Advanced Gate fined £25,000 after gate fell off runners

Advanced Gate Limited, who produce and install gate systems was fined £25,000 (inc.costs) after a leaf of a gate fell and struck a man.

The circumstances were:

• Advanced Gate were contracted to manufacture and install a gate system at PHS Limited in Caerphilly.
• The gate consisted of two leaves; one of which was driven by a motor and connected to the second leaf by a chain and sprocket which provided the drive motion for the second leaf.
• The design was inadequate, as were assessment and control measures to ensure the gate was safe for use.
• There was a failure of the gate mechanism.
• On 30 September 2014 an employee of PHS Limited went to manually close the gate. 
• The leaf he was pulling came out of the runners and it collapsed on him.
• A vertical rail struck his leg and resulted in severe trauma to his leg with muscle and nerves torn away. 
• He was hospitalised for ten days and off work for one year.

The HSE inspector:
“Powered gates pose a risk to employees and members of the public. Those responsible for installing, maintaining and operating these gates need to make sure they are safe during installation and use. This accident could have been avoided if the clearly foreseeable risk of the gate falling had been identified and controlled.”