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HSE Safety Alert: Review of risk from electrically powered gates

03 September 2010

A new Safety Alert has been issued by the Health and Safety Executive after a spate of incidents involving electric gates, three of which led to the deaths of young children.

The alert is aimed at organisations that control the use of such gates, as well as landlords and design and construction professionals. It follows incidents which have trapped pedestrians, plus several near misses.

The incidents reported have common safety failings, in particular the failure of gates to recognise the presence of pedestrians, and their closing force when obstructed not being limited to values specified by the appropriate British Standard.

The full alert can be viewed at http://www.hse.gov.uk/safetybulletins/electricgates2.htm?ebul=safbul/02-sep-2010&cr=1

Organisations with powered access gates on their premises should ensure that they have carried out an up-to-date risk assessment and take any necessary remedial action.

Those who fail to do so would find it impossible to show that they had discharged their responsibilities under health and safety legislation to do ‘all that is reasonably practicable’ to ensure the safety of those who may be affected by the conduct of their operations.

They would therefore be guilty of an offence should a pedestrian be trapped or injured in future.

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