07/04/2011 10:34 AM
There are still a number of unsafe automated gates in service in the UK despite two child deaths from them last year, a new survey has revealed.
The report from Gate Safe, the national safety campaign for automated gates, which is led by Jacksons Fencing, shows that 88 per cent of surveyed gates failed to adhere to current Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidelines that recommend features and methods for reducing the risk of injury.
This was further compounded by 51 per cent of survey respondents saying that adults and children are likely to use or play by the gate.
The survey also showed that 53 per cent of respondents said that they were unable to stop the gate manually when it was closing – meaning in an emergency the gate could not be manually stopped.
Furthermore, some 59 per cent said their gates were not equipped with recommended safety edges and 35 per cent admitted to not having a regular service agreement in place.
Commenting on the survey, Gate Safe Steering Group chair Richard Jackson said the survey findings pointed to a worrying level of risk that there could be another automated gate accident or fatality.
"In particular, we are concerned that such a high proportion of respondents have failed to act on the advice given by the HSE and backed by our campaign, demonstrating that more needs to be done to improve the communication of key automated gate safety messages," he said.
"The Gate Safe campaign is pushing for improved standards in gate automation and will continue to strive to educate and raise awareness amongst anybody and everybody involved in the installation / life span of an automated gate."
In June last year, Semelia Campbell, aged six, died when she was crushed by electric gates in Manchester. Just a few days later on July 3rd, Karolina Golabek, five, was also crushed to death by electric gates in Bridgend, South Wales.
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The report from Gate Safe, the national safety campaign for automated gates, which is led by Jacksons Fencing, shows that 88 per cent of surveyed gates failed to adhere to current Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidelines that recommend features and methods for reducing the risk of injury.
This was further compounded by 51 per cent of survey respondents saying that adults and children are likely to use or play by the gate.
The survey also showed that 53 per cent of respondents said that they were unable to stop the gate manually when it was closing – meaning in an emergency the gate could not be manually stopped.
Furthermore, some 59 per cent said their gates were not equipped with recommended safety edges and 35 per cent admitted to not having a regular service agreement in place.
Commenting on the survey, Gate Safe Steering Group chair Richard Jackson said the survey findings pointed to a worrying level of risk that there could be another automated gate accident or fatality.
"In particular, we are concerned that such a high proportion of respondents have failed to act on the advice given by the HSE and backed by our campaign, demonstrating that more needs to be done to improve the communication of key automated gate safety messages," he said.
"The Gate Safe campaign is pushing for improved standards in gate automation and will continue to strive to educate and raise awareness amongst anybody and everybody involved in the installation / life span of an automated gate."
In June last year, Semelia Campbell, aged six, died when she was crushed by electric gates in Manchester. Just a few days later on July 3rd, Karolina Golabek, five, was also crushed to death by electric gates in Bridgend, South Wales.
Contact us for a security fencing quote.
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