Instructions for Use

The company that I work for has several buildings in Cambridge, all of which have glass ‘security’ doors, where you have to swipe your identity card through, then the doors open and let you in. In short, they really aren’t rocket science.

Today, we’ve had an email through from the company’s Health and Safety directorate, explaining that some 20% of the reported workplace accidents/injuries in 2006 were due to these doors. So we now have – posted on the intranet, no less – instructions on how to use the security doors. I’m not kidding…

• Upon approach stand back behind the barrier so that the ‘person’ sensor within the barrier wall is not obstructed.
• Present your security badge, which should “beep” in recognition.
• Proceed through the gate.
  (You’ll note that there’s no proviso about ‘when the gate has opened, proceed through the gate’)
• This is a precise operation and many accidents occur due to
  • Confusion on the part of the ‘person’ sensor, if you stand too far forward when presenting your badge it assumes that there are possibly two people in the channel and thus shuts prematurely
  • A lack of concentration especially when there is a queue at peak times, or when talking to colleagues.

I really really worry about some of the people I work with…