Children’s Fingers Mangled at Surrey Adventure Centre

PGL Travel Limited, who describe themselves as “the UK’s leading outdoor education provider”, has been fined £1 million after two children sustained significant injuries to their fingers due to trapping them in door hinges in the ‘Parents Get Lost’ accommodation facilities.

The case was brought against the outdoor education provider by Waverley borough council after these two poor children were badly injured at the PGL Marchants Hill adventure centre near Hindhead in Surrey. The court was told how the company had been monitoring similar incidents across all their sites since 2009 during which time 520 children had “sustained finger entrapment in door injuries, some resulting in significant injury and amputation”.

Company Failed to Install Finger Protector Guards

Although they clearly knew of the dangers and risks PGL Travel Limited had failed to voluntarily install finger protector guards to protect children staying at the Marchants Hill site. They finally did so after Waverley Borough Council’s Environmental Health (Food & Safety) Team issued them with Prohibition Notices requiring these valuable safety devices to be installed.

The company pleaded guilty to two offences under Section 33 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, related to accidents that occurred on 26th May 2021 and subsequently on 21st October 2021. They were issued with a fine of £1 million along with costs of £18,006 and a requirement to pay a victim surcharge of £181.

PGL Travel Expresses Regret

A spokesperson for PGL Travel expressed the companies regret for the injuries along with all of the previously recorded incidents that had taken place from 2009 to 2019. During the court’s sentencing it was acknowledged that the companies culture had changed and significant investment had been made in health and safety management, initiated by a new CEO. A large number of safety initiatives were recognised by the court including the installation of door finger protector guards on all doors across all of the the PGL Travel leisure centres.

Are Door Finger Protector Guards a Legal Requirement?

Finger protector guards are a simple, practical way to prevent kids and vulnerable people from trapping their fingers between the hinge side of a door and the door frame. Sadly, there are no statutory requirements to install finger protectors but there is the requirement for any organisation, including councils, to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, that people using their facilities are not exposed to health and safety risks. There is also the requirement for all employers and organisations to carry out adequate risk assessments.

Businesses and organisations have a duty to assess areas where there is a risk that employees and those using their facilities may potentially trap their fingers. As a general rule finger protector guards should be fitted to all doors in the main routes used by children in first, primary and special schools and anywhere that children are left unattended.

30,000 Children Suffer Finger Entrapment in Doors Annually

Annual statistics show how as many as 30,000 children under the age of 15 have had to visit hospital accident and emergency departments due to hand injuries caused by doors and door frames. Of these more than 1,500 required surgery with some of the most serious finger and thumb injuries resulting in amputation.

Accident analysis has shown that, while all doors in schools are a potential risk, classroom doors, toilet entrance doors and toilet cubicle doors present the greatest risk of finger trapping accidents. Younger children are most susceptible to this form of injury ranging from painful bruising and crushing to fractures and possible amputation.

What Can Parents Do to Ensure Kids are Safe?

This recent court case has highlighted how parents place a great deal of trust in the organisations who look after their children. There has been massive grown in both indoor play facilities for kids along with residential adventure activity centres prompting many to ask: how can parents be sure their kids are safe when they’re having fun in these places?

British Standards BS EN 1176-10:2008 and BS 8409:2009 are relevant to play equipment and surfaces but they are not mandatory under the law and as previously noted, there is also no legal requirement for the installation of effective door finger protector guards. Parents therefore need to do their own research.

Its always worthwhile seeking out online reviews of children’s facilities submitted by other parents. Examine the companies website along with all of their social media accounts and take a look at review sites such as Tripadvisor and Yelp.

Another important but simple element of safety research is to take a look at the doors in the facility. Are they fitted with finger protector guards? Pay particular attention to the doors kids will commonly use such as the toilets and classrooms.

Its also a good idea to compile a list of questions to ask the organisation. These might include:

• What is the organisation’s safety record?
• Have any children suffered injury requiring hospital treatment at any time?
• Has the organisation carried out a thorough risk assessment and are they happy to share it with parents?
• What qualifications and experience do teachers and carers have?
• How many adults will be supervising kids at all times?
• Do adult supervisors have first aid capabilities?
• What are the fire safety procedures at the site?
• How many children are under supervision at any one time?
• What is the age range of the children?
• What is the organisation’s procedure for dealing with child injuries?

Answers to these questions should provide parents with confidence in a school or other organisation undertaking childcare responsibilities.

How to Prevent Finger Injuries in Door Jambs

Preventing children’s fingers from becoming trapped and badly injured in door hinge cavities is readily achieved using our Finger Protector Door Hinge Cover Strips. 

The following video demonstrates how some products are actually dangerous and why our solution is the only finger protector recommended by the Children’s Charter Organisation.

And this next video shows how the product works and provides valuable installation guidance.

Click here to read our finger protector brochure (in pdf format).

For more information on Children’s Fingers Mangled at Surrey Adventure Centre talk to Insight Security