June is Safety Month and LiftMaster® is honored to celebrate the advances we’ve made to protect consumers over the last several decades. As the longtime leading manufacturer of garage door openers and commercial door operators, LiftMaster has always prioritized safety above all else.

Perhaps the company’s biggest contribution to promoting safety was when it introduced photo eye safety sensors in 1993. This revolutionary product allowed garage door openers to sense when an object (or person) was obstructing the door. If something or someone was in the way, the door would stop closing, and open back up again. 

Today, LiftMaster introduces a next-level photo eye innovation that advances safety entrapment protection. It is the LC36M Monitored Light Curtain for LiftMaster Commercial Door Operators. 

A 3-foot wall of protection

LiftMaster is proud to offer a full range of UL 325-compliant accessories and door operators, powered by myQ®, to improve protection around the door. Now, commercial door operators can be paired with the the LiftMaster  LC36M Monitored Light Curtain to provide an invisible 3-foot wall of protection for the entryway. Consisting of 22 monitored infrared cross-beams that span across the plane of the door, the light curtain offers dependable, maximized safety up to 33 feet. It’s the ultimate commercial door safety solution to protect people and property from damage. ​ 

Compatible with most LiftMaster commercial door operators, the expansive, invisible screen of protection immediately senses any obstructions in the way of the door, stops it from closing and reverses to its fully open position; helping to minimize injury, costly repairs and unexpected downtime, and eliminating the need to run wires for multiple photo eyes. UL 325 safety tested and certified, the LiftMaster Monitored Light Curtain is also IP67 rated to withstand wet environments and temporary submersion. ​ 

How does it work? What type of businesses need it most? 

Mike Batoff owns and operates Batoff Garage Doors & Service, LLC in Philadelphia. The thriving company is a labor of love for the 27-year-old entrepreneur, who began independently installing garage door openers for hire when he was only 13 years old. The man who “eats, sleeps and breathes” operators had been waiting for a product like the LC36M Monitored Light Curtain for years. 

“When you’re talking about protecting people, this product offers the utmost safety for your door system,” Batoff said, “With 22 cross-beams, you get a whole lot more value for your money than installing an additional set of photo eyes. It’s an easy installation for the Dealer, too. All you have to do is hook it up to the electronics/logic board.” 

Batoff’s first installation took place at a fire station, where fire trucks need to respond rapidly to emergencies. If the door were to errantly come down on a truck, firefighters could be injured and property damage to repair the truck (and door) could run upwards of $250,000. Yet, as Batoff demonstrated at the installation, the light curtain offered firefighters reassurance that any obstruction will be recognized. 

“They thought it was the coolest thing in the world,” Batoff recalled, “I wiggled my fingers through the sensors and they were amazed at how the door went back up. It’s incredibly responsive, and that resonated with guys who already put their lives on the line when they go out to work. Ultimately, you want to protect people in your building and anyone coming out of your building.”  

Nick Hitt is another LiftMaster Dealer who realizes the value of safety entrapment protection. As the Operations Manager at Builders Chicago, he focuses on new construction of commercial buildings all around the Chicagoland area. It’s Hitt’s job to make recommendations about which products are best for a given project. After seeing how the LC36M Light Curtain fared during an installation at a Chicago-area fire station, he views it as a smart investment that could pay big dividends in many applications. 

“Imagine being at a Porsche dealership,” Hitt explained, “The light curtain makes perfect sense in those environments. You’ve got high-cycle, high-priced inventory constantly going in and out of the building. The last thing that you would want is for a door to come down and cause $5,000 in damage, or more, to one of your cars. So, that’s how we pitch the product to end users in all applications: a small upgrade now can save you thousands of dollars down the road.” 

Batoff agrees.

“Liability is a huge value proposition,” Batoff added, “For example, the LC36M is ideal for apartment and condo applications. With underground or indoor garages, it keeps people safe and property protected. When the door is constantly opening and closing, someone could get hurt. I tell customers that you can’t just plan for the good days, you have to plan for the worst-case scenario. LiftMaster designed this product to cover the worst-case scenario.” 

UL 325 approved for maximized protection

The Monitored Light Curtain is certifiably safe, offering the following benefits: 

  • UL 325 approved: Safety certified monitoring device that may be used as standalone primary monitored entrapment protection. The LC36M may also be paired with a photo eye in appropriate applications. 
  • Maximized Protection Zone: Coverage spans up to 33 feet wide and 3 feet high; may be double-stacked with Logic 5.0 and HCTDCUL Operators for twice the zone of protection. 
  • Increased detection: An invisible screen of protection that includes 8 optical sensors that create 22 cross-beams. 
  • IP67 rated: System is water-resistant for washdown and otherwise wet applications and includes corrosion-resistant components to stand up to the elements. 
  • Continuous self-monitoring: Built-in safeguard for increased safety and efficiency. 
  • Simple installation: Includes more robust and longer mounting brackets, heavier #22AWG power and control wires, and diagnostic LEDs confirm proper alignment during installation. 
  • Commercial operator compatibility: LiftMaster Logic 5.0, Medium-Duty, DDO8900W, LJ8900W, LJ8950W, ATSW, VFOH, HCTDCUL, Fire Door and LGE Egress. 

That’s why LiftMaster Dealers and customers are so enthusiastic about the product’s introduction to the market. 

“We’re just excited that this option is available to us now,” Hitt said, “It is something our clients have been truly looking forward to for a long time—to have a monitored light curtain from LiftMaster.”