throughout the industry and stop the use of non compliant products.”
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