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Parenting Tips: Garage Safety for You and Your Kids

Pro Tips from Franklin Garage Doors in Franklin, TN

July 15, 2021

For most, the role of the garage is both a space for storage and productivity. Some people may have entire workshops built into their own garages. Other people also utilize their garages as storage spaces for both their cars and miscellaneous items. 

Due to this, there is usually an excess of items leftover in people’s garages. This creates plenty of hazards as more and more items build up in the garage. For parents, this can be a major concern. Furthermore, garage doors may contribute significantly to the creation of hazards. As the largest moving mechanisms in homes, the many operational components of garage doors can prove dangerous to children.


Identifying Hazards

As mentioned previously, the garage is filled with plenty of items that can quickly become hazards.

  • Leaving objects scattered on the floor or equipment leaning against the wall, such as ladders, can cause injuries.
  • As children tend not to watch where they’re going while playing, they could easily trip over these appliances. Not just that, but there’s even a chance that they will have something heavy or sharp fall on them. 
  • No home is safe from garage fires brought about by faulty wiring. With excess flammable materials within the garage, these fires can spread faster and go undetected for a longer time. 
  • Once a fire has started, children, and even adults, are at risk of breathing in the fumes and getting hurt.
  • Fire hazards are not the only dangers that are posed by improper usage of wiring. For the younger kids, having cluttered wires spread throughout the garage creates tripping hazards. This is dangerous as the children can fall and hurt themselves on any of the many items that may be stored in your garage. 


Garage Door Safety Tips

The garage door is the largest moving part located within your garage. Not only that, but it is capable of seriously injuring or even killing a person. There are a few things to look out for when inspecting your garage:

  1. Signs of wear and tear on any of your garage parts. If any of your garage parts get damaged, they can cause serious malfunctions that may lead to serious injury or death.
  2. Test to see if your garage door is balanced or not. If your door is not balanced, it is because your garage door springs do not have enough tension to counterbalance the door’s weight. This can make it very dangerous to operate when the power goes out or if the door falls.
  3. Make sure that your garage still operates normally and is able to open and close properly. If it makes strange noises or does not operate regularly, it is a sign that there is something wrong with your garage door.

If you notice anything out of the ordinary when it comes to your garage door, it is highly recommended that you contact a professional garage door repair service in Franklin

Franklin Garage Doors is your trusted local company in Franklin, TN.

How to Stay Safe

While there may be plenty of dangers in your garage, there are plenty more ways to stay safe. Here are a few ways to avoid risky situations in your garage, so that even your kids can stay safe:

  • Organizing the equipment and other items kept in your garage is another easy way to prevent accidents. For instance, putting tools away on slat walls or hooks and storing hazardous liquids in cabinets so that your kids won’t be able to access them.
  • Speaking of hazardous materials, it’s also important to dispose and store them appropriately. You can refer to the material’s OSHA symbols to help guide the storing process. Please consult or research for more information on this online.
  • The garage can be a very dark place. This poses plenty of dangers when the garage is filled with different items. Avoiding unnecessary injury and clutter can be solved by installing lights. If you plan on using your garage as a workspace, make sure you install all the necessary lights needed to work safely.