... and find out how your organisation would cope with an unplanned and extremely serious situation MORE
Ark Workplace Risk ™
building and workplace health, health and safety, interactive real time risk, management systems, asbestos management programs, disability access, fire safety, emergency and disaster programmes, e-learning, water hygiene
Safety Advice on Powered Perimeter Gates
Obtain an independent expert health-check audit...
... of your existing Emergency Preparedness plan MORE
Discuss emergency preparedness...
... or any other risk management related matter. MORE
Regulation 8 of the Management of Health and Safety Regulations 1999
require employers to...
"... establish and give effect to appropriate procedures to be followed in the event of serious and imminent danger to persons at work".
Safety Advice on Powered Perimeter Gates
The Health and Safety Executive has issued a Safety Alert in respect of Powered Perimeter Gates.
Background
During the summer of 2010 two children died after becoming trapped in powered gates. They were trapped because:
- Their presence at the closing edge was not detected; and
- The closing force of the gate when they obstructed it was too high.
HSE issued two Safety Notices in 2010 giving some details on the risks and the protection methods needed. This detailed information was initially intended primarily for the gate manufacturing industry. Ark has provided this advice note as an immediate reaction to the new safety alert. This guidance note is aimed at providing advice to landlords, commercial owners, managers or facilities managers of properties with powered perimeter gates.
Guidance and Recommendations
Check your gate is being maintained by a reputable company who regularly test the safety features of the gate to ensure they are set and working correctly - they should use measuring equipment to test closing forces. Keep a log of such maintenance. Ask the gate maintenance company to show you how to release the gate in an emergency - this should be easy and quick to do. You will need to train and inform your staff or other users how to do this. Ask the gate maintenance company to show you all the safety features including:-
- any safety edges (usually rubber "buffer" strips running the full height of the gate);
- light beams to detect a person or object in the way of the closing gate;
- the operation of the force limitation device (although this is unlikely to be enough to stop injury on its own);
- fixed guards at other areas e.g. where the vertical bars of a gate slide close to the vertical bars of a fence.
If you are purchasing a new gate, check that the installer can show you the features explained above, and that they will CE mark the gate and issue you a Declaration of Conformity. If they are unsure about how to do this it may be a reason to doubt their competence..
RISK ASSESSMENT
Whilst undertaking risk assessments for your properties, Ark’s Consultants will be considering this Safety Alert within the risks assessments if they are applicable. Evidence will need to be provided to cover those issues detailed above.