The past few weeks have seen a series of shocking accidents involving children and electric gates. Two girls, Semelia Campbell, aged 6, of Moss Side in Manchester and Karolina Golabek, aged 5, of Bridgend in S. Wales, were tragically killed in separate incidents in which they were trapped by sliding metal gates. Samuel Currier, age 7, of Old Trafford in Manchester was fortunate to survive a similar incident with leg and chest injuries.
In each event, safety equipment should have been fitted to the automatic gates to prevent the children from becoming trapped. The Police and Health and Safety Executive will now be investigating to see whether this was the case and, if fitted, why the gate safety devices failed to prevent the accidents.
The safety of electric gates can be enhanced with a range of equipment, including internal and external beams, in-ground safety loops, and pressure-sensitive safety edges, each of which can help avoid unnecessary accidents including trapping and crushing injuries.
Earlier this year, the Health and Safety Executive issued a safety notice to electric gate manufacturers, designers and installers following the inquest into the death of 9-year old Jason Keet in Poole in 2006. This latest spate of tragic events highlights once again just how important it is to ensure that a comprehensive risk assessment is carried out prior to the design and installation of automatic gates, and for the gates and gate safety equipment to be regularly checked and professionally maintained.
Chris Lewis Fire and Security would like to reassure customers that it already adheres to all of the required actions of the Health and Safety Executive, but welcomes anyone concerned about the safety of their existing automatic gates, vehicle barriers or bollards to get in touch for a free gate safety inspection.