Why Force Limitation Cannot Be Solely Relied Upon To Make a Safe Gate

Points to note:

?? All safety was disabled so we could run the tests

?? The testing was very difficult to carry out anywhere other than against the stop post.

?? The reading for the middle of the gate was not what the maths would have suggested, 380newtons (n). This was due to, the flex on the gate, the wind acting on the gate and the inability to hold the tester firmly enough.

?? We did not test nearer than 900mm to the hinge, as we could not do so reliably but it is clear that the force would be drastically higher closer to the hinge.

??The standard suggests that a force of 1400n is acceptable at the leading edge of the gate prior to the last 500mm of travel. I hope this video clearly demonstrates that that level of force would cause significant injury if someone was hit.

?? When undertaking this testing there were two people and we employed a timber tripod to brace the tester - and it was still extremely challenging. I would therefore suggest that one person taking these measurements alone would find it almost impossible.

??The Health and Safety Executive questions if a force of 400n is too high a force to impact a child or someone infirm. I hope this video confirms that 400n IS too high.

We hope that most people will conclude from this video that force testing on its own will not deliver a safe gate – and that non-contact safety (laser scanners, light curtains and photocells) should always be the first line of defence.

Pressure edges should represent the second line of defence, all devices must be suitably positioned and correctly sized.

Please remember that prior to the purchase and fitting of any safety features, a thorough risk assessment should be undertaken.

If you have any questions regarding force testing please contact the team [email protected]