On the automated gates I focus mainly on safety and reliability with no exceptions to the safety rule at all. Firefighters recommend smoke alarms and CO detectors is similar to me recommending the safety upgrades for gate operators as we are both working to save lives and reduce injuries. I have been installing them since 1989 and they have come a long way from the simple motor opening a door to the computer controlled Bluetooth/Wi-Fi control ability.  The sales of the gates and operators has also skyrocketed as well from 1989 having 4 main installers in the Dallas area to anyone that can get one online or at a home improvement store. This has created a safety issue since most installers do not follow the operator manufactures installation and safety standards. These three cases below point to this.

This first one was December 0f 2018 at the new Dickies Arena in Ft Worth.  The installer did not follow the required UL-325 guidelines for gate safety. The 2 main issues was the gate had no mesh to prevent reaching through the gate that if trapped would cause a broken arm for sure. The second main point is the gate control equipment is mounted less than 6’ from the travel area of the gate also making it an attractive safety concern and in this case a death trap.
Janitor killed by Gate at Dickies Arena

In Febuary 2017 this second case a young boy was crushed becouse the safety mesh was missing or removed making the gate unsafe and caused his death.
Young Man Crushed by driveway gate.

On December 19,2019, Alex’s life was tragically cut short during recess at an independent school in Marin County, California.  A rolling gate adjacent to the playground failed and fatally injured him.
Remembering Alex by improving safety through education

All of these could have been prevented. In the first case by installing it properly with 2 levels of safety.  The second one may have been prevented by performing proper maintenace as well as looking for entrapment areas and making them safe. The third was a simple manual gate that had been repaired improperly and caused a loss of life.  It is easy to find a cheeper price but in most cases the cheeper price cost someone to loose a friend or family member.

Making the gate safety paramount is not cheep, it is priceless!