Part of Gate Safe’s job is campaigning for change.

Since our inception we have been talking to a variety of different trades, sectors, organisations and anyone involved with gate safety, even if they hadn’t initially realised the relevance of our messaging prior to speaking to us.

An example of this would be our presentation to over 600 Allianz surveyor engineers, after which the phrase ‘it’s only a gate’ has since been eradicated from their vocabulary.

We do hear of some truly devastating and preventable accidents in the UK and around the world, but it’s still very hard to define measures of our success. You never get to hear in the news about someone being saved – rather than killed or injured - from injury by a gate so how do we know if what we’re doing is working?

Perhaps we should refer to the below as markers that the campaign is delivering clear results:

?? the many new installers welcomed to the growing installer register

?? the number of different organisations that turn to Gate Safe for training and site surveys

?? the improvement of safety features that are not only on the market but also those actually installed on gates in the UK

?? the growth in sales of safety edges, with one supplier claiming an increase in sales in the region of 700% not long after Gate Safe’s inception

?? the change in safety protocols relating to barriers. Prior to the Gate Safe campaign, the inclusion of photocells under barriers was rare

?? the increasing understanding of the importance of tethers and three hinges. When Gate Safe started out, gate tethers were an unknown phenomenon, but we have always held the view that the structure must be able to support the system and now three hinges and tethers are becoming more commonplace

?? the growing number of daily calls, emails and live chat enquiries throughout the year via our technical helpline, where we not only talk to installers and owners but also try to help with site issues to meet our ‘making safer gates’ objective

In all honesty we will never know just how many people have been saved from potential harm by gates and barriers, but the facts above suggest that something is working and that we are changing the industry for the better.

Thank you all for your role in making this possible.

Collectively we can stand together to drive out the cowboys and bad practice from the industry and work together to try to ensure nobody else is injured – or worse - through either lack of understanding or ignorance.