Childproofing Your Metal Gate
How to Make Your Gate Safe for Children
If you are a property owner and have a metal gate installed or are thinking of fitting one, there are several different precautions that you can take to ensure it is childproof. In this guide, we discuss these options and give you practical tips that you may want to implement to safeguard your metal gates and remain safe for children.
Select an Appropriate Design
If you are thinking about buying a new metal gate, the most suitable options for households with small children are those that have no pointed finials or sharp edges. Furthermore, consider the spacing between the infill bar, as you don’t want your small children squeezing through. The most suitable designs we would recommend are the Manor ball top and the Court hoop top gates.
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Include Safety Latches and Locks
The last thing that you want is for small children to open the gate without being adequately supervised. It is advisable that, wherever possible, the latch should be mounted high up on the gate. Furthermore, other measures can include incorporating a childproof safety latch.
Lock the Gate Whenever Possible
All children love to explore the outdoor environment, and some objects prove almost irresistible to them, such as gates and latches. For this reason, we recommend that whenever access through the entrance is not required, the gate should be kept locked. Although it may prove to be a short-term minor inconvenience, it will ultimately keep your little ones safely within the confines of your garden.
Install Soft-Close Hinges
If a gate is allowed to slam shut, it can do so with quite a level of force against the latch plate, and if any fingers happen to be in the way when this occurs, it can result in some nasty injuries and broken bones. To overcome this and provided the design of your gate allows for it, installing soft close hinges will protect against the gate closing at speed.
Install Temporary Mesh to an Existing Gate
If you have discovered that your child can slide between the infill bars, consider adding temporary mesh over the gate attached with cable ties. While not very aesthetically pleasing, it will safeguard your child from accessing an area they are not meant to be in. Furthermore, because mesh has small gaps, it will remove the possibility of toddlers and small children being able to get a foothold and climb the gate.
Add Padding
If your children are at an age where they are falling over a lot, then consider adding some safety padding to the framework to soften the blow if they do end up contacting the hard metal framework.
Maintenance
As a heavy-moving object, it is essential that any existing gate is in good order, has all the required components in place and is securely attached to its support structure. If any elements are missing, these should be replaced as a matter of urgency, and if you see any loose fixings, tighten them as soon as possible.
Caution Signage
Inform visitors to your property to keep the gate closed using signage. These are cheap to purchase, can be screwed or mounted to any flat surface and will serve as a gentle reminder to anyone passing through the entrance of the need to safeguard the children.
Supervision
Although you take all the precautions in the world, the absolute best way to ensure your child is safe when around a gate is through supervision. Wherever possible, always remain in the same area as the child when they are in the vicinity of a gate so that you can take appropriate action if you see an issue about to occur.
