New Safety Standards Help Reduce Automatic Gate Liability Claims

Successful independent agents know having a solid client relationship requires more than reaching out 30 days before an ex-date or responding when a client wants to file a claim.

Having a good client relationship means investing the time to learn about their business. It also means staying alert and informed about issues that may escape clients’ radar while they are busy running their businesses.

We all greatly appreciate when an adviser—an insurance agent, accountant or attorney—reaches out to us proactively to make sure we’re on top of developments that can impact our business or help mitigate our insurance risk. This can be easier said than done, since plenty of things can impact a business—particularly regarding changes in laws, regulations and technology.

New safety standards for automated gates are a good example. As of Jan. 12, 2016, building inspectors and fire marshals around the country have adopted ASTM F2200 and Underwriters Laboratories’ UL 325 as the safety standards for automated gates. For years, both The American Society for Testing and Materials and UL have published provisions and standards to promote automated gate safety, but now the International Building Code, the International Fire Code, the International Property Management Code and the International Residential Code have adopted them as well.

The UL 325 standards, for example, require that in addition to safety devices such as photo eyes and sensing edges, gate operators bearing the UL label must stop working if the safety devices are not functioning properly. Gate manufacturers and designers are already taking notice of these standards and working to update technology and educate key audiences.

LiftMaster®, a manufacturer of residential and commercial gate operators, recently updated its entire line to meet and exceed the safety standards of UL 325, and recommends agents pay attention to the following:

• Compliance: Gate operators should meet the 2016 Underwriters Laboratories’ UL 325 standards, and products should deliver best-in-class safety and security features, which are vital for a secure community. If your customers’ gates do not have the proper safety equipment, they should replace it.
• Installation and maintenance: LiftMaster recommends that a safety-trained dealer professionally installs your customers’ gates and access systems and inspects them regularly.

• Risk mitigation: Use UL 325-listed gates and access systems to reduce risk in your customers’ homes, communities or facilities. Gate operators should also feature a battery backup system so the gate can continue to operate properly in all conditions, even when the power is out.

View LiftMaster’s latest press release on UL 325, “LiftMaster Provides Security and Safety Recommendations for Gated Communities,” for additional information, or email LiftMaster to learn more about safety requirements.

Tom Taylor, an access control specialist and implementation manager for LiftMaster, has 13 years of experience in the safety and security fields.