Importance Using Of Safety Gates

A quick summary
Safety gates mark boundaries where danger lurks   think elevated walkways, ladders leading up, rooftop openings, or places people and machines cross paths. Properly chosen alongside careful setup, these gates curtail falls while aligning with safety standards across Ireland and the UK, bolstering ongoing protection for everyone at work. Here’s a rundown covering gate styles, picking the right fit, getting them set up properly, keeping them maintained, plus guidance on finding a good supplier.

Each firm must invest in security measures. Increased worker safety may be achieved with the use of industrial safety gates. Industrial safety gates are used to limit the flow of people and things through designated areas. To provide industrial machine protection, they turn or move to a new place. Safety gates, for instance, stop people from falling down stairwells. These are a few examples of industrial safety gates that can guarantee security in your sector.

What is an industrial safety gate?

A safety gate in a factory or anywhere work happens – keeps people from stumbling into dangerous areas. It’s essentially a barrier, often swinging or sliding, designed to prevent accidents where machines operate or hazards are present. Consequently, these gates help maintain order while protecting employees.

Industrial safety gates manage who goes where, keeping people out of dangerous areas, preventing falls from heights, and ensuring smooth movement around workplaces. Think about preventing accidents on stairs, regulating access near delivery docks, or simply showing foot traffic which routes are secure.

By purpose:

Keep people safe when working above ground on raised floors or similar levels
Keep people away from dangerous spots – where machines operate, or things are being loaded
Keep walkers separate from cars within walking areas

Industrial Safety Gates With a Single Swing

Single-swing gates include a single panel that swings parallel to the ground while rotating around a fixed pivot. This gate type incorporates wheelchair-access motorised swing barriers.

Raised platforms and mezzanines benefit greatly from this industrial safety gate. It works well in other places where your railing system can be reached by a ladder or stairs.

Industrial Safety Gates with Double Swing

Double-swing gates restrict access to a certain region by using two pivot points and panels. For ladderways and edge openings, these industrial safety gates offer full guardrail fall protection. Those working on all levels above ground are protected by them. They benefit from the following things:

Every gate has the option of opening to the left or the right.
Adjustable self-sealing mechanism with a closing force
The hinge section is self-lubricating and requires no maintenance.

 

Why you need safety gates in an industrial workplace

Safety and prevention of accidents

Keeping people secure, stopping mishaps. Workplace accidents involving heights are still a frequent issue across the UK, likewise in Ireland.

To prevent mistakes – like leaving a barrier open – a gate shuts itself automatically. One source says more than fifteen out of every hundred workplace injuries across Europe happen when someone tumbles from height
A well-maintained gate cuts down on risks, fosters a safer workplace, likewise ensures everything meets regulations.

Regulatory compliance and industry standards

Meeting rules alongside what’s typical for the business. Important rules and guidelines you should look at: European plus British rules – specifically EN ISO 14122 – cover how to build safe machine guards alongside walkways. In Ireland, rules about working high up demand safeguarding around holes, boundaries, where people or traffic cross paths. Check  Specific guidelines for details

Employing safety gates with official verification – think approvals from organizations like TÜV or CE – shows you’ve taken reasonable care.

Self-Closing Safety Gates

NextGen and Kee are two distinct types of self-closing safety gates. They have a self-closing hinge and are spring-loaded. To avoid any rusting, they have been galvanised.

Industrial self-closing safety gates offer an additional layer of defence against unintentional falls. Accidental falls from these heights have the potential to cause severe harm or even death. 

In industrial environments, deadly trips and falls happen rather often. You must thus assess your surroundings, identify danger zones, and construct safety barriers. Knowing that your employees are secure in the case of a fall will provide you comfort.

Where Do You Need To Install Industrial Safety Gates

Industrial safety gates are a barrier or fall prevention mechanism that safeguards a transitional region. The following three transitional zones where industrial safety gates will assist protect people from harm.

Secure Walking Zones

Safe walking spaces are frequently defined by railing at workplaces where motorised vehicles and pedestrians coexist. The pedestrian must be aware of their location when entering and leaving a safe walking area in order to create the safest scenario feasible. Industrial safety gates can give an extra layer of awareness while entering or leaving a designated pedestrian area.

Ladder Openings

A ladder needs a space to be created in the guardrail that is covering an edge, whether it is on a rooftop or an elevated working platform. A ladder opening that isn’t secured is only doing half the task of fall safety. In order to fill the gap in the railing with a self-closing spring-loaded gate, industrial safety gates are designed to attach to the railing or ladder construction

Roof Hatches Openings

Roof hatches should be enclosed by the required guardrail, much like ladder holes. The individual using the hatch may do so securely thanks to self-closing safety gates.

Types of industrial safety gates   how to choose

Gate Type Description Best Use Area Key Features / What to Look For

A single gate leaf turns on a steady pivot. It guards openings like mezzanine edges, stairwells, or ladder access points. Examine how well the hinge holds up; ensure it fits the space without being too tight, also test its closing ease

A double-swing gate features two sections that join at the center, turning on hinges from either side. It allows broad entry – around 6 feet wide – while also shutting securely, offering adaptable closure alongside convenient passage from each direction

A gate that shuts itself – thanks to a spring – is ideal where people frequently pass through, like rooftops or areas shared by cars and walkers. It needs sturdy hinges, protection from rust via coating or galvanization, also proof it can handle lots of openings and closings

A sliding gate – it moves sideways, ideal when there isn’t room to swing open. Think tight spots like alleys, factory entrances, or walkways. It needs a solid track system alongside regular upkeep, but gives you full access to the opening

A mezzanine gate – basically a sturdy barrier – fills an opening in a guardrail, giving space for storing things on raised platforms, around pallets, or near racks. It needs to withstand frequent use while remaining simple enough for both forklifts and people to manage

 

How it works   key features to evaluate

When selecting a safety gate, check for these features:

A self-closing hinge automatically shuts the gate, so there’s less chance someone will forget   keeping things safer.

It holds up well to rust – particularly if things get wet or stay outside. Think surviving over 200 hours in a salt spray. Gate size matters. A standard gate usually handles about a meter’s space. For broader openings, consider two gates – or a custom build.

It should work with what’s already there   either using usual parts, or ones made just for this.

Simplicity keeps things running smoothly – fewer pieces to fail, ultimately saving money. One company highlights that their design skips typical components like springs, cams, bearings, also latches.

Check for CE marking, adherence to EN/ISO standards, records from cycle testing, also TÜV certification if needed. Footsteps alone versus footsteps alongside cars – or even forklifts zooming around – mean some spots require tougher stuff. Reliable companies offer location assessments, mounting hardware, replacement components, alongside upkeep schedules.

Where to install safety gates   high-risk zones

In many facilities, transitional zones are high risk. Here are the key areas and why they matter:

Walking-zones next to vehicle zones: Where pedestrians and powered vehicles coexist (forklifts, trucks), distinguishing the boundary with a gate adds awareness and defines safe pedestrian path.

Ladder or stair openings: Ladder fall-through risk is high. A self-closing gate at ladder access prevents workers from falling when the ladder isn’t in use.

Roof hatches and platform edge openings: Because of the height, even a short fall can cause severe injury. Using gates creates a passive guard.

Mezzanine edges and storage areas: With pallets, racks and staff movement, an unprotected edge is a persistent hazard; installing a gate embedded in the guardrail mitigates this.

Machine isolation zones / restricted access areas: Gates restrict access to authorised personnel, reduce tampering risk and support safety management.

 

How to choose the right safety gate (step-by-step)

Picking a safe baby gate: a quick guide. First, measure openings – don’t guess! Next, think about where it goes: stairs need locked gates, while rooms might do with pressure-mounted ones. Then, check how it opens; some swing both ways, others don’t. Finally, make sure it meets current safety standards
Take a look around the property – note every entrance, where walls end, areas people walk versus spots for cars, how you get up ladders, also any rooftop doors.
Note down the danger spots – size of walkways, how people or vehicles move through, what barriers are already there, where things are bolted to walls.
Figure out what kind of gate it is – like if it swings one way, both ways, shuts on its own, or slides open – by checking the guide in part 
Verify the gate adheres to required rules – like safety benchmarks (EN/ISO, working aloft, CE labels).
Figure out whether to put the gate on an existing structure or include it during new construction. Inspect the hardware, confirm there’s room to work, also estimate how long things will take.
Keep things running smoothly by checking hinges for wear, looking out for rust, making sure doors close right, verifying hardware is secure – record everything you do.
Give people clear guides, show where things are with signs, explain to workers what the gate does – how to operate it, also check its condition.

Maintenance & safety best practice

Each month – or whenever something happens – give gates a once-over. See how the hinges move, whether they close properly, if there’s rust, also confirm all bolts are present. Give parts a little oil when needed – though most self-latching gates don’t ask for much upkeep.

Ensure signage is clear: “Keep gate closed”, “Fall hazard”, “Pedestrian only beyond this point”.
Get people trained, likewise build gate reviews into how you check safety alongside work permits.
Keep track of checks done, following what the maker suggests.

How Sharkey can help you

If you’re planning to upgrade or install industrial safety gates in your facility:

• We’ll conduct a full site survey to identify hazard zones and openings.
  
  
• Recommend gate types that match your traffic, width and risk profile.
  
  
• Supply certified, high-quality gates and coordinate professional installation.
  
  
• Provide maintenance guidance and documentation to ensure long-term performance.
  
  
  
  

 

Ready to protect your team and meet compliance requirements? Get in touch with Sharkey now for a free safety-gate assessment and quote.

For more information, Contact us