Door Industry Journal - Summer 2014

Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk powered gates I am now looking forward to meeting up with customers old and new who want to find out more about the fantastic range of SOMMER door and gate automation products.” ANDREW COX - Technical Support and Warehouse Technician “I recently joined SOMMER and am very excited about being part of the company’s ongoing growth and success. I hold City and Guilds certificates in engineering, welding and fabrication, which have given me a solid technical background, as well as an Honours Degree in Business Management from York St John University. I worked in technical services and warehousing in the automotive industry before taking this role and I am looking forward to meeting more of our customers and building strong and lasting relationships.” JENNY JAUMANN - Marketing and Administration Manager “After working at the SOMMER HQ in Germany, where I completed my apprenticeship as an Industrial Business Management Assistant, I joined SOMMER UK this April and am now responsible for marketing and administration. I keep our customers informed about the latest SOMMER products and offer helpful tips and company news through our newsletters. Also, I am able to provide a wide range of marketing materials such as catalogues, pricelists, information leaflets and images about our product range - basically anything that can help our customers and support their sales operation. Above all, I’m here to help and am on the end of a phone or available via email to deal with any questions or requests.” JOINT STATEMENT FROM GATE SAFE AND THE DHF POWERED GATE GROUP There seems to be some confusion within the powered gate industry regarding the relationship between our two organisations which we wish to clarify. The priority for both Gate Safe and the Powered Gate Group is to eliminate the risk of further automated gate accidents / fatalities occurring. The primary route to reaching this end goal is largely reliant on acknowledging that every professional associated with the automated gate ‘food chain’ (including architects, builders, electricians and installers) has a direct responsibility for the overall safety of the installation. Education amongst these professionals remains key and both organisations are now actively involved in the delivery of specialised safety training for automated gates. To explain a few points which appear to have caused concern in the past: Gate Safe and the Powered Gate Group agree that: - a thorough risk assessment is a key part of the safety process on every individual automated gate installation, repair or maintenance visit - force testing can be used to quantify some hazards and verify control measures, either on site or in a documented type test, but such testing is not a substitute for a thorough risk assessment - gates should operate with the minimum force to deliver a reliable installation It is jointly accepted that every new installation should be installed to a safe standard and that there should be a declaration of conformity with the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 supported by the application of a CE mark. We also agree that the same level of safety be applied to existing installations whenever any work is done or a maintenance contract is entered into and that the industry needs to have clear understanding on how best to approach the issue of old and possibly unsafe installations. In the interest of public safety, both Gate Safe and the Powered Gate Group continue to work alongside each other in pursuit of a common shared goal. As agreed at an original Gate Safe Steering Group meeting (15.4.11), attended by the HSE and the DHF, Gate Safe is committed to focusing on building awareness amongst all professionals involved in the industry, while a prime objective of the Powered Gate Group is to provide a substantially enhanced level of training. We trust this open statement deals with any of your concerns and reaffirm our pledge to be united in the crusade for improved standards of safety for automated gates. 89 THE door industry journal summer 2014