Gate Automation Regulations
When choosing the right gates for your property there is more to take into consideration than [gate designs] and security (although these are, obviously, important). The HSE (Health & Safety Executive) in 2010 released a set of safety advice guidelines to ensure that any automatically closing gates are not dangerous to pedestrians, children, or anyone else.
When manufacturing, designing, or [installing] electric gates it is vital that the safety of anyone who could be in the area is considered, whether they are on private property or not. This includes visitors and occupants on domestic properties, employees and the general public.
The safety alert states that limiting the closing force of the gate is in itself, not sufficient to meet the guidelines. Additional precautions must also be put in place, including the proper maintenance of any anti-crushing, shearing and trapping safety devices. All electric and automatic gates are designed to stop if someone gets in the way, and this mechanism must be regularly checked and maintained to ensure that it is working efficiently. This requires the correct testing equipment, without which the gates cannot be said to meet safety standards and shouldn’t be installed. The gates should also have sensors to stop or reverse them if someone or something is detected, for example light beams that stop them before they reach the obstacle.
Also, any parts of the gate that could trap, crush or hurt someone while the gate is moving should be considered and protected accordingly, for example on sliding gates as the bars move past the gate post, or if the opening of a swinging gate decreases a gap between the gate and the frame. All automatic gates should also have an emergency release button in the case that someone or something does become trapped.
In addition to this, when the general public access the gate additional measures, such as creating safe distances, installing fixed guards or installing sensitive protective equipment, should be taken to ensure their safety.
It is the responsibility of the gate installers and anyone with a responsibility for the property and the gate maintenance to make sure these measures are put in place and properly maintained. It is also important to keep relevant documents pertaining to the proper installation and maintenance of gates in a technical file.
Further detail about safeguarding your electrical or automatic gate can be found at: