Dear Editor,
According to the concepts of GLOBALIZATION OF NOTHING, AMERICANIZATION, and WESTERNIZATION, everything is looking the same everywhere these days.[1] Same brands of clothes (Peter England, Jockey), same brands of shoes/bags (Gucci), chain of eating joints (McDonald’s, KFC), or malls (Ikea). In the same way, all buildings and housing look similar; WESTERN designs are being copied even in India. Open windows are out of fashion. Thickened glass tall windows are being favored. Even the prefabricated tall wooden doors are being imported.[2,3,4,5] In the markets, entry points of shops are being converted to top to bottom thickened glass doors and display shelves. People are not used to transparent glass doors. Glass door injuries are a by-product of these designs.[6] It can occur in homes, business centers, or public places. Various factors leading to these injuries are running into the transparent glass doors as they are difficult to spot, or the door may injure the persons using them if their fitting is not proper.[6,7] Glass door injuries have been reported worldwide including India. In fact, there have been reports of glass door injuries in different settings, such as shopping malls, airports, and hospitals in India. The severity of these injuries can range from minor cuts and bruises to more serious injuries such as deep lacerations, broken bones, and head injuries.[6,7]
Overall, while there is no comprehensive data on the prevalence of glass door injuries, no one can deny the fact that these do occur and can result in significant harm. It is important to take steps to prevent glass door injuries whenever possible. According to a study published in the Journal of Emergency Medicine, glass-related injuries accounted for approximately 8.3% of all emergency department visits in the United States between 2002 and 2012.[8] While not all these injuries were specifically related to glass doors, it does indicate that glass-related injuries are not uncommon. Another study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that approximately 20,000 children under the age of 18 are treated in emergency departments in the United States each year for injuries related to glass doors and windows. This study specifically looked at injuries related to windows and not necessarily glass doors, but it does suggest that glass-related injuries can be a significant problem.[9] Hence, keeping it in mind, steps need to be taken to prevent glass door injuries whenever possible. For this, it is important to ensure that all glass doors are properly marked with visible stickers or markers so that people could easily see the entrance properly. Also, these need to be kept clean and free of any obstructions. Additionally, glass doors should be properly secured to prevent them from swinging or sliding unexpectedly. This will ensure that people avoid banging their head into the glass wall/partition when running or walking too quickly in areas where glass doors are present.
In fact, accountability should be fixed for any glass door injury occurring in a public place. The owner needs to be penalized for all the damages due to glass door injuries. Surprisingly, such glass doors have been installed at railway stations in India. The situation can be dangerous when people are usually in a hurry to enter or exit to catch a train. The author was a witness to an injury to a hapless village woman who banged her head into the glass door unknowingly, while she was coming out of the railway station. In fact, the author himself had serious epistaxis bleeding (almost broke his nasal bridge), when he banged his head when he could not see the glass door of a posh showroom in a city maketing complex! [Picture 1].
Picture 1.
Glass door injury
Additionally, there is a need to develop epidemiological data regarding the patterns, incidence, and severity of glass injuries in different populations. The source of these data could be emergency departments, hospitals, and trauma registries to identify the most common types of glass injuries, the demographics of affected individuals, and associated risk factors. The data pertaining to the treatment pattern among victims of glass injuries and their rehabilitation patterns is also as important as the incidence and prevalence data.
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Financial support and sponsorship
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Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
References
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