Media information

September 29, 2015

RoSPA and British Safety Council back DHF's Gate Safety Week

The growing campaign to confine powered gate accidents to the history books has received a significant boost with the UK's leading safety charities coming on board.

Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and British Safety Council have put their weight behind Gate Safety Week. They are amongst 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 in a bid to dramatically improve the safety of automated gates in the UK.The DHF Powered Gate Group comprises Britain's leading manufacturers, suppliers, installers and maintainers of powered gates and gate automation equipment.

In recent years, three children and three adults have been killed in powered gateaccidents. 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.

RoSPA has been at the heart of accident prevention in the UK and around the world for almost 100 years. RoSPA's Michael Corleysaid: "The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents fully supports this year's Gate Safety Week campaign and wishes the DHF every success in raising public awareness of the dangers associated with poorly fitted and maintained powered gates."

British Safety Council promotes the importance of health and safety and campaigns for sensible legislation and regulation.Its deputy chief executive Neal Stone said:"As advocates of good health and safety standards, the British Safety Council wholeheartedly supports this year's Gate Safety Week campaign. We wish the DHF every success."

Gate Safety Week campaigners are hammering home two key messages:

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

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

There is comprehensive guidance for safety professionals, gate owners and those responsible for specifying, managing and maintaining automatic gates on the Gate Safety Week website (www.gatesafetyweek.org.uk). This includes information 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

PICTURE CAPTION

A correctly installed and well maintained gate is perfectly safe. For more information visitwww.gatesafetyweek.org.uk.