Gate Safety and HSE Legislation

Gate Safety and HSE Legislation

• Anyone involved in the installation of a powered gate (whether it is a swing or sliding gate, a rising arm barrier, a bi folding or telescopic sliding gate) must ensure it complies with the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC.
• In order to achieve compliance the gate should have undergone a full risk assessment. The complex British Standards are used as a means to identify the various potential risks posed by an automated gate.
• A fully automatic gate should feature a minimum of two different types of safety device. Gate Safe advises that photocells / light curtains and pressure edges should be installed on every gate or barrier and would never support the idea that force limitation is an acceptable form of safety when not relying on safety edges
• In addition to using the British Standards to guide the risk assessment process, Gate Safe provides further additional general recommendations to encourage a holistic approach to best practice in relation to the installation of gates.
• This includes guidance on the requirements to ensure the overall mechanical strength / stability of the installation.