While entering an underground parkade, a young man was caught under the automatic overhead garage door as it was closing and was fatally injured. The investigation found that the safety reversing mechanism was not working and the door did not reverse when it hit the man.

Although the person who died was not a worker, WorkSafeBC is working with the B.C. Coroners Service to help prevent similar fatalities and injuries. Random tests in other locations found reversing mechanisms that did not work.

If an automatic garage door is built to current standards, it will have a reversing mechanism so that the door stops and reverses if it hits a person or object while closing. One common protection device is an electric eye and/or pressure sensor strip along the lower edge of the door to detect an object in its path.

• Residential doors: Test the door monthly. The door should reverse when it comes down on an object such as a 2 x 4 block of wood.
• Commercial doors: Test the door according to the manufacturer's instructions to ensure that it reverses when it strikes or otherwise senses an object.
• If it has one, check the pressure hose on the door edge for cracks, tears, and holes.
  
• Have the door installed and properly balanced according to the manufacturer's instructions so that it will stay in place when stopped in any partially open position.
• Keep the door properly maintained and lubricated.
• Install the warning labels supplied by the manufacturer.
• If children have access to the door, consider installing the activation buttons above their reach.