CWU Issues Warning To All Driver Members On The Dangers of Swing-Arm Barrier Gates’ after One Member is Seriously Injured and One Member Killed in separate accidents
October 13 2016
National Health and Safety Officer Dave Joyce has asked all Safety Reps to ensure all members who drive as part of their job are aware of the dangers posed by unsecured swing-arm barrier gates following a recent accident involving a Keighley Postman Delivery Driver who received serious head and facial injuries after a collision with one of these barrier gates that went through his windscreen and in a previous accident in 2011, a 48 years old Somerset Postman Driver was killed when the swing arm barrier penetrated the Windscreen on his van and went through his chest killing him instantly.
North Lincolnshire Council were recently fined £200,000 including costs after being prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following the death of a car driver who died when his car drove into a swing arm barrier gate to a Council sports ground car park in August 2012.
The HSE have warned that a significant number of people have been killed or injured in incidents involving horizontal swing arm barrier gates in car parks used in retail, leisure and industrial premises. They’ve told duty holders to take suitable precautions including making sure swing barrier gates are locked open and shut to suitable fixing posts with a padlock so they cannot swing open and present an impalement risk to drivers and to companies like Royal Mail delivering to or collecting from companies and organisations. They’ve also suggested making sure the barriers are made visible by painting or marking them distinctly and ensuring barriers are maintained.
CWU National Health & Safety Officer Dave Joyce said “Accidents have occurred when barriers have been inadequately secured so that they have partially opened and presented a least visible end on profile of the protruding barrier which has impaled an oncoming vehicle. The end profile of the barrier may not be clearly visible to an oncoming driver. Other incidents have occurred as a barrier has swung into the path of an oncoming vehicle. Unsecured barriers can swing open due to the wind, gravity or as a result of vandalism.”
The HSE has decided to produce information to remind users of these swing arm barrier gates of their legal health and safety duties in relation to the safe use of such barriers which are commonly found on the entrances to industrial estates, retail premises, leisure premises, sporting complexes, parks, farms etc – any premise with a car park entrance or exit to which members of the public and workers have vehicular access, can have these swing arm barrier gates.
Royal Mail Safety Alert.
Royal Mail have issued a Safety Alert for the Attention of All Drivers on unsecured swing arm barriers gates as it is suspected that the unsecured gates swung into the paths of the Royal Mail Vans involved in the above accidents. The Alert advised as follows:-
Key Messages
Following the recent serious accident, a continued risk with regard to unsecured swing barriers gates has been identified. These gates have the potential to move, particularly in windy weather or from the vibration of passing vehicles.
- When entering premises where a manual swing barrier/gate is in place, observe its position and check it is secured.
- Slow down when approaching the barrier and stop if it appears to be unsecured.
- Identify and report to your manager any unsecured gate hazards that present a risk due to either their location, design or a previous near miss incident.
Key Actions
- All drivers should identify and report to managers any unsecured swing barrier gate hazards that present a risk.
- Managers are to ensure that all drivers are briefed.
- Managers to ensure that all hazardous swing arm barrier gates locations are recorded and Loged with controls agreed with staff and customers to eliminate the hazard and reduce risks of injury.
- The Safety Alert to be displayed on the Safety Notice Board.
Click here for examples of Typical Swing Arm Barrier Gates
Would all CWU Branches and Safety Reps urgently bring the Royal Mail Safety Alert and HSE Advice to Members who are Drivers!