Guidance for Commercial Powered Gate Owners & Industry Stakeholders
1. GATE SAFETY WEEK 12 - 18TH OCTOBER
GUIDANCE FOR POWERED GATE OWNERS & INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS
KEEPING THE NATION SAFE
How Companies, Facilities Managers,
Architects & Regulatory Bodies can
get involved
2. DID YOU KNOW…?
• The safety of powered gates is required by law
• Gates must be installed strictly in accordance with legal requirements
• Gates need to be regularly maintained in a safe condition by an
appropriately trained and equipped individual or company
• In the last 10 years, 3 adults and 3 children have been killed by
dangerous powered gates
• There have been countless serious injuries and near misses
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3. CORNERS ARE STILL BEING CUT
• There is still a severe lack of awareness and knowledge of safety in
the industry
• There are countless dangerous gates still in service today
• If you have a powered gate and someone gets injured by it, you
could be liable
Properly installed and maintained powered gates are
perfectly safe to use
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4. WHY GATE SAFETY WEEK?
• To encourage users & owners to get powered gates checked by a
qualified expert
• To create awareness around the installation and maintenance of
powered gates drawing attention to specific issues such as poor
installation and maintenance
• A neutral platform for organisations with common interests in the
powered gates and powered gate industries
• To engage and educate . . . .
□ specifiers, merchants, installers, inspectors, surveyors and users in
the correct specification, supply, installation & operation of powered
gates 4
5. A QUICK GUIDE TO LEGISLATION
• The Supply of Machinery Safety Regulations require that new powered gates are
safe and should be supplied with a Declaration of Conformity and a CE mark
• The Workplace Regulations require that powered gates in a workplace must be
maintained in a safe condition
• The Health and Safety at Work Act requires that landlords and managing agents
maintain their powered gates in a safe condition
• The Health and Safety at Work Act also requires that installers and maintenance
companies do not leave powered gates in an unsafe condition
• All gate owners or responsible persons risk litigation for negligence if their gate is
not maintained in a safe condition
In all cases, a safe gate is one that has all risks adequately controlled - the key to a safe
gate is “Risk Assessment” by a trained and experienced industry expert 5
6. Do’S and Don’ts
TO STAY SAFE
• Do
• Get gates checked out by a DHF
Powered Gate Group company
• Keep small children away from
moving gates
• Check all safety devices
regularly
• Get them regularly maintained
• Don’t
• Allow small children to play or
ride on a powered gate
• Ignore the need for regular
maintenance
• Put off getting a gate checked out
• Use non specialist tradesmen to
do work on a gate
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7. REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE
POINTS TO NOTE ABOUT POWERED GATES
• Maintenance and repair companies should not leave unsafe gates in
service
• Whenever work is done on a powered gate it must be safe afterwards
• Installers should be properly trained and equipped
DHF is the provider of the UK’s leading in-depth safety diploma course
on gate safety. Find out more at: www.dhfonline.org.uk
A dangerous powered gate should never be left in service:
1. It should be switched off or otherwise secured
2. The owner should be informed in writing what is wrong
3. The owner should be given a detailed written solution
4. A warning notice should be fixed on the gate
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8. MANUFACTURERS & DISTRIBUTORS
YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AROUND POWERED GATES
• Do all your drive units and control boards have a current “Declaration of
Incorporation” under 2006/42/EC?
• Do all of your safety devices have a “Declaration of Conformity” to BS EN
12978?
• Do all your products have comprehensive and precise instructions?
• Are all your electrical devices CE marked under “Low Voltage” and “Electro
Magnetic Compatibility” Directives?
• Can you supply adequate loading calculation data for hinges and rolling
gear?
• Are your sales and specification staff adequately trained on current
legislation?
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9. ARCHITECTS & SPECIFIERS
YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AROUND POWERED GATES
• The safety of a powered gate starts at the design stage
• Does your design eliminate as many hazards as possible ….
□ Many sliding gate shear, draw, crush and impact risks are best
controlled by fencing in
□ Swing gate hinges can be designed for “constant gap”
□ Will safety devices spoil the aesthetic of your design?
□ Have you designed in all required safety distances?
• Fully filled/boarded and palisade gates generate huge wind effects,
have you calculated and specified to properly control these forces?
• Retro fitted safety can be very difficult to apply and often spoils the
aesthetic, better to design in the safety at the start
• Do you understand the concepts of gate safety, legislation and device
specification?
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10. WHAT DO I NEED TO LOOK OUT FOR?
• Your new powered gate should come with a “Declaration of Conformity” and be CE marked
• Automatic gates should be protected by “touch sensitive” control that will cause the gate
to retract if it encounters an obstacle.
(either by rubber safety edges or intelligent drive units)
• There should also be “light beams” across the entrance as a backup measure
Photo beams should never be the sole protection measure – unless they form multi beam
curtaining that prevents all possible access to the moving gate
• The hinge area should be protected by flexible guards or rubber safety edges or have
“constant gap” hinges
• The lower edge of swing gate should be protected by safe edge or intelligent drive
• Where a gate creates a shearing hazard as it passes a fixed support element, wall or fence
(very common with a sliding gate) there should be rubber safety edges or fencing to
prevent access to the dangerous movement 10
11. BUILDING OWNERS / FACILITIES MANAGERS
THINGS TO CHECK ON YOUR POWERED GATES
• When was the last time the gate was properly serviced?
• Are all potential hazards adequately controlled, are you sure it is safe?
Many are not
• Do the safety devices actually work?
• Do you know how to switch it off?
• Do you know how to release it during a power cut?
• Is the person who looks after it properly qualified and equipped?
• Do you have user instructions?
• Do you have a declaration of conformity?
• Do you have information about an residual hazards?
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