Richard Jackson checking large, green automated gate

Industry Professionals

01303 840117

01303 840117

Industry Professionals

01303 840117

It is estimated that nearly 300,000 new automated gates are being installed every year, in a wide range of settings, including private residences, housing developments, commercial properties and schools / nurseries & education centres. Combine this with the number of existing gates in the field and it is likely that there are currently in excess of three million gates in existence.

A commercial gate owner has a duty of care to ensure that the gate is safe and regularly maintained. Equally, any professional associated with the original installation or subsequent maintenance of the gate has a duty to ensure that it is safe and legally compliant. Failure to do so may result in legal action for the role unwittingly played in any resulting accident or fatality ... Cases to date have included firms being fined up to £80,000, with one installer being served a 42-month prison sentence.

Yet recent surveys have showed a staggering 90% of gates have been shown to be unsafe.

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Independent Gate / Barrier Assessments

As a completely independent body with a long-standing reputation in gate safety, Gate Safe is able to provide a full risk assessment to ensure any gate/barrier is compliant with the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 and is operating safely.

Site Survey

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Gate Safe can attend site to undertake a full risk assessment on the gate/barrier to assess its current safety and operating performance and provide a comprehensive assessment and written report summarising the findings from the survey. This generates a clear explanation of the possible solutions recommended to upgrade the machinery to deliver a safe and compliant installation. Photographs are included to highlight any areas of concern. You can request a survey on our Survey Case Studies page.

Independent survey prices are based on distance travelled and number of gates to be surveyed. Please contact Gate Safe to discuss your requirements.

Gate Safe is unable to provide costings for any potential works; we suggest you speak to a Gate Safe installer for an accurate quotation: Find an installer by Postcode.

Desk-Based Risk Assessment

Gate Safe also undertakes a desk-based risk assessment based on information provided by the gate owner (includes review of safety features and important factors associated with gate safety by design) along with photographs/video of the gate. This evidence offers a good indication of the current safety of any gate. Upon review of these materials, Gate Safe will forward a written report summarising any suggested upgrades which may be required.

Gate Safe can only assess the gate/barrier based on the information provided so this type of risk assessment is unable to take into consideration the force used to operate the gate or other non-evident hazards. Price on application.

Expert Witness

There are occasions when court proceedings have been initiated following an automated gate accident, where an impartial view is required to determine whether or not a gate is deemed safe in line with current health and safety recommendations. As the pioneering body associated with the promotion of automated gate safety, Gate Safe has been invited to act as an ‘Expert Witness’ in such scenarios.

Gate Safe Guides

Gate Safe has developed a series of practical guides to provide advice to various professional who have a role to play in improving automated and manual gate safety.

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Have you designed a safe gate?
Download our ARCHITECTS guide

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Gate Safe estimates that there are nearly 25,000 schools in the UK, based on recent survey activity which showed as many as 90% of gates audited were unsafe, there are potentially 20,000 unsafe gates in a school setting. Is yours one of them?
Download our SCHOOLS guide

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Have you powered a safe gate?
Download our ELECTRICIANS guide

Gate Safe Visualiser

The Gate Safe Visualiser is a visual guide designed to navigate you through nine easy steps to help specify, design and install automated gates to the latest safety standards.

It can also be used as a check list for the end user.

Find out more about the Gate Safe Visualiser here

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FAQs

We regularly receive queries from professionals working with automated gates / barriers as well as members of the general public. See if we can answer your question from the list below:

How do photocells / light curtains work on electric gates?

If as an installer I see a gate that I consider to be unsafe can I disconnect it?

As an installer, what are the legal implications for me if an automatic gate I have installed causes an accident?

What is the legal requirement for automatic gate maintenance?

What is the legal gap on electric gates?

Rising arm barrier – where are the force testing points?

Why does Gate Safe not concur with the use of force testing as a means of safeguarding an automated gate?

Are there not also possible charges of negligence even if the gate is CE marked but has not been properly installed / absence of safety?

As an installer, where can I find a copy of a risk assessment template for electric gates?

When the swing gate opens and closes the point between the hinges reduces to a gap less than the recommended distance – how can I overcome this?

Are automated gates covered by building regulations?

What training do you need to undertake to be a qualified installer of automatic gates?

How many photocells should be fitted to an automated gate to render it safe?

How do you keep a swing gate from closing?

How can a sub contractor cover himself or herself when carrying out repairs on a gate that is not compliant?

Are automated gates covered by building regulations?

If a customer is not prepared to pay for safety features on an electric gate, should the installer still go ahead with the installation?

How many pressure edges should be fitted to an automated gate to render it safe?

Address:
Gate Safe
Beverlea, Clavertye,
Elham, Canterbury
Kent. CT4 6YE

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Working together with Gate Safe

Gate Safe is a registered charity in England and Wales (no 1149261).

Gate Safe and the Gate Safe logo are registered trade marks of GSSC Ltd.


© 2010- Gate Safe GSSC Ltd

The guidance and recommendations on this website represent our interpretation of advice based on information from HSE, British Standards and relevant UK legislation. It is not a definitive statement and should be used in conjunction with your own risk assessment of the specific site prior to undertaking any works. GSSC Ltd take no responsibility for any works carried out by the Gate Safe Aware Installers or for any installations carried out using the information and advice given on this website. All content, trade marks, downloads and images are copyright Gate Safe GSSC Ltd

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