GATE SAFETY WEEK 10 - 16TH OCTOBERGUIDANCE FOR HOMEOWNERS AND THE PUBLICKEEPING THE NATION SAFE

A guide to keeping you safe around powered gates

WHAT IS GATE SAFETY WEEK?

A gate is just a gate. Right?

No, a powered gate is an engineered device that must be installed correctly and regularly maintained for optimum safety and security.

Powered gates are more and more frequently becoming part of the design of commercial, public and multiple occupancy buildings. Unfortunately though, the industry is facing problems with poorly installed and maintained gates leading to accidents and sadly child fatalities.

Corners are being cut and many installers are still not aware of their legal obligations. Gate Safety Week is being organised to raise awareness of proper installation and maintenance of powered gates and to help prevent further accidents. 2

KEY MESSAGES OF THE CAMPAIGN?

• To make members of the public and users of automated gates aware of the risks and dangers.

• To inform members of the public about what to do if they know of an unsafe gate OR how to get their own gates properly installed or checked.

• To make sure installers, maintenance companies and gate owners are aware that the safety of powered gates is required by law!

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GATES ARE NOT TOYS!

• In recent years, 3 adults and 3 children have been killed by dangerous powered gates

• There have been countless serious injuries and near misses

• There continues to be a lack of awareness and knowledge of safety in the industry

• There are countless dangerous gates still in service today, even at school entrances

• If somebody gets injured by a gate the owner could be liable

Properly installed and maintained powered gates are perfectly safe to use

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BE AWARE OF THE DANGERS!

• A powered gate is a machine and, like any machine, it poses potential risks to children and adults alike

• Powered gates can be found at schools and other public buildings. Increasingly, parents are having powered gates installed at the end of their driveways at home

• Responsible parents should warn their children that gates are not play equipment

• Parents can do more: if they have automatic driveway gates at home, get them checked for safety and ensure they are maintained by a qualified gate company. Contact the DHF to help find a company locally on 01827 52337

• If you know of any gates to which youngsters might have access - at school, for instance - ask staff if the gates have been checked recently for safety

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6 THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR

1. Your new powered gate should come with a “Declaration of Conformity” and be CE marked2. Automatic gates should be protected by “touch sensitive” control (either by rubber safety

edges or intelligent drive units) that will cause the gate to retract if it encounters an obstacle.

3. There should also be “light beams” across the entrance as a backup measureLight beams should never be the sole protection measure – unless they form multi

beam curtaining that prevents all possible access to the moving gate4. The hinge area should be protected by:

Flexible guards or rubber safety edges or have “constant gap” hinges5. The lower edge of swing gates should be protected by either safe edge or intelligent drive6. 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 6

HOW CAN YOU REPORT A PROBLEM?

• If it is your gate, contact us on 01827 52337 or email info@dhfonline.org.uk and we will locate a DHF Powered Gate Group trained installation company who will safety check the gate for you

• If the gate is at a school, contact the school directly and refer them to Gate Safety Week immediately

• If the gate is at a workplace, public building or residential complex contact the owner or managing agent directly and refer them to Gate Safety Week or DHF (We can find them an installer to check out the gate)

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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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REMEMBER…..

Don’t chance it…just DHF it!

Click www.dhfonline.org.uk

Call 01827 52337

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