Safety Measures For Automatic Gates
An automatic gate, for a residential or commercial property, offers security and access control without having to involve a property manager or homeowner. It’s a quick, efficient way to control the entrance and exit of a property but does not come without a requirement for safety measures for automatic gates. An unsafe gate could result in injury to a person or property and may lead to a broken automatic gate in need of an expensive repair or total replacement.
From hazards in electrical and fire to the equipment and installation, here are the most important safeguards for automatic gates that we recommend ensuring are in place.
While automatic gates do not need much maintenance, they do need some to confirm everything still operates in working order and that the gate is properly configured for the long-term. A malfunctioning gate means the security you thought you had, you probably don’t, and, at worst, could injure someone. A pet, child, or anyone unfamiliar with how an automatic gate works is at risk.
Here is how to maintain an automatic gate, how often you should inspect it, and when to call a gate technician.
10 Things You Can Do To Ensure Safe Operation Of Your Automatic Gate
1. Have A Warning Sign To Alert Guests
Many gate owners will put up a warning sign to alert unaware guests of the possible danger of the gate. This encourages guests to exercise caution around your automatic gate.
2. Ensure Your Gates Are Operating As They Should
If your automatic gates are off-track, wobbly when closing or opening, or occasionally fail to operate smoothly, these are all possible signs that they could injure someone or cause damage to your property. Ensure the gate is properly opening and closing to prevent unfortunate outcomes.
3. Maintain Your Electric Gate On A Routine Basis
The best safety for automatic gates is to ensure it is being maintained and tested by a professional on a regular basis. This drastically reduces the likelihood of an accident or an automatic gate safety problem. A technician can identify, diagnose, and fix safety issues before they grow to be something more. The last thing any automatic gate owner wants is an accident or injury that occurred that could have been avoided with automatic gate maintenance.
4. Make Sure You Gate’s Electrical Is Not Faulty
Older gates may not have the same safeguards that newer electrical gates do. Furthermore, after a certain time, your gate’s electricity may start to falter. Whether it’s wear-and-tear or an animal has chewed through wires, any electrical on an automatic gate should be fixed immediately. You do not want to risk a fire or a breakdown, or risk a safety mechanism failing because of an electricity issue.
5. Make Sure You Gate’s Electrical Is Not Faulty
For anyone with an automatic swing gate, consult with a gate expert on what the right sensitivity setting is. A lower setting is often selected to compensate for wind loading and other environmental factors. This reduces how sensitive the gate’s sensors are and means an automatic gate at a lower sensitivity setting is more difficult to stop after it’s started on its path. Talk with an automatic gates technician about what setting is best for your needs.
6. Keep Any Gate Controls A Distance Away From The Gates
Controls for an automatic gate should be installed somewhere that an individual operating them is not able to touch the gate at the same time. The rule of thumb most automatic gate service technicians have is to separate the controls from the gate by at least ten feet. As they are automatic gates, however, this safety measure may not be applicable depending on the brand and design.
7. Prevent Unauthorized Access To The Gate Controls
Although it’s an automatic gate, it may have additional manual controls such as handheld remote controls, digital keypads, RFID readers, or smartphone apps that can open/close the gate if there’s ever an issue. Ensure these controls are kept out of reach of children and unauthorized users to prevent accidents. Ensure that, if you have gate controls, they are locked or stored in a secure location.
8. Install A Separate Walk-Through Gate For Pedestrians
Typically, automatic gates are meant for vehicles. They are more likely to cause an injury to a pedestrian entering or exiting than they are to someone in a vehicle. It is generally best practice to install a separate walk-through gate so that pedestrians can safely access your home without having to figure out how to maneuver around an electric gate.
9. Keep The Area Surrounding Your Automatic Gates Clear Of Obstructions
One of the best precautions you can take is to ensure the area wherein the automatic gates open and close is free from debris. Any object in the path of the gate should be removed. You may want to install safety equipment, such as safety beams, to automatically detect obstructions and prevent the gate from proceeding in its intended path.
10. Install Automatic Gate Safety Features
Infrared beams and photocells. Photocells are installed in pairs. They detect objects that find themselves in the pathway of infrared beams. This signals to the gate when something is in the way, and can cause the gate to stop and reverse.
Loop detectors are an alternative option. They are laid into channels cut into a driveway and when a vehicle is present, a signal is sent to the gate control panel causing it to open and then close.
Safety edges consist of an aluminum channel that holds compressible rubber. As something impacts the rubber and deforms its profile, a signal is sent to the gate control panel to stop the automatic gate. Safety edges are a common safety feature used to prevent people, animals, or objects from coming in contact with the moving parts of the electrical gate or barrier.
Physical guarding, such as mesh guarding, is sometimes applied across bar gates to prevent a limb from being inserted between the bars while the gate is moving. This can reduce the possibility of crushing injuries.
If There Are Safety Concerns, Contact A Professional Automatic Gates Safety Expert
If you are not sure how to resolve a safety issue with your automatic gate or notice there’s a problem in need of addressing, contact an automatic gates safety expert at InteleGates. As one of the top automatic gates repair and safety services, one of our technicians will prepare a safety assessment of your gate, verifying electrical, fire, and equipment functions are safe, secure, properly installed, and working as they should. Ensure your gate meets the highest safety standards by relying on InteleGates for an automatic gates safety assessment.
