REVOLVING DOOR INJURIES
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By Michael Panish
Automatic Door Expert Witness
Within the past few months, I have been retained as expert witness to evaluate
revolving door injuries in over a dozen different locations nationwide.
While I usually see an even distribution of sliding door, swinging door,
and revolving door injury cases, the revolving door injuries currently
seem to be the most prevalent. What is particularly interesting is that
no two of my recent cases were created by the same problem. A few were
similar in sensor malfunctions, some were the result of metal fatigue
of different types, and two cases were created by multiple user interactions.
No Daily Inspections or Safety Evaluations:
In each of my recent cases, one common factor was apparent. No daily inspections
or safety evaluations were made by the management of the facilities where
the revolving doors were installed. And, while critically important, the
daily safety checks would not have prevented the resulting injuries in
the multiple user incidents.
Two Recent Revolving Door Injury Case Consultations:
Attorneys contacted me to consult with them on the potential claims that
they were considering.
In one case, a store patron was entering the revolving door from the interior
of the store to exit the building. From video surveillance provided, an
elderly patron decided to try and enter the revolving door from the exterior
side of the store just as the door panel was approaching the fixed side
panel of the drum. The patron in the process of leaving the store was
completely absorbed in a conversation with her friend sharing the same
segmented compartment of this four panel system. Both ladies were not
paying any attention to their proximity with the door wing immediately
in front of them. They appeared to be less than two inches from the face
of the door as they were exiting the store. When the elderly gentleman
entered the zone protected by the crush protection sensor, the sensor
performed flawlessly and stopped the rotation of the doorway to prevent
him from being trapped between the fixed panel and the approaching door
wing. One of the two ladies continued walking forward into the winged
panel in front of her, breaking her nose.
Another injury was created when a similar situation occurred. A woman was
leaving a store, entered the revolving door while talking on her cell
phone. A mother, pushing her small daughter in a stroller attempted to
enter the revolving doorway, and the doorway abruptly stopped due to their
proximity with the revolving door panel and the fixed panel. The woman
with the cell phone smashed her face and phone into the door panel in
front of her, breaking both the glass panel of the revolving door wing
and two of her front teeth.
Revolving Doors:
It has always been my observation from the automatic door injury cases
I have been involved in, that revolving doors can be the most dangerous
type of automatic door systems found. But, that does not mean that they
are not a useful product. Most manufacturers do everything possible to
design products that possess multiple and redundant safety devices and
sensors. The revolving doorway systems are typically the most complex
products of any automatic door line. When these devices are all working
in harmony with properly adjusted components and sensory inputs, there
is still one aspect of these doorways that cannot be controlled. That
variable is the erratic unpredictable and often impatient behavior of
the average door user.
Compare Revolving Doors to a Ferris Wheel:
Picture a ferris wheel in an amusement park; that wheel is a vertical version
of a horizontally installed revolving doorway. When a single rider is
seated on the ferris wheel the revolving action of that wheel can be started.
This action is similar to a single user of a revolving door beginning
to enter the revolving doorway. If a rider is alone on the ferris wheel
he can continually circle the ride without any interference until another
rider wishes to get on the wheel. Likewise, a single user of a properly
adjusted automatic revolving door is free to walk at an appropriate pace,
slow down or even stop without affecting any other user of the doorway.
When a second person wishes to get on the ferris wheel, the first rider
is subjected to having the wheel stop while that second rider enters a
gondola of the ferris wheel. So, even though the first rider may not know
that another guest wants to ride the wheel, the first rider is subject
to waiting, or being stopped abruptly while the second rider is loaded
onto another car of the ferris wheel. The rotation, positioning of patrons,
and interconnected usage make using a revolving automatic door very similar
to riding a ferris wheel. The main difference is that in the case of a
ferris wheel, a human attendant is usually responsible for governing the
operation of the wheel, while in a revolving automatic door; the movement
is controlled by a diverse network of sensors communicating with a robotic
motor control device.
A single user of a properly functioning automatic revolving door is not
subjected to any restrictions until a second or third user may create
some sort of revolving obstruction conflict. When this happens everything
from a slowing down of the revolution of the doorway to a complete stalling
can and does occur. The first user of the doorway is now subjected to
the behavior and potential improper usage of the revolving doorway by
each consecutive successive user of these shared doorways.
I am not faulting the manufacturers of revolving doorways. In order to
be in compliance with current standards, all modern revolving doors include
multiple sensory systems. These devices include motion and pressure sensors
of various designs and types providing the informational input to the
motor controller. This machine sensory input is equivalent to human senses
providing information to our brains. The main differences are the limitations
of processing abilities and lack of independent thought in the door motor
controller.
All manufacturers of automated door products strive to make their devices
as safe as possible. One of the most basic problems where these door systems
are installed is that the building management or owners do not understand
how potentially serious an injury from these automated revolving door
systems can be. Door manufacturers typically participate in industry programs
where standards for performance and safe operation are determined and
specified. Unfortunately, there seems to be a complete disconnection between
many original design ideals from the manufacturer and the installation
and maintenance programs followed by various service providers and end users.
By the time an injury has happened, it is common to observe sensors that
have been seriously damaged, disconnected, or out of alignment. Maintenance
providers, whether in-house or from a door service company, often make
bad decisions and do not follow all of the recommendations and requirements
suggested by the revolving door manufacturers. When improper service and
maintenance has taken place, in essence, the revolving door has been blinded
from the sensory input that was designed to protect the users of these
door systems from harm.
The decision to use a revolving doorway over another type of automated
device is promoted for a variety of reasons. Air locks, traffic patterns,
and architects and designers promoting an upscale product and a specific
design look are just a few reasons for making the revolving door choice.
But the reality of the daily operation, maintenance, and potential patron
usage and abuse make the revolving doors less appealing in the real world
than other automatic door choices. It is critically important to understand
the customer demographics and customer base abilities when deciding to
install any kind of automatic door system. In many businesses that attract
elderly, handicapped or disabled people, they often use motorized scooters
or wheel chairs as their primary mode of transportation. Older people
are often walking with a cane or walker, and these devices limit their
mobility. Walking or riding in a circular path of a revolving doorway
leads to additional problems that make entering a building significantly
more difficult than walking through a sliding, parting, or swinging door
system. Damage to the revolving door panels is more prevalent when motorized
carts and wheel chairs are commonly used by the customer base, as the
panels are constantly hit by poorly controlled conveyances.
From my experience as an automatic door injury expert witness, I am often
informed by management or owners that the revolving door system never
performed properly, since its original installation. Yet, they continued
the operation of the door aware of its fault. Some hotel and store managers
have claimed that when the original installation of the revolving door
took place, it had remained outside in the rain prior to being placed
in the building. Others claim that when the original installation was
done it was not handled by experienced door installers. Sometimes union
requirements have dictated that local union members install the door systems.
Although there may have been involvement on the part of the territorialized
product vendor who provided the door, there was little or no direct supervision
of the installations done by those required installers. This becomes problematic
for the territorialized factory door vendors, as they should have documented
the non-factory trained installation, storage situation, and all other
factors that could lead to future failures of the door components as a
result of questionable installation practices. Installations done by factory
trained technicians are generally better than when performed by inexperienced
outside door installers with little or no automatic door training. As
discussed in many of my other automatic door articles, thorough and complete
documentation of all site conditions, installation issues and service
policies are essential to identify deficiencies in these door systems
on an ongoing basis.
Summary:
Automatic revolving doors have their share in the marketplace and will
probably continue to be installed as architects, designers and manufacturers
promote their virtues.
Manufacturers have been responsive and active developing and promoting
safety devices for these products. The thorough and appropriate daily
safety inspections are the responsibility and non delegable duty of the
management or owners of any property where automatic door products of
any kind are installed. While annual inspections are encouraged and promoted
by industry organizations, a routine daily inspection is the only true
test of the operating characteristics of the doorway.
The general public does not understand that a certain heightened level
of awareness is appropriate and required of them when using any automatic
door system. The benefits of automated door systems generally outweigh
the potential dangers that an occasional improperly functioning door system
can create. Today's culture of constantly using phones and wireless
communication devices has created a dangerous shift of attention from
being aware of your surroundings to being distracted and oblivious of
your immediate environmental location. For many of the same reasons of
distraction where states have outlawed the usage of cell phones and text
messaging while driving, the public needs to be aware that there is a
personal responsibility and required increase of awareness for your own
well-being. It is common sense that when you are distracted, your perception,
understanding and reaction to immediate dangerous situations are impaired.
Proper evaluation of the demographics of patrons that use your facility
can and should direct the appropriate choices for selection of door system
installations.
Mike Panish is a forensic expert witness and consultant in the construction
industry. One of his areas of expertise pertains to automatic door cases
and he has over 35 years of hands on experience dealing with commercial,
multi residential, hotel, hospital, lab and other locations where specialty
door systems are needed. He has written several articles on the subject
of door related claims and maintenance issues related to automatic door
systems. He is licensed as a door and hardware contractor in the State
of California. He has been involved in automatic door cases across the
United States. He has been used as a consultant and has been retained
and designated as expert in many types of door injury related claims for
both the plaintiff and defense. Mike is able to quickly ascertain the
facts, explain the critical information pertaining to your case and can
assist you in developing your case from discovery through trial. He has
offices in California, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. He is available
for nationwide consulting and expert analysis and testimony. Michael Panish
can be reached at (888) 902-4272 (Sharon).
Copyright - Michael Panish, Constructionwitness.com 2/2/2013
Other Automatic Door Articles by Michael Panish
The Ins and Outs of Automatic Door Operation
AUTOMATIC DOORS - The Importance of Checking Your Doors Daily
Automatic Door Service Providers - How to Limit your Liability
A Brief Tutorial on Garage Door Safety & Installation