Free tool · 2 minutes
Is your electric gate safe and legal?
More than 70% of the UK's 500,000 automated gates are deemed unsafe — most were never force-tested to BS EN 12453. Answer ten quick questions below to see where your gate stands. Free, instant, no details required.
1. Do you have a Declaration of Conformity for the gate?
It should have been handed over at installation. No paperwork is the most common red flag.
2. Was the gate force-tested with a calibrated meter?
A compliant installer measures impact force at defined points and records a pass. If no one came with a meter, it wasn't tested.
3. Are there photocells (safety beams) across the opening?
Infra-red beams that stop the gate if something crosses the opening. Look for small lenses either side.
4. Is there a safety edge where the gate could crush or trap?
A pressure-sensitive rubber strip on the leading edge, required where the entrapment risk assessment demands it.
5. Are the hinge and post gaps protected or guarded?
Hinge points and the gap between a sliding gate and its posts are classic crushing and shearing points.
6. Does the gate have a manual release to open it by hand?
Essential for a power cut and for safe release if someone is trapped.
7. Has the gate been serviced in the last 12 months?
Annual servicing keeps the safety devices working and the force test valid.
8. Was a documented risk assessment carried out?
Legally required — it maps the entrapment points and specifies the safety devices to fit.
9. Do all safety devices currently work when tested?
Photocells and edges fail over time. If you've never tested them, you don't know.
10. Was the gate installed or serviced by a trained gate engineer?
Gate safety is specialist. General handymen and fencing contractors often miss the compliance requirements.
Why this matters
A powered gate is legally a machine that moves a quarter-tonne of metal past people and cars. Under the Machinery Directive it must be risk-assessed, fitted with the right safety devices, force-tested to BS EN 12453, and handed over with a Declaration of Conformity. Most gates in use were never tested — which is both a legal exposure and a genuine danger. The full picture is on our gate safety standards page, and the data behind the 70% figure is in our UK gate statistics report.
If your result flagged gaps, they are almost always fixable in a single visit. We force-test and bring into compliance every gate we touch, including gates we did not install — see gate servicing and repairs.
Free site survey & fixed quotation
Get a precise price for a gate repair
Tell us the opening width, whether power is nearby and the style you have in mind. We measure on site, confirm a fixed price in writing, and never sell door-to-door.
Prefer to talk? Call 01483 000 000.
Frequently asked questions
Is my electric gate legally required to be safe?
Yes. A powered gate is legally a machine. It must be risk-assessed, fitted with safety devices, force-tested to BS EN 12453, and handed over with a Declaration of Conformity.
What percentage of UK gates are unsafe?
More than 70% of the estimated 500,000 automated gates in UK service have been deemed unsafe to use — most were never force-tested. See our statistics report.
What does fixing a non-compliant gate cost?
Far less than the gate. A force test plus the right safety devices on an existing gate is a fraction of the installation cost, and usually done in one visit.