Gate Safety Compliance in Storrington

An automated gate is a machine. It weighs hundreds of kilograms and exerts significant force when it moves. If the safety devices are not working correctly, it can crush, trap, or injure. The gate owner is legally responsible for ensuring the gate is safe — and in Storrington, a significant number of gates have quietly slipped out of compliance because they were installed years ago and never inspected since.

We're Gate Safe trained and cover Storrington from our base in Horsham — about 20 minutes via the A24. Your engineer carries out safety inspections, force testing, and risk assessments for residential gates across the village and the surrounding RH20 parishes — Washington, Sullington, Thakeham, and the edge of West Chiltington.

Safety inspection: £195+VAT

Call us: 07542 024681 | Book online

Why Gate Safety Matters in Storrington

Storrington has a particular profile that makes safety inspections more important than people realise. Many of the village's automated gates sit on retirement-age detached homes along Manleys Hill and Amberley Road, where owners maintain their gardens beautifully but tend to overlook the gate until something fails. A gate that has not been touched in years is exactly the kind that drifts out of compliance — force settings creep up as the motor ages, and safety devices degrade unnoticed.

The rural layout adds to the risk. Properties down long single-track lanes towards Pulborough, and the converted farmhouses around Washington and Sullington, often have gates at the boundary — metres from the house. Deliveries, visitors, and grandchildren can approach the gate without the owner knowing. If the photocells or safety edges are not functioning, the gate cannot detect someone in its path.

The local conditions matter too. The damp, sheltered position at the foot of the Downs means mist and moisture linger into mid-morning, and that persistent damp corrodes hinges, motor housings, and electrical contacts. Hedgerows and climbing plants — ivy especially — grow across photocell beams and into control boxes. A safety inspection in Storrington is as much about the environment the gate lives in as the gate itself.

What a Safety Inspection Covers

Force Testing

We measure the force exerted by the gate at various points in its travel. The force must not exceed the limits specified in BS EN 12445. This matters most on the heavy wooden five-bar gates and galvanised field gates common around Storrington's rural properties — a solid hardwood leaf can weigh over 80kg, and if the motor is driving it too hard the closing force can become dangerous. If the gate exerts too much force, the motor speed, ramp settings, or clutch mechanism needs adjusting, or the safety devices need upgrading to compensate.

Photocell and Sensor Check

Every photocell is tested for correct alignment, detection range, and response time. On Storrington's rural properties, vegetation growth is the most common cause of photocell failure — ivy, hedge growth, and overhanging branches block or redirect the beam. Your engineer cleans, realigns, and tests each sensor.

Safety Edge Testing

Safety edges — the rubber strips fitted to the leading edge of the gate — are tested for sensitivity and response time. Many older Storrington installations have safety edges that have hardened in the damp valley air and no longer compress reliably when they contact an obstruction.

Entrapment Risk Assessment

Your engineer assesses the gate for entrapment points — gaps between the gate and post, between the gate leaves, or between the gate and ground where a finger, hand, or limb could be trapped. Wrought iron swing gates on established village homes are common offenders here, with decorative bars that create trap points. These risks are documented and solutions recommended.

Documentation and Report

A written report is provided after every inspection, detailing what was tested, the results, and any recommendations. This report is essential evidence that the gate owner has taken reasonable steps to ensure safety — which matters if there is ever an incident or insurance claim.

Common Safety Issues Found in Storrington

Safety Inspection Pricing

If the inspection identifies faults, your engineer will quote any necessary upgrades or repairs separately. Safety device upgrades — photocells, safety edges, warning lights — are typically straightforward to retrofit and can often be completed during the same visit.

Who Needs a Safety Inspection?

Every automated gate should have a safety inspection at least once a year. But the following situations in Storrington make an inspection particularly urgent:

• You have just bought a property with an existing automated gate — common on the converted farmhouses around Washington and Sullington, where you inherit a gate with no history
• Your gate has never been inspected — typical of the older installations on Manleys Hill and Amberley Road
• You have children or grandchildren visiting — the risk profile changes significantly
• You rent out the property — landlords have a legal duty of care to tenants
• Your insurance company has asked for a safety certificate — increasingly common

Areas Covered Near Storrington

We cover gate safety compliance across these nearby areas:

• Gate safety compliance in Horsham

Also covering: Washington, Sullington, Thakeham, West Chiltington, and the eastern fringe towards Pulborough.