Dublin Nursery fined €20,000 after 2-Year Old Boy Traps his Finger in Door

A Nursery in Ireland has been forced to pay out €20,000 in damages after a young boy trapped his fingers in a door.

Alex was only two-years-old when his finger caught in the hinge of a door at Giraffe Childcare in Dublin.

The boy’s finger was lacerated in the incident and suffered nail damage and bleeding.

Following the incident, Alex was taken to his GP before being sent to a Children’s Hospital for X-Rays. It was found that the two-year old had partially amputated the pulp of his finger and was referred to the plastic surgery team at the hospital where he underwent surgery under anesthetic the following day.

The Circuit Civil Court in Dublin has ordered the nursery to pay out €20,000 in damages. T

This incident highlights not only the severe damage and trauma that can follow a finger-trapping accident but also the fines which await nurseries and schools who choose not to safeguard their doors to prevent them form occurring in the first place.

This could’ve been easily prevented with the simple use of door finger guards on both the front and rear of the door.

Last year, the British Association of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons released a report urging for the use of hinge guards and door stoppers as the shocking statistics of finger-trapping accidents was highlighted. The statistics included:

• 50,000 children and toddlers crush their fingers and hands in doors each year.
• Finger-trapping injuries can result in a 20% loss of hand strength.
• 1 in 6 finger-tip injuries results in amputation.

At Fingershield Safety, we provide Free Door Risk Assessments to schools and nurseries across the UK to allow you to check that all your door finger guards are in full working order and to assess any doors which may be unprotected. It is recommended that your door guards be checked at least every two years due to general wear and tear which can occur.

If you would like to book in a free survey for your nursery or school, fill out our online booking form now.

For more information on door safety for your school or nursery, ring our team on 0161 869 6550 and we’ll be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.

Source: The Journal.