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Building Products Index Ltd Safety Barriers, Safety Gate, Uncategorized Leave a Comment

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John Ingram, Global Product Manager at Kee Safety, explains why contractors should be paying attention to the BSI Standard for ‘Safety of Machinery – Permanent means of access to machinery’ and specifying self-closing safety gates.

Formed in 1901, the BSI Group was the world’s first National Standards Body. Since then, it has published many thousands of standards, and today, over 30,000 exist in total.  Developed by experts, the standards aim to define best practice and provide a written set of criteria to be used as rules, guidelines or definitions.

Kee SafetyIn June 2016, the British Standard for Safety of Machinery – Permanent means of access to machinery – Part 3: Stairs, stepladders and guard-rails (EN ISO 14122-3:2016) was updated. This revised standard defines the requirements for safe access to machines, applying to both stationary and mobile machinery where a fixed means of access is necessary.  The standard specifies that when the height of a fall could exceed 500mm, a guard-rail should be installed, and the chosen system needs to meet several dimensional requirements. It also notes that a self-closing gate should be used.

Maintenance and inspection teams require safe protection to openings such as on work platforms, around industrial machinery or as part of demarcation routes in warehouse and logistic centres, in addition to providing safe access and egress for ladders, walkways and rooftop guardrails.

For many years, chains, bars and sliding link tubes have been the method of protection for safe access. While these provide a simple safety solution, they are reliant on correct usage which isn’t reliable, as users can forget to replace the bar or chain, leaving a gap behind them.

Now, with this standard, there is a very clear set of requirements and dimensions for safety gates.

The system should incorporate a knee rail that is 500mm from the top rail, and a lower bottom rail that is no more than 500mm from the floor level. The standard also states that the gate should not be locked, but held in closed position, and should be designed to open easily and closed with a firm stop, preventing users pushing against the gate and potentially falling through the opening.

Not only does the new BSI standard recommend the use of self-closing gates, but so does the Health & Safety Executive (HSE). Both promote self-closing gates as the preferred method of protection because they automatically close behind the user to provide an added level of security, so overcoming the potential for human error.

Some systems, such as Kee Gate, are available in galvanised steel and if required can be powder coated in safety yellow. Available with standard ‘U’ bolts for fixing to uprights of 33.7, 42.4 and 48.3 mm diameter, the gate can be fixed quickly to existing supporting structures, posts or stringers. An additional fixing pack is provided which allows the gate to be fixed to square, flat or angle uprights. Easy to install or to retro-fit existing structures, such as galvanised handrails, Kee Gate is 1 metre wide. Designed to be trimmed on-site, this solution saves companies the time and money it takes to fabricate their own gates.

Specifying a self-closing gate that is in line with the requirements set out in BS EN ISO 14122-3:2016, presents contractors with a quicker, more cost-effective and easier to install solution that eliminates the possibility of human error.

For more information on the Kee Gate range of self-closing gates, visit www.keesafety.co.uk

View the new Kee safety gate installation video here

Kee Safety gates comply with BSI standard read more here

Kee Safety self closing safety gates read more here

Pendle Choose Boplan Flexible Safety Barriers

Building Products Index Ltd Safety Barriers, Safety Gate Leave a Comment

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Pendle Forklift Services of Earby in Lancashire have chosen Boplan HP Plus pedestrian barriers to protect staff, trainees and visitors at their Forklift Training Centre. Made from flexible polymer, the HP Plus handrails are the strongest version of the Boplan FLEX IMPACT ® handrails. By adding a third extra horizontal rail and heavier posts, they safely separate and shield pedestrians from high-risk traffic zones where constant heavy manoeuvring takes place.

Pendle Forklift Services offer forklift sales and servicing, equipment hire and operator training. They have built up a solid reputation with their customers across the North West of England. Training can be provided either at the customer’s own site or at Pendle’s Earby training centre where instructors can provide a range of ITSSAR approved courses to ensure that forklifts are always used safely and correctly.

cofBoplan FlexImpact safety barriers are made from a polymer which is flexible, shock absorbing and highly impact resistant. Traditional steel barriers are very unforgiving and are frequently damaged by impacts as well as causing damage to whatever hits them. Replacing them is time consuming and expensive, particularly as much of the impact force will have been transmitted directly to the foundations often making straightforward replacement problematical.

On the other hand, Boplan FlexImpact barriers will absorb impacts safely and then return to their original shape and position with no loss of ongoing performance. They are ready and available to absorb the next impact whenever that occurs.  If it’s a vehicle such as a fork lift truck that crashes into the barrier, the damage caused to the FLT will be far less severe than if it hit a metal barrier. More importantly, the impact to the driver is reduced, minimising any injuries.

cofThe barriers come in modular designs so they can be installed exactly where required and more can be added as business needs change. All have been thoroughly, independently tested over a long period of time in order to comply with the strictest standards of safety.

At Pendle Forklift Services the HP Plus handrails feature a third rail and heavier posts that go the extra mile when it comes to shielding pedestrians from vehicle collisions. SG Swing gates were added to provide safe access through the barrier where needed. This is a safety gate that you can swing open on both sides and is self closing to ensure that access points remain permanently closed to unauthorised personnel.

The driving force in Boplan’s product design is the protection of people, vehicles, buildings and infrastructure. All Boplan products are designed, developed and manufactured to be sustainable and highly effective. Only the highest quality, high performance plastics are used with properties that far surpass the materials traditionally associated with plastic safety barriers.

The modular design means installation is quick and easy and products can be mixed and matched as required to provide the right level of protection at every point throughout the premises. Boplan also offer complete safety solutions, from floor markings and anti-slip protection, right through to safety gates, barriers and column protectors.

To ensure that the product is backed by an equally high standard of service, in March 2016 Boplan opened an office in Wolverhampton to deliver a truly local service for the UK. David Smith, Manager of Boplan UK has over 15 years experience in all aspects of safety barriers. He is enthusiastic about the future commenting “Boplan offer a wide range of quality and innovative products with specialist in-house design and development teams. I am looking forward to applying Boplan’s expertise and experience for the benefit of UK customers.”

For more information call 01902 824280, visit www.boplan.co.uk or email sales@boplan.co.uk

KEE SAFETY PROVIDES SAFE ACCESS WITH SELF CLOSING SAFETY GATES

Building Products Index Ltd Safety Barriers, Uncategorized Leave a Comment

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Kee Safety, a global supplier of fall protection equipment and safety railing systems, has launched Kee Gate, a range of self-closing safety gates, which provides industrial workers with a safety solution when working at height and on ground level.

Kee Gate Self closing safety gateDesigned to work both internally and externally, on ladder and stair access points, roof hatches, walkways and roof tops, Kee Gate, ensures maintenance, inspection and warehouse staff can fulfil their job, follow best practices and comply with current safety standards, without putting their safety at risk. Kee Gates are spring loaded so can automatically close behind the user, providing an added level of security and overcoming the potential for human error. This type of system is the preferred solution to chains, bars or sliding tubes, as these traditional forms of protection can lead to a hazardous void, when used incorrectly.

Kee Safety self-closing safety gates are available in galvanised steel and if required can be powder coated in safety yellow. The safety gate is available with standard ‘U’ bolts for fixing to uprights of 33.7, 42.4 and 48.3 mm diameter, enabling the gate to be fixed quickly to existing supporting structures, posts or stringers. An additional fixing pack is provided which allows the gate to be fixed to square, flat or angle uprights. Easy to install on all types of handrails or to retro-fit existing structures, such as galvanised handrails and roof edge protection systems, Kee Gate is 1 metre wide. Designed to be trimmed on-site, this solution saves companies the time and money it takes to fabricate their own gates.

Kee Gate is compliant with the requirements of EN 13374 Class A, EN ISO 14122 Part 3 & Part 4 and is CE marked to EN 1090. The range is also compliant with international standards, meeting OSHA, O.B.C and I.B.C requirements. The system has undergone extensive testing to ensure total reliability of the gates. These include salt spray testing to ASTM B117-11 Neutral solutions over 200 hours to assess the coating’s corrosion resistance, life cycle testing to BS 6375-2:2009 Clause 6.5 – Opening and closing of Gate through 90 degrees 50,000 cycles and Abuse Testing where 9 x 25kg weights were suspended from the gate to test what happens if pressure is applied. This ensures durability, superior corrosion resistance and defence against signs of wear.

For more information, please visit www.keesafety.co.uk