An automatic garage door is one of the largest and heaviest moving objects in a home. Despite decades of safety improvements, garage door incidents still injure children and adults each year in Australia. This guide covers the safety features every Gold Coast home should have, what to test regularly, and how to create safe habits around garage door use for the whole family.
Essential Safety Features
Auto-reverse (mechanical)
The door reverses automatically if it contacts an obstruction during closing. Mandated on modern motors. Tested by placing a block of timber in the door's path — the door must reverse on contact.
Photoelectric safety sensors
Infrared sensors at the base of the door project a beam across the opening. If the beam is broken during closing, the door immediately reverses. Essential for detecting children and pets.
Rolling code security
The remote transmitter changes its code with every use, preventing code-cloning attacks that could allow intruders to open your door.
Emergency release
The red cord allows manual disconnection of the door from the motor in a power failure or emergency — anyone in the household should know where it is and how to use it.
Monthly Safety Tests
These tests take under 5 minutes and should be performed monthly. They verify the two most critical safety systems on your door:
Test 1: Auto-Reverse (Mechanical)
- 1Place a piece of 38mm timber (a standard 2x4) flat on the ground directly in the path of the door.
- 2Stand clear of the door and press the close button.
- 3Watch the door: it should make contact with the timber and immediately reverse upward.
- 4If the door does not reverse, or presses down on the timber and stops rather than reversing, the auto-reverse is not functioning correctly.
- 5If the test fails, disconnect the motor and call a technician.
Test 2: Photoelectric Sensor
- 1With the door fully open, check that both sensor units at the base of the tracks have a solid light (not flashing).
- 2Press the close button to begin closing the door.
- 3While the door is moving, pass your hand through the beam path between the two sensors.
- 4The door should immediately stop and reverse when you break the beam.
- 5If the door does not reverse, clean the sensor lenses, check the alignment, then test again. If still failing, call a technician.
Child Safety Rules
Children are naturally curious about large moving things. These rules should be discussed with all family members:
Does Your Existing Motor Have Sensors?
Many garage doors across the Gold Coast were installed before photoelectric sensors became standard. If your motor was installed before approximately 2005, or if you cannot see the small sensor units at the base of each track, your door may not have sensor protection.
Photoelectric sensors can often be retrofitted to existing motors. If your door does not have sensors, we strongly recommend adding them — particularly for households with children or pets.
Sensor retrofitting is a relatively inexpensive upgrade compared to the cost of an injury. Fortex Door Services can assess your existing motor and advise on compatibility and installation cost for your Gold Coast property.
If Your Auto-Reverse Test Fails
Do not continue using the motor. A door without functional auto-reverse presents a genuine injury risk. Disconnect the motor via the emergency release cord and call a technician.
Call 0434 099 873Frequently Asked Questions
How do I test if my garage door auto-reverse is working?
Place a piece of 38mm timber (a piece of 2x4 or similar) flat on the ground in the door's path. Press the close button. The door should reverse when it contacts the timber. If it does not reverse, the auto-reverse force is set too high — call a technician for adjustment.
Are Australian garage doors required to have safety sensors?
Sensors are not universally mandated by law for existing residential doors, but are required for new motor installations under current Australian Standards (AS 5979). Many older motors were installed without sensors — if yours doesn't have them, it's worth retrofitting.
At what age can children safely operate a garage door?
The general guidance is that children under 12 should not operate garage doors unsupervised. Teach children to stand clear of the door while it is moving and to never attempt to stop a closing door.
What should I do if the auto-reverse test fails?
Do not continue using the motor until it is repaired. Disconnect the motor by pulling the emergency release cord and call a technician. Operating a door without functional auto-reverse is a safety risk, particularly for children and pets.