AUSTIN, Texas — Capitol Fence & Deck of Austin, Texas, learned there are an estimated 300 ER visits due to injuries from automated gates. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) notes that most serious injuries occur around public access gates found at an apartment building, condominiums, and gated communities. Electric gates installed in these places are often outdated and no longer meet current safety guidelines.
Austin Electric Gates Safety Tips
If a home has an automatic security gate in Austin, children and vulnerable adults should learn these safety tips:
* Avoid “pinch points.” Never stick hands, arms, feet, legs, or the head through gate openings.
* Check that a nationally recognized laboratory tested the automated gate, typically the ETL or UL.
* Don’t play on or around the automatic gate.
* Never walk on foot through an automated gate intended for vehicles only. Use the separate pedestrian entrance at all times.
Risks of Automated Gates
Automated gate systems are subject to few safeguards and restrictions. “Safety by design,” the belief that something well designed and adequately assembled will be safe, is the default for electronic gates. The most significant risk comes from improper installation.
Correctly installed gates still have these common risks:
* Crushing: Gates close with an individual in their path
* Drawing in: Gates catch on clothing and pulls the individual into their path
* Entrapment: Gates trap the individual while opening or closing
* Hooking: A protruding part of the gate system catches on the individual or their clothing
* Impact: An individual struck while the gate is opening or closing. The individual moves out of the way before becoming entrapped
* Shearing: Gates damage a parallel object such as a wall; shearing incidents can derail a gate system
Automatic gate systems operate until the gates are either fully closed or fully open. The gates don’t react to outside influences, which is where most of the danger arises.
Get a Professional to Install an Automatic Gate Safely
Although automatic gate systems in Austin residential homes are potentially dangerous when installed or misused, they’re not unsafe overall. When used correctly and given appropriate care, automatic gates can be a useful and safe way to let people in and keep people out of housing development.
Hire professional Austin entry gate installers when you need repairs or a new gate. Although fly-by-night installation companies are cheap, they’re also more dangerous.
When searching for an automatic fence gate, Austin residents should always look for a certified installer. Capitol Fence & Deck is certified to correctly and safely install your automated gate system and meets UL 325 standards.
About Capitol Fence & Deck
Capitol Fence and Deck has been providing the top-level design and functionality for residential fences since 1992 in Austin, Texas. Delivering and installing custom wood, plank, chain link, privacy, wrought iron, and many other types of fences along with walk gates, entry gates, handrails, and much more, there are no other fence contractors throughout the Greater Austin Area that can match our selection and customer service.
Capitol Fence and Deck has built a strong history of exceptional customer support and service. Quality is one of the most essential aspects of any Austin Fence Company and when you want the best, only Capitol Fence and Deck will do.
Learn more at: http://www.capitolfenceaustin.com
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