Secured by Design, the UK police initiative for designing out crime at planning and building stages, has backed Gate Safety Week. Also joining the campaign is the Crime Prevention Website which provides crime prevention advice to both the general public and the police service.
Gate Safety Week from October 12 to 18 is organised by the Door & Hardware Federation (DHF) Powered Gate Group which comprises UK manufacturers, suppliers, installers and maintainers of powered automatic gates and gate automation equipment. Campaigners are encouraging best practice in all aspects of powered gates.
In recent years, three children and three adults have been killed in powered gate accidents. It is estimated there are more than 500,000 automated gates in service in the UK.
Mick Reynolds, senior development officer at Secured by Design, said: “Secured by Design and the DHF have a long history of working together. As well as needing to be secure, it is vital that gates are regularly inspected and properly maintained so that they perform properly and at the same time are safe to those using them. Gate Safety Week is a great way of raising awareness in this area.”
The Crime Prevention Website receives more than 10,000 visits a week and offers 220,000 words of crime prevention and home security advice.
Its owner, retired Metropolitan police officer and security consultant Calvin Beckford, said: “I hope to guide the public in making the right decisions about their security, whether that is at home or at work. This is why I am delighted to support this very important initiative, not only to save lives and prevent injury, but to inform the public about powered gate safety issues of which, they would otherwise be unaware. My hat is off to the DHF and members of the Powered Gate Group for organising this important week and I will continue to do what I can to support you.”
Guidance for security people, gate owners and those responsible for specifying, managing and maintaining automatic gates is on the Gate Safety Week website www.gatesafetyweek.org.uk.
