The Door and Hardware Federation (DHF) is urging all door companies to adhere to its strict safety guidelines when supplying automatic rolling grilles for use at locations where children may be present.

The advice from the DHF was re-issued after the conclusion of a court case following the tragic death of a young child.

The boy, who was ‘riding' on a remote controlled metal rolling grille in a carpark, was killed when the powered grille opened up to let a car out of the carpark.

The advice to door companies is unequivocal, and the federation has been giving the guidance to its own members for several years now: If any rolling grille is remote controlled, and it is in use in a place where children could be present, then a presence detection device should be fitted to the top and bottom of the grille. This would automatically prevent the grille operating if it detected anyone in its immediate vicinity.

In addition, the DHF is working closely with the Health & Safety Executive to update HSE safety guidelines, published on the HSE website, on the correct use of power operated shutters and grilles.

In the proceedings following the child's death, various prohibition and improvement notices were served on the carpark owners and the manufacturers of the grille. Said Ray Nowell, DHF technical officer: ‘An improvement notice was served against the door company involved, which was not a member of the DHF.'

Source

Glass Age