Posted By Bob Youel irrespective of statutory nor other official guidance standards; the major player in design is risk assessment i.e. the designer makes a decision then sells that decision to a client time and again I come across designers who use any arguement i.e. building standards etc to justify as against risk assessment and making desisions thereafter any designer who does not specify finger guards [via a sensible arguement/RA] in a junior school and similar undertaking is risking their neck irrespective it is the designers duty to undertake a suitable and sufficient risk assessment as well as supply a design

Posted By Martin J Morley Is there a foreseeable risk? A quick search of the web would suggest that there is! This is the guidance issued by one council to its schools: "Analysis of previous accidents shows that while all doors in schools are potentially a risk, classroom doors, toilet entrance doors and toilet cubicle doors represent the highest risk of finger trapping accidents. Past injuries have included amputations and severed fingers as well as fractured or broken fingers and crushed or bruised fingers or finger tips. Accidents have mainly involved nursery or Key Stage 1 pupils. Due to the severity of these injuries and the availability and cost of finger guarding devices, it is a requirement that guards are fitted in the first instance to classroom doors, entrances to toilets and toilet cubicle doors used by nursery or Key Stage 1 pupils. In addition an assessment should be made of the risks of entrapment from other doors. Particular attention should be paid to the following: - . Doors which pupils congregate next to · Doors which pupils queue beside for lunch or other reasons · Doors near entrances · Doors which are susceptible to strong winds · Doors which have created problems in the past (check accident records) · Heavy doors (with or without dampening mechanisms) · Areas where pupils are unsupervised" I'm sure that similar risk assessments have guided the fitting of these devices in many public facilities and commercial premises designed to attract children! martin