The industry body the Door & Hardware Federation (DHF) has launched a new industry code of practice. It’s designed to reduce the safety risks associated with powered gates and traffic barriers to as low as is reasonably practicable, the DHF says.
The Code of Practice for the Design, Manufacture, Installation and Maintenance of Powered Gates and Traffic Barriers (DHF TS 011:2016) is the 11th in a series of widely respected DHF technical specifications covering the range of industry sectors represented by DHF. It’s a free download from www.dhfonline.org.uk/publications-gates-automation.aspx .
The aim is to give installers, maintainers and owners of powered gates and barriers – and all adherents to the code of practice – a framework to ensure a gate is safe and thus complies with the law. The new code draws on safety legislation, European standards, and industry best practice.
It sets out the legal and technical requirements for all aspects of powered gate and traffic barrier work. It has condensed and refined information from numerous pieces of European and UK criminal law and over 20 European and British standards, to provide a reference for gate and barrier work, negating the complexity and confusion often caused when attempting to apply information from multi-discipline standards and legislation, the federation says. The code leans heavily on the requirements for competence and training at all levels in the process. Every gate repair, maintenance procedure or installation will need to have been executed or supervised by someone qualified in the DHF Powered Gate Safety Diploma training scheme.
This is to ensure continuity of standards across the entire survey, specification, procurement, fabrication, installation, commissioning and documentation of every powered gate installation, repair or maintenance activity.
The DHF hopes to end what it calls the often confusing, situation within the industry caused by conflicting interpretations of standards and many apparent grey areas.
The trade body says that owner and client stakeholders will be able to demand that gate and barrier works are delivered in accordance with the code. Service providers will be able to assure clients that their work is delivered in accordance with the document so protecting the criminal and civil liabilities of all parties concerned.
The new code is the culmination of efforts by the DHF Powered Gate Group, which represents manufacturers, suppliers, installers and maintainers of powered automatic gates, barriers and gate automation equipment.
DHF training officer Nick Perkins, pictured, said: “Tragically, poorly installed and badly maintained gates and barriers have caused 12 deaths and many reported and unreported accidents involving serious injury since 2005. It’s estimated that only 30 per cent of the 500,000 automated gates in service in the UK are safe to use. As an industry we find this completely unacceptable. We’re absolutely determined to do everything we can to ensure no more tragic accidents happen. This new DHF code of practice, backed up by the comprehensive DHF safety training scheme, will help achieve the industry’s ultimate aim of confining powered gate and barrier accidents to the history books.”
