The tragic death of a ten year old boy who was killed by powered electronic gates, which is still being investigated by the Health & Safety Executive, has highlighted the security industry's ignorance of their safety obligations under current legislation.
(Also concerning standards, the following letter will interest those many installers involved in gate automation ... Ed)
The Door & Hardware Federation, which represents the UK's leading industrial and commercial door and shutter suppliers, has for years been helping its members meet their obligations under various UK and European Standards and regulations governing powered products. It seems there is no equivalent organisation guiding manufacturers of powered domestic and residential security gates.
It comes as a surprise to the vast majority of fencing contractors, security companies and other suppliers of domestic security gates that these products have to be CE marked under the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 1992 because they are officially classed as machinery.
The applicable product standard is BS EN 13241-1 which contains the safety requirements for these products.
Other obligations include the provision of technical construction files and declarations of conformity. Failure to comply with the regulations not only raises the risk of tragic accidents occurring but also lays the supplier open to the risk of criminal prosecution and civil damages.
The Door & Hardware Federation is doing two things to help improve the situation: We are working with the Health & Safety Executive to update HSE safety guidelines on the correct use of power operated products; We have also decided to open our doors to suppliers of powered domestic security gates. We have formed a specialist domestic security gates group within the federation and we invite all suppliers to seek membership of this new group. Over many years we have built up a wealth of knowledge on the responsibilities of industrial and commercial suppliers of powered doors and shutters, and our members derive great benefit from the guidance and help we give them.
If we can pass this knowledge and experience on to the domestic and residential sector of the market then standards of quality and safety can only rise accordingly. Everyone who wants to join our federation, or anyone who wants more information, can email me on ianphilipwood@hotmail.com
Ian Wood, Chief Executive Officer Door & Hardware Federation
Source
Security Installer
