Automatic Garage Door Openers - Miscellaneous - Health & Safety - CA

Section § 19890

Starting January 1, 1991, all residential automatic garage door openers sold or installed in California must have an automatic reverse safety feature meeting specific safety standards. From January 1, 1993, these devices must also include sensors that prevent the door from closing if misalignment occurs. Manufacturers must follow federal labeling rules and provide installation instructions.

Those servicing these devices after January 1, 1993, need to test their reverse function and affix a warning if they don’t reverse properly. This law applies to all residential garage door openers, including those made for commercial use but installed in homes. Starting January 1, 1992, any newly installed garage doors cannot connect to an old opener that doesn't meet these safety tests. The terms for 'residential', 'garage', and 'garage door' are also defined in this law.

(a) On or after January 1, 1991, no person, corporation, or entity shall manufacture for sale in this state, purchase, sell or offer for sale at retail or wholesale, or install in this state, a residential automatic garage door opener that does not have an automatic reverse safety device that complies with the applicable standards set forth in the Underwriters Laboratories Inc., Standard for Safety-ANSI/UL 325-30.1 and 325-30.2, Third Edition, as revised May 4, 1988.

(b) In addition to the requirements of subdivision (a), on or after January 1, 1993, no person, corporation, or entity shall manufacture for sale in this state, purchase, sell or offer for sale at retail or wholesale, or install in this state, any residential automatic garage door opener unless, in order to operate, it requires the inclusion of a tactile garage door edge sensor, an optical sensor, or a similar device that when activated is designed to cause a closing door to open and prevent an open door from closing. This device shall be designed to operate in a manner so that the interruption or misalignment of the device or an opening or short in the wires between the device and the power head would cause a closing door to open and prevent an open door from closing. Notwithstanding any other provision of this subdivision, a garage door opener that is manufactured prior to January 1, 1993, and that is in the possession of a retailer or wholesaler on January 1, 1993, may be purchased, sold, offered for sale, and installed on or before July 1, 1993, provided the garage door opener is in compliance with subdivision (a).

(c) On or after January 1, 1991, any manufacturer selling or offering for sale residential automatic garage door openers in this state shall comply with federal labeling requirements for automatic residential garage door openers contained in Section 203 of Public Law 101-608.

(d) On and after January 1, 1991, any manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, or retailer, selling or offering for sale residential automatic garage door openers in this state shall include with each automatic garage door opener a set of installation, operation, maintenance, and testing instructions. On or after January 1, 1991, any person installing, servicing, or repairing a residential automatic garage door opener shall comply with those instructions.

(e) On and after January 1, 1993, any person hired to service or repair any residential automatic garage door opener shall, upon completion of the service or repair, if any, determine whether it reverses upon contact with a rigid two-inch high obstacle placed on the surface beneath the garage door. If the residential automatic garage door opener does not pass the test, the person shall complete and conspicuously affix to the residential automatic garage door opener, a red certificate as follows:

WARNING!

This garage door opener, when tested on this date, did not reverse upon contact with a two-inch high rigid obstacle placed on the surface beneath the garage door, and may not be in compliance with the safety standards relating to automatic reversing devices as set forth in Chapter 12.5 (commencing with Section 19890) of Part 3 of Division 13 of the Health and Safety Code.

Address [location of

automatic garage

door opener]:

Manufacturer [if known]:

Date of manufacture

[if known]:

Serial No. [if any]:

Model No. [if any]:

[signed]

[date]

[print name]

[firm name and address]

_____

(f) This chapter shall apply to all automatic garage door openers manufactured and sold for use in any residence. This chapter shall also apply to automatic garage door openers manufactured for commercial purposes, but sold for, or installed, in a residence because the commercial opener was necessary to meet the specific application requirements of that installation. Residential applications of garage door openers manufactured for commercial purposes shall comply with this chapter, and be installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions, except that the applicable standard shall be the Underwriters Laboratories Inc., Standard for Safety-ANSI/UL 325-29 in lieu of the Underwriters Laboratories Inc., Standard for Safety-ANSI/UL 325-30.1 and 325-30.2.

(g) For the purposes of this chapter:

(1) “Residential” shall define a device or structure that is part of, affixed to, or associated with, a residence.

(2) “Residence” means a building that contains from one to four single-family dwelling units.

(3) “Garage” means an enclosed and covered shelter for one or more automobiles, that may be attached to, or detached from but associated with, a residence. “Garage” does not include an unenclosed automobile parking area nor an unenclosed, covered carport.

(4) “Garage door” means a structure that serves as an overhead, vertical-moving barrier to the opening that serves as the automobile entrance to the garage. “Garage door” does not include structures that operate in a sliding or horizontal motion.

(h) On or after January 1, 1992, no replacement residential garage door shall be installed in a manner that connects the replacement door to an existing residential automatic garage door opener that does not meet the test standard set forth in subdivision (e), regardless of the date of manufacture of the residential automatic garage door opener.

automatic reverse safety device garage door opener sensors UL 325 standards ...

Section § 19891

This law section outlines penalties for violations related to garage door openers in California. If anyone installs, manufactures, sells, or offers for sale a non-compliant garage door opener, they face a $1,000 fine per opener. A separate $500 fine applies to non-compliant installed and operational openers, and also to sellers who fail to provide required notices about garage door openers. Legal actions can be initiated by local building departments, consumers, or district attorneys, and penalties collected help offset enforcement costs. If a consumer starts the legal action, they receive the penalties.

(a) In addition to any other remedies permitted by law, any violations of subdivision (a), (b), or (c) of Section 19890 or Section 19892 are subject to a civil penalty of one thousand dollars ($1,000) per opener installed, manufactured, sold, or offered for sale that is not in compliance with Section 19890 or 19892.

(b) In addition to any other remedies permitted by law, any violations of subdivision (d) or (h) of Section 19890 are subject to a civil penalty of five hundred dollars ($500) per opener installed and operational, that is not in compliance with Section 19890.

(c) In addition to any other remedies permitted by law, a seller who violates the notice requirements of Section 1102.6 of the Civil Code, relating to automatic garage door openers, is subject to a civil penalty of five hundred dollars ($500).

(d) Court proceedings may be initiated by the building department of the local agency with jurisdiction over enforcement of building standards, by affected consumers, or by the district attorney. Civil penalties assessed are payable to the local agency initiating the proceedings to enforce this chapter to offset the costs to the agency related to court proceedings. If an affected consumer initiates the proceeding, the civil penalties are payable to the consumer.

garage door opener violations civil penalty non-compliance ...

Section § 19892

Starting July 1, 2019, any garage door opener sold or installed in California homes must have a battery backup so it can operate during power outages. This rule covers all residential and commercial garage door openers used in homes. Additionally, any new garage doors cannot be connected to old openers without this battery feature, even if the opener was made before this date.

(a) On or after July 1, 2019, no person, corporation, or entity shall manufacture for sale in this state, sell, offer for sale at retail or wholesale, or install in this state a residential automatic garage door opener that does not have a battery backup function that is designed to operate when activated because of an electrical outage. The battery backup function shall operate in a manner so that the automatic garage door opener is operational without interruption during an electrical outage.

(b) This section applies to all automatic garage door openers manufactured and sold for use in any residence and other residential applications of automatic garage door openers manufactured for commercial purposes.

(c) On or after July 1, 2019, no replacement residential garage door shall be installed in a manner that connects the replacement door to an existing residential automatic garage door opener that does not meet the requirements set forth in subdivision (a), regardless of the date of manufacture of the residential automatic garage door opener.

garage door opener battery backup power outage ...