Media information

September 1, 2015

Master Locksmiths Association joins powered gate safety campaign

The Master Locksmiths Association (MLA), the UK's leading trade association for the locksmith industry, is the latest professional organisation to join a vital national safety campaign.

Campaigners have declared a week of action in October in a bid to dramatically improve the safety of automated gates in the UK. The MLA is joining a number of influential groups in the security, enforcement, inspection, education and safety sectors who are lending their support to Gate Safety Week (October 12 - 18www.gatesafetyweek.org.uk).

The campaign is being organised by the Door & Hardware Federation (DHF) Powered Gate Group which comprises Britain's leading manufacturers, suppliers, installers and maintainers of powered automatic gates and gate automation equipment.

In recent years, three children and three adults have been killed in gate accidents. It is estimated there are more than 500,000 automated gates in service in the UK, yet the industry says just 30 per cent of these are safe to use.

Campaigns and activities during Gate Safety Week, and in the weeks leading up to the event, will hammer home two key messages:

• Properly installed and maintained automated gates are perfectly safe to use;

• All those responsible for automated gates - owners, maintainers, installers - must ensure gates are safe to use.

The MLA promotes locksmiths' standards of conduct and practice as well as licensing its approved company locksmiths to ensure they have been vetted, are regularly inspected and have met minimum competence requirements,

Said Steffan George, the MLA's director of business development: "The MLA has always worked closely with the DHF and we're delighted to promote this important message of automated gate security.

"With locksmiths doing more and more in the realms of general security, and a number getting involved in installing powered gates, we're keen to promote the message of ensuring all gates are safe and we're therefore happy to back Gate Safety Week."

There is comprehensive guidance for security professionals,gate owners and those responsible for specifying, managing and maintaining automatic gateson the Gate Safety Week website (www.gatesafetyweek.org.uk). This includes guidance on safety legislation and a detailed rundown of the safety features to look for on a powered gate.

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Note to editors: The DHF Powered Gate Group is a collective of the UK's premier gate installation companies and the major automation equipment suppliers who work together to provide state of the art technology in safe and reliable installations. The Door & Hardware Federation (DHF) represents all the key players in the following sectors: powered gates, industrial/commercial doors, garage doors, metal & timber doorsets and locks & architectural hardware. With the ultimate aim of maintaining and raising quality standards throughout the industry, all DHF members must meet minimum standards of competence and customer service.

Issued on behalf of the DHF by

Ainsworth Public Relations

0161 427 3861

guy@ainsworth-pr.co.uk

Door & Hardware Federation

01827 52337

www.dhfonline.org.uk