The current UL-325 and ASTM safety standards that apply to your gate are too complex to describe in great detail. The following is a list of general specifications and requirements you need to know.

UL-325 — 3.16

CLASS 1 — RESIDENTIAL VEHICULAR GATE OPERATOR — A vehicular gate operator or system intended for use in a home of one to four single family dwellings, or a garage or parking area associated therewith.

CLASS II — COMMERCIAL/ GENERAL ACCESS VEHICULAR GATE OPERATOR— A vehicular gate operator (or system) intended for use in a commercial location or building such as a multi-family housing unit (five or more single family units), hotel, GARAGES, retail store, or other building servicing the general public.”

CLASS III — INDUSTRIAL/ LIMITED ACCESS VEHICULAR GATE OPEATOR — A vehicular gate operator or system intended for use in an industrial location or building such as a factory or loading dock area or other locations not intended to service the general public.

CLASS IV — RESTRICTED ACCESS VEHICULAR GATE OPERATOR— A vehicular gate operator or system intended for use in a guarded industrial location or building such as an airport security area or other restricted access locations not servicing the general public, in which unauthorized access is prevented via supervision by security personnel.

Intended use of Alltec Gates & Operators — The Alltec 2100 Series Slide Gate Operators are intended for use with a vehicular horizontal slide gate on a Class I, II, III or Class IV installation. A vehicular horizontal slide gate is defined as any moving barrier that slides in the horizontal direction and is intended for vehicle use to enter a drive, parking lot or the like.

The Gate — The UL has defined four classes of gates that are specific to each type of facility. A self storage or rental apartment facility is defined as a Class II installation. See above for description.

UL-325 — 3.16 “COMMERCIAL/ GENERAL ACCESS VEHICULAR GATE OPERATOR—CLASS II— A vehicular gate operator (or system) intended for use in a commercial location or building such as a multi-family housing unit (five or more single family units), hotel, GARAGES, retail store, or other building servicing the general public.”

REQUIREMENTS

1. The gate must be relatively smooth and free operating full open to full close.
2. The gate must be designed to travel level and not fall more than 45 degrees from plumb if it comes off of its rollers or wheels.
3. The gate, adjacent fence and support posts must be screened or guarded to prevent a 2-1/4” sphere from passing through at any point up to 4 feet high and a 4" sphere up to 6' high.
4. All wheels and rollers must be guarded to prevent a 1/4” rod from coming in contact with the wheel or roller.
5. The gate must be installed so the gate does not create an area of potential entrapment. This is more a common sense issue and is not specific.
6. Gate area must have a separate access point for pedestrians, such as a pedestrian gate.

The Operator (motor) — In a Class II Installation, the operator must have two anti-entrapment systems to prevent injury or death—a primary and a secondary. There are different types used by different manufacturers. Alltec Industries CS-2100 gate operators use a type A inherent (built in) obstruction sensor as the primary and is designed to accommodate a Type B-1 non-contact (photocell) secondary system.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS — all standard on the 2100 Series operators

1. Maximum speed of one foot per second.
2. A built-in manual disconnect to allow the gate to be moved independent of the operator in the event of an emergency or power outage.
3. Labeling to warn the user of the potential hazards of automatic gates.
4. Two warning signs to be attached to the gate to warn users of the hazards.
5. Complete instructions and safety information.

Controls — All controls must be far enough away from the automatic gate to prevent the user from coming in contact with the gate.

The UL and ASTM standards impact on the industry is not yet apparent because it, for the most part, has not become law. The insurance providers may start charging higher liability premiums to property owners if their gates are not up to safety standards. Alltec looks at this as both a challenge and an opportunity to produce the safest products and keep the cost down so it is not a financial decision on the part of the property owners.