Safe School Gates Campaign

[edit] Introducing the Safe School Gates campaign

Gate Safe (www.gate-safe.org) is a registered charity founded in 2010, committed to improving the safety standard for automatic – and manual – gates in the UK. The charity has undertaken a nationwide survey of school gates which indicates that the very installations intended to improve safety, in an unacceptable number of cases, actually represent a clear danger.

Parents send their children to school in the belief that they are placing them in a safe and secure setting. Having an unsafe gate on the premises represents a danger to pupils, staff and any visitors to the school. It is also a legal requirement – under the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 - for schools to ensure the safety of any automated gates that feature on the site.

There have already been serious accidents, and indeed a fatality, recorded in a school setting and Gate Safe is also aware of numerous ‘near misses’. Gate Safe’s Safe School Gates campaign encourages schools to be more vigilant about automated gate safety and to adopt the recommended protocols that will deliver a safe – and legally compliant – gate BEFORE another accident or worse occurs.

Considering an automated gate?

• Is an automated gate the appropriate solution for the school’s needs?
• How often will the gate be used?
• Are there sufficient funds to ensure the essential safety devices are added to the gate / to fund the required regular (six months as a minimum) maintenance?
• How will the gate be operated / how will visitors or staff be able to gain access to pass through the gate?
• Will pedestrians be walking closely to the gate / wanting to gain access in which case has separate pedestrian access been discussed?
• Will the gate be opening towards something that could crush someone?
• Will the gate be on level ground thus avoiding any large gaps underneath?
• What training will the school be given to understand how to use the gate correctly / put it into manual operation if required

Already have an automated gate at school?

• Is this gate legally compliant ie in line with Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008?
• Is there any chance that the gate is at risk of falling due to a component failure?
• What will prevent the gate from opening or closing too far?
• What is going to stop the gate from hitting someone / something?
• What will happen if the gate does hit someone? Will it stop and revert away?
• Will the gate be running past something so a person could be drawn into a gap? For example, if the gate opens parallel to a wall and someone were to be in the gap they could be drawn into the support posts
• Is the gate on level ground to avoid any large gaps underneath?
• Is it possible for someone to reach through a gap in the gate to reach the access control on the other side?
• What happens if the gate breaks down, or if there is an emergency?

To find out more see Safe School Gates pdf or visit https://www.gate-safe.org/

[edit] ECA support for Gate Safe’s Safe School Gates Campaign

The safety of powered and manual school gates has become an increasingly urgent topic across the UK, and we at ECA (Electrical Contractors’ Association) are reinforcing our commitment to supporting improved standards.

I represented ECA at a recent Westminster roundtable event organised by Gate Safe, hosted by Sojan Joseph MP, The Kent-based charity dedicated to improving gate safety escalated its national Safe School Gates campaign at Portcullis House.

For ECA Members, this collaboration represents an opportunity to demonstrate leadership in safety and competence. Powered gate systems require expertise in installation, inspection, and ongoing maintenance—areas in which ECA Members already excel. By aligning with Gate Safe guidance, Members can strengthen their technical offering while improving safety outcomes.

I was joined by key stakeholders from safety bodies, insurers, regulators, and industry organisations at the Westminster roundtable. The session was chaired by Gate Safe founder Richard Jackson OBE and brought together representatives from the HSE, Secured by Design, Zurich Insurance, SAFed, and senior personnel from manufacturers and installation companies.

The discussion focused on identifying practical, realistic solutions to address the high number of unsafe gates currently installed in schools. Gate Safe’s recent survey work highlights the large scale of the issue and the potential risk to children, staff, and visitors, particularly when automated gates (legally classified as machines) are installed or maintained incorrectly.

Several key themes emerged from the roundtable discussions:

• Ensuring all new installations comply with the law requiring all gates and machines to be safe, while bringing historic installations up to required standards.
• Mandating that all swing gates be supplied with three hinges, as required by British Standards, with retrofitting for non-compliant gates.
• Recognising the legal requirement that all automated gates be maintained at least every six months by a trained and competent professional.
• Improving regulatory oversight, including potential application of building regulations and enhanced Ofsted inspection criteria.
• Improving understanding across schools, insurers, and inspection bodies regarding what constitutes a safe and legally compliant gate.
• Delegates expressed a strong commitment to supporting Gate Safe in delivering a sustained campaign to address these issues. A formal approach will be made to the Department for Education to secure further government support.

I will continue to work closely with Gate Safe to ensure ECA Members have access to clear guidance and resources.

The first section of this article is extracted from the Gate Safe guide Safe School Gates, the second section of this article appears on the ECA news and blog site as "ECA support for Gate Safe’s Safe School Gates Campaign" published 18 February, 2026.

--ECA

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