Your commercial garage doors provide an entry point into your building that is likely used every day to accept new inventory or to ship out your own products. You probably don't spend a ton of time thinking about the doors themselves, but it's a good idea to periodically assess the area in order to ensure a safe working environment for all of your employees. Here are some safety tips to keep in mind for your commercial garage doors.

Check the Shutoff or Reversing Mechanism Regularly

All modern garage doors have a built-in mechanism that is designed to stop the door from closing if it senses that someone or something is standing underneath the closing area. Get yourself a piece of plywood or maybe a pallet that you stand on its side, and then try to close the garage door using the automatic controls. The door should stop and reverse itself the moment it gets near or brushes up against the pallet or plywood.

Make Sure Every Employee Knows Where the Controls Are and What Each Button or Lever Does

Even with a reverse mechanism working properly, it's still possible your commercial garage door could malfunction. If this occurs, it's important that every employee knows exactly what to do. Every warehouse employee should be educated on the garage door controls and know how to quickly cut the power if needed. You should also make sure that the control panel is somewhere that is easily accessible to all employees and preferably very close to the door itself. You don't want someone to have to scramble all the way around the corner to get to the controls in an emergency. Talk to a garage door contractor about relocating the automatic controls if needed.

Frequent Inspections and Quick Repairs Are Key

For best results when it comes to your commercial garage door, you should get the door and all moving parts inspected by a professional at least once per season. A professional contractor may notice something wrong that you would not notice on your own. If you do notice something is not quite right, however, it's even more important that you get the issue repaired as soon as possible before it turns into something larger that could cause safety concerns.

Commercial garage doors are sturdy and built for the long term, but they still require regular maintenance and upkeep to remain in good condition. Contact a local commercial garage door contractor today for more information.