Victoria Brocklesby, COO at Origin, the UK manufacturer of bespoke aluminium windows and doors, explains how prioritising child safety can help you maintain a competitive edge in 2024 and beyond.
There are 420,000 children admitted to A&E for injuries every year. A quarter of these are due to wrist and hand-related trauma. Among them are trapped fingers in doors, which the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) predicts 30,000 children fall foul of each year.
It’s easy to understand why this occurs so prolifically. Children’s fingers are small, which fit perfectly into gaps. They are also naturally curious, don’t understand risk, and have a lack of coordination and spatial awareness, which means they are prone to accidents.
Although bumps and grazes are a fundamental part of growing up, many are preventable. So, it’s only natural that families want to protect their children against injury.
The opportunity for installers
This offers a clear opportunity for installers to stand out in a crowded market. Offering products that prioritise child safety will instantly increase the emotional buy-in of customers because you are giving them peace-of-mind that their family will be safe and protected.
Once families know that some windows and doors are safer than others, it’s impossible to ignore. No family wants to compromise the safety of children, whether it’s their own child or grandchildren, or the family they plan to sell their home to in the future.
What makes a child-safe product
To help educate your customers about the best products on the market, you must first understand the three main causes of door-related injuries and how to prevent them:
1. Trapping – closing doors and cupboards are the most common cause of trapped fingers and hands. Opting for doors that feature finger-safe gaskets, like Origin’s aluminium bi-fold doors, will prevent fingers from getting caught in doors for both children and adults.
2. Falling – children are naturally inquisitive and love exploring their environment. And, without an understanding of risk, means they are often found climbing on furniture, stairs, and low windowsills. Windows with safety latches and restrictor hooks to limit the opening will minimise the chances of children climbing and falling out of openings.
3. Tripping – thresholds can present a trip hazard at all ages. So, for homeowners installing a new bi-fold or sliding door in a home, we’d recommend choosing a system that offers a low threshold, like the new Origin bi-fold door (OB-36+). This is beneficial for children when playing or crawling, and other members of the family that may have mobility issues. Plus, it creates an uninterrupted feel between the indoors and outdoors when opened.
Final thoughts
Keeping children safe will always be a top priority for families. So, demonstrating you understand this and offering products designed specifically to ensure safety is a surefire way to differentiate your business from the competition and convert leads into those all-important sales. Origin ensures its aluminium doors and windows are the safest on the market by featuring a range of industry-leading child-proof features, including finger-safe gaskets, magnetic catches, restrictor hook options, and an 8-point locking system. So, you can recommend them with confidence, knowing they’ve been designed for family life.
Sponsored news via Origin Global
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