Roller shutter, safety in use
Please take into consideration the following when choosing the method of operating the roller shutter/door or grille (hereafter referred to as a roller shutter).
Risk of injury
Many electrically operated roller shutters have sufficient excess capacity to lift adults and children off the ground.
Children are particularly vulnerable as they might view an open-lattice (or lath with openings) type roller shutter as a climbing frame or try to hold onto the bottom of a roller shutter. If the roller shutter is operated with a child clinging onto the roller shutter curtain, they could be lifted up into the roller mechanism and suffer life threatening injuries. It is therefore important that children are not allowed to play in the vicinity of a roller shutter or have access to its controls.
If a person is standing or walking under the roller shutter when it is being operated, the closing curtain could crush them.
If a person is leaning against a roller shutter and it suddenly becomes operational, items of clothing, bags, etc., could hook onto the moving shutter resulting in life-threatening injuries.
Method of Operation:
Key Switch Operation
A key is slotted into the key switch and turned in the direction of the arrows or words to control the directional travel of the roller shutter curtain. It must only be configured as a 'hold to run' operator. This means that the key has to be held in the 'on' position to operate the roller shutter. If you remove your fingers from the key, it should spring back to the neutral position and the travel of the roller shutter curtain will stop. The key can only be removed when it is returned to the 'neutral' position.
Rocker Switch Operation
This is a keyless unit and will be fitted with a sprung switch. It will need to be turned or rocked in the direction of the arrows or words to control the directional travel of the roller shutter curtain. It must only be configured as a 'hold to run' operator. The positioning of the unit must be beyond the reach of children.
Push Button control unit
Buttons (knobs) are pushed to control the directional travel of the roller shutter; one for 'up', one for 'down' and one 'stop' button. Some units also require a key to operate the unit. It must only be configured as a 'hold to run' operator unless the shutter is fitted with the relevant safety features for that design of shutter. The positioning of the unit must be beyond the reach of children.
Group control
Two or more roller shutters are operated at the same time by one of the operation methods mentioned above. It is often the case that the person operating the controller cannot see the movement of all the roller shutters, so the shutters must be fitted with the relevant safety features for the design of those shutters (see safety devices section).
Remote Operation
The operation of the roller shutter is controlled remotely by a wireless handset. The wireless hand-held unit has one or more control buttons. One button for both up and down operation, or two buttons, one for up and one for down. Pressing a button will signal the shutter to open or close. It transmits a signal to a receiver which, in turn, connects electrical power to the motor. To stop the shutter at any time, the button needs to be pressed again. It can be configured as 'hold to run' (finger on the button for the entire movement of the shutter) or 'impulse' (press once to activate the movement of the shutter). Do not let children have access to the hand set. When a shutter has remote operation, the shutter must be fitted with the relevant safety features for that design of shutter. Note: Making the remote 'hold to run' operation does not remove the requirement for a sensitivity edge (see safety devices section).
Safety devices
A pressure detection device such as a bottom-rail sensitivity edge or a presence detection photocell set is designed to cut the power supply to the motor. A combination of more than one may be required to satisfy current safety regulations.
Photo cells
A small unit placed at either low or high-level (with some shutter designs, both) transmits a horizontal beam of light to a reflector or receiver. If someone or something obstructs the beam, movement of the shutter stops.
Note: For downward detection, the fitting of a photo cell cannot replace a sensitivity edge. For automated 'open lattice' type shutters, photo cells fitted at high-level will also be required.
Sensitivity edges
Generally, a rubberised strip designed to detect pressure upon downward contact with an object or person, is fitted to the underside of the roller shutter curtain. Once pressure is detected, the downward motion of the shutter is halted and the shutter is returned to the open position.