Gate Safety: UL 325 & ASTM F2200

Automated gates have caused deaths and serious injuries. The hazards are real: crushing between the gate and a fixed object, impact from a moving gate, and dragging when clothing or body parts are caught. Children are particularly vulnerable,they may not understand the danger and can be in locations not easily visible to operators or sensors.

These incidents are preventable. Proper safety devices, correctly installed and maintained, detect obstructions and stop or reverse the gate before injury occurs. The technology exists; the standards are clear. Failures almost always trace to inadequate safety devices, improper installation, or deferred maintenance.

Beyond preventing harm, safety compliance protects property owners from liability. An injury at a non-compliant gate creates significant legal exposure. Documentation of compliant installation and ongoing maintenance provides defense against claims.

ASTM F2200 is the standard for automated vehicular gate construction,the gate itself, not the operator. It specifies how gates intended for automation must be designed and built to work safely with operators and safety devices.

Key requirements include structural adequacy (the gate must withstand operational forces without failure), appropriate attachment points for operators, and construction that does not create additional entrapment hazards. Gates built before ASTM F2200 may not meet these requirements.

The standard matters because not every gate can be safely automated. A gate not built to ASTM F2200 may lack proper operator attachment points, may flex excessively during operation, or may have features that create entrapment risks. Automating such a gate creates hazards that safety devices cannot fully address.

When evaluating existing gates for automation, ASTM F2200 compliance is a threshold question. Gates that do not meet the standard should be modified or replaced rather than automated as-is.

Entrapment zones are areas where a person or object could be trapped between the moving gate and a fixed object. UL 325 requires protection for these zones. Identifying and protecting entrapment zones is the core of gate safety design.

For swing gates, entrapment zones include the area between the gate edge and the post or wall on the hinge side (as the gate closes), and any area where the gate could pin someone against a fixed object during travel.

For slide and cantilever gates, the primary entrapment zone is between the leading edge of the gate and the latch post or guide post as the gate closes. Additional zones exist where the gate could trap someone against the fence line or other structures.

Each identified entrapment zone requires protection,either a device that detects presence and stops the gate, or physical barriers that prevent access to the zone. The specific solution depends on the zone geometry and gate classification.

Safety devices only protect if properly installed. Incorrect placement, inadequate coverage, or improper wiring can leave entrapment zones unprotected while creating a false sense of security.

Photo eye placement must create coverage across the full entrapment zone, at heights that detect both children and adults. Multiple photo eyes at different heights may be necessary. Alignment must be precise,misaligned beams cause nuisance faults or missed detection.

Sensing edges must be mounted to contact obstructions before the gate structure does, with enough travel to trigger before injury force is applied. Wiring must be secure and protected from damage during gate operation,cables flexing at hinges or rollers are common failure points.

Device wiring to the operator must be correct for the device type. Supervised inputs (which detect cut or shorted wires) provide higher security than unsupervised inputs. The operator must be programmed to respond correctly to safety device signals.

Many existing automated gates predate current UL 325 requirements or were installed without adequate safety devices. These systems may be functional but non-compliant,and potentially dangerous.

Safety upgrades typically involve adding photo eyes, sensing edges, or other devices to protect entrapment zones that lack coverage. In some cases, operators must be replaced to support required safety inputs. For very old systems, complete replacement may be more practical than retrofit.

We perform safety audits to evaluate existing systems against current requirements. The audit identifies deficiencies, recommends corrections, and provides documentation of findings. Addressing deficiencies proactively is far better than responding to an incident.

Even when not legally required to upgrade, property owners benefit from meeting current standards. Modern safety devices are more reliable than older equipment, and current compliance provides stronger liability protection.