In recent years there have been a number of recorded fatalities in conjunction with
automated security gates, caused by either improper installation or poor
gate maintenance.
Powered gates are machines as defined by the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations, which is the UK implementation of the European Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC. In order to be safe, the gates should meet certain Essential Health and Safety Requirements; this is normally achieved by complying with relevant standards and guidelines during the design, manufacture and installation.
There are also documentation requirements such as risk assessments and operating instructions that need to be put in place. Once the gate has been installed and commissioned satisfactorily, the CE mark must be applied to indicate its compliance with the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations.
CE marking of automated gates is a self-certification so to ensure you are purchasing a quality and safe automated gates it is important to choose a company that takes gate safety seriously. Third-party accreditations such as the Gate Safe scheme and the Door & Hardware Federation (DHF) are recognised by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
As with any machine, a powered gate must be maintained properly if it is to continue to perform as intended. Most importantly, the safety equipment must be checked by a certified evaluator to ensure it is still in good operating order. Powered gates should be serviced at least once every six months to ensure safe, trouble free usage.
Eagle can provide competitive
service and maintenance packages to suit your requirements.
