Gate Safe Publishes New Guidance for Schools

Are Your gates Compliant?

Gate Safe have published new guidance for schools following a survey of almost 100 school gates which showed significant and worrying concerns about their installation and maintenance.

A survey of schools in Kent, showed that of 87 gates on school and nursery sites, only 13% (11 gates) had 3 hinges fitted. Additionally, only one third (25 gates) of those other 76 gates with 2 hinges had a suitable fall arrest mechanism (tether). This meant that 51 gates (59%) had neither 3 hinges nor a suitable fall arrest tether.

Additionally, over half of the gates surveyed only had one set of photocells to identify a person in the way of the moving gate. This means only one side of the gate was protected, leaving the other unprotected. 25% only had contact safety edges (pressure edges) not photocells, and some of those were not wired or positioned correctly. Gaps between hinges and gates were fitted as between 100mm and 50mm – which can lead to horseplay with children sticking hands, arms, feet or legs or even heads in the gaps, putting them at significant risk.

Check Your Gates

Handsam and Gate Safe recommend clients check your gates against these issues: 3 hinges, effective tethers/fall arrest systems and photocells on both sides of the gate. Should you discover that you need assistance after making these checks then please contact the Gate Safe technical help line on 01303 840117 or email info@gate-safe.org.

Insurance Concerns

Additionally, insurers Zurich warn that poorly installed or maintained gates may not be insured if an accident were to occur.

“Schools must demonstrate they have done ‘the best they can within the means possible’ to ensure the safety of automated gates. We encourage prevention as being better than ever having an accident and having to make a claim”. Graham Donoghue, Zurich Municipal Insurance

There must also be a risk assessment in place with actions to deliver the control measures identified, including regular checks being made and recorded. Handsam recommends you engage with Gate Safe to find a suitable engineer/risk assessor here: https://www.gate-safe.org/help-advice/gate-safety-for-schools/

Gate Safe’s advice for schools can be accessed here: https://www.gate-safe.org/help-advice/gate-safety-for-schools/. If you are thinking of installing a new powered gate then it is a great place to start as it advises against all the pitfalls of this expensive and notoriously problematic piece of machinery.

Read the Handsam Interview with Richard Jackson of Gate Safe HERE