Staggering statistics of powered gate danger and deaths were shared by two industry bodies at a safety conference in Birmingham attended by more than 200 of the UK’s top security installers.

The National Security Inspectorate (NSI), the UKAS-accredited certification and inspection body which audits security and fire safety providers, invited The Door & Hardware Federation (DHF) to present and exhibit at The Installer Summit.

The DHF’s Powered Gate Group (PGG) represents Britain’s leading manufacturers, suppliers, installers and maintainers of powered automatic gates and gate automation equipment.

The DHF told installers that seven people have died in the UK and Ireland since 2005 in powered gate accidents, and there have been at least nine serious injuries and countless near misses. More worryingly, only 30% of the 500,000 automated gates in service in the UK are thought to be safe to use.

The event cemented relationships between the two organisations ahead of the launch of a new NSI approval scheme for installers and maintainers of powered gates, barriers and gate automation equipment. Delegates at the Summit heard how the two organisations, led by DHF training officer Nick Perkins and NSI technical officer Mark Gallagher, have spent two years developing the DHF Code of Practice for the Design, Manufacture, Installation and Maintenance of Powered Gates (TS 011).

The new code, upon which the NSI approval scheme will be based, covers installers’ responsibilities for gate design, new installations, risk assessment and commissioning. It details their responsibilities for the maintenance and modification of existing gates and covers risk assessment, safe isolation and documentation.

NSI will audit organisations seeking approval against the Code to verify compliance, and this will initially be offered to DHF members and NSI approved companies, delegates heard.

DHF PGG chairman Neil Sampson said: ‘Properly installed and maintained automated gates are perfectly safe to use. Our industry will not tolerate unsafe automated gate installations being carried out by unskilled installers, or gates that are dangerous due to lack of testing and maintenance.’

NSI Chief Executive Richard Jenkins added: ‘The new NSI Gates scheme will significantly contribute to public safety, endorse the high competence of specialist businesses in the sector, and give facilities managers and specifiers confidence in the safety of powered gate installations.’