Compliance requirements for Industrial Doors, Gates and Barriers

Current Health & Safety legislation requires that all doors, gates and barriers are regularly maintained by competent personnel. To ensure the safe working and security of all types of industrial doors, gates and barriers it is recommended that maintenance is carried out at six monthly intervals, but for heavy usage this would be more frequent. 

Some of the key legislation to consider when operating doors gates and barriers:

  • Workplace Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations 1992 is criminal legislation that requires owners or managers of workplace doors, gates and barriers ensure that they are safe (regulation 18) and subject to a regular system of maintenance (regulation 5).
  • Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 section 3 requires that landlords, managing agents and others with a duty of care to tenants, occupants, visitors and the general public as part of their work ensure that door, gate and barrier systems at rented property ensure their systems are kept in a safe condition.
  • The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 states that it is the employer’s or property owner’s (responsible person) duty to ensure that all aspects of fire prevention and protection systems, including shutters, doors and hold open or deployment systems, are maintained in good working order. This is applicable to any fire or smoke resisting door or door intended to be used as an escape route in the event of fire.
  • BS EN 12453:2001, BS EN 12604:2000 and BS EN 16005:2013 describe the measures and performance criteria necessary to ensure that doors gates and barriers are safe.  The legal precedent set by numerous recent prosecutions of maintainers and owners at sites where doors and gates were not in a safe condition underlines this point.