Electric gates are classed as machines and can cause serious harm if not installed and maintained correctly by professional gate installers. This was tragically highlighted in June 2010 by the deaths of two young children trapped by powered gates in separate incidents less than one week apart.
All automatic gate systems must by law be installed in compliance with the Machinery Directive MD2006/42/EC and supporting standards as highlighted by recent safety advisories from the Health and Safety Executive.
To aid manufacturers and installers in meeting the requirements for directive compliance, a product standard for gates, BS-EN13241-1, provides an umbrella platform for creating a compliant gate product.
For a “Guide to Gate Safety Legislation and the Machinery Directive” and a “Guide to Safety Edge Systems” please click to view the relevant PDF document below.