A Cleveland overhead commercial door does more than merely let people and vehicles pass in and out of your facility. It provides your operation with functionality, security, thermal efficiency, and weather protection. Ideally, it looks good too!

But first and foremost: It’s got to be safe.

Operations that rely heavily on the use of overhead commercial doors would be places like service stations, warehouses, storage facilities, large retail stores, police & fire stations, and agricultural buildings. Each facility is going to have its own unique premises requirements.

As highly-skilled, Northeast Ohio commercial door experts, our team at Advance Door encourages companies to invest in quality doors, be sure they’ve got the right type of door for their operation, and keep up with manufacturer-recommended routine maintenance schedules. Outlining clear safety rules for workers who regularly use these doors is important too.

If you have questions about the type of door you need, the proper maintenance schedule, or best safety practices when using overhead commercial doors, our dedicated door technicians can help.

Functionality of a Cleveland Overhead Commercial Door

Overhead commercial doors are are fairly simple systems. Most are made of some combination of springs, shafts, cables, drums, tracks, and rollers. The springs make moving heavy doors more manageable. It produces the twisting force (torque), and then the cable tension allows control when the door is lifting open or descending closed.

Commercial overhead doors can be either full vertical lift (keeps the door in a vertical position both when fully closed or fully opened) or high-lift (has a vertical track that extends upward to the ceiling before transitioning to a horizontal track). Each of these systems operate slightly differently, and should only be worked on by door technicians with the proper training and experience.

When overhead doors are properly installed and adjusted, they can be easily operated with minimal effort from a single person or by a small, electric motor. They should run smoothly with unimpeded, easy movement.

However, if there is any failure or improper adjustments of the system, the weight of the door can become tough to manage – and potentially dangerous.

Commercial Overhead Door Safety

Aside from cars and trucks, overhead doors tend to be the largest moving objects in a lot of facilities.

Both the weight and force of them has the potential to cause serious damage if they aren’t properly installed, inspected, maintained, and repaired.

Some of the issues that can happen when there’s a failure on any of these fronts:

• Spring tension that is not properly set or adjusted.
• Fraying, failing cables.
• Seized roller bearings.
• Mounted pads that come loose due to being poorly secured.
• Debris-fouled tracks.

Most of these problems can be prevented or promptly addressed with regularly scheduled inspection and maintenance.

Beyond that, it’s a good idea to make sure anyone who will be working near with or near overhead commercial doors is adequately instructed on safe use. Training should include a basic outline of risks involved, types of improper use, hazard assessments (if the door appears to be malfunctioning), and emergency protocol.

Some basic rules for workers operating overhead commercial garage doors:

• Don’t stand or walk underneath an industrial garage door when it’s moving.
• Never take your eye off the garage door when you’re operating it.
• Always make sure the overhead door is raised to a fully open position before allowing traffic in and out.
• Make sure the area around the door – on both sides – is free of obstructions and debris.
• Never operate industrial overhead doors if you’re under the influence of alcohol or drugs (including certain prescription medications).

If you have questions about the safety of your Cleveland overhead commercial door or wish to schedule a consultation, inspection, or repair, our professional team at Advance Door is happy to accommodate.

Advance Door Co. provides commercial door products, services, repairs, and replacements to customers throughout Northeast Ohio, including Cleveland, Parma, and surrounding communities.

Additional Resources:

Workplace, Auto, and Jobsite Safety, Garage Door Industry, International Door Association (IDA)

More Blog Entries:

How Do I Know if My Cleveland Commercial Door Needs Repaired or Replaced? Sept. 28, 2022, Cleveland Commercial Door Company Blog