Gate Safety is Priority Within ASTM

Steps toward safety and professional growth

Gate safety is top of mind in the fence industry and even more so, after the tragic death of seven-year-old Alex Quanbeck in 2019 due to an accident with a rolling gate at his school. Alex’s family founded The Hummingbird Alliance to raise awareness about gate safety.

Unfortunately, his was not an isolated incident. Others have been harmed or killed by unsafe gates. Many safety initiatives have surged within the industry to ensure no one is harmed by an unsafe fence or gate.

Through the American Fence Association (AFA), education channels are in place to guide professionals in the industry. Recently, more resources have been dedicated to guide and implement programs to drive safety awareness and adherence to industry standards.

Ben Shirley, director of marketing and training with Ameristar Perimeter Security, is the ASTM F14 chair.

“The tragedy that happened to Alex Quanbeck and his family is devastating,” says Shirley. “Within ASTM and our industry, we made a commitment to review and seek changes to our standards. The first of those changes was ASTM standard F1184, a specification for manual slide gates. By adopting language from ASTM F2200, we were able to update the manual slide gate specification to include instructions that will help mitigate safety concerns. What may seem like a minor change in language within a document has a huge ripple effect to an industry.”

“What may seem like a minor change in language within a document has a huge ripple effect to an industry.”
—Ben Shirley, ASTM F14 Chair

Leading the charge for gate safety, the AFA, The Hummingbird Alliance and industry leaders are working with multiple groups to create requirements for gate construction using ASTM standards.

“The state of California, International Code Council (ICC), and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are just a few of the groups feeling the ripple effect of our industry pulling together to ensure gate safety,” Shirley says. “The AFA not only created dedicated resources for education but also government relations. These roles help our industry remain relevant and grow professionally by protecting our contractors from unforeseen risk.”

Shirley has been with Ameristar for over 20 years in various capacities. “A common theme that continues to increase is the demand for engineering services. Earlier in my career, I might see one request every other week for load data on a project. Today, it’s common to have multiple Architect & Engineering (A&E) firms requesting engineering services on various projects daily. Architects want products that meet specific ASTM standards and the data showing how products meet these standards. This increased demand is directly correlated to A&E firms ensuring every project is installed in a way that is safe and will mitigate risk.”

“It’s exciting to be a part of and see our industry grow professionally through the impact of an engaged association,” he says. “The efforts our industry leaders have had through the AFA and its educational programs continues to be the spark that ignites positive change. As A&E firms continue to demand project specific engineered fence and gate systems, I foresee an increase in the development of ASTM standards. Industry leaders have an opportunity to help better define installation and application requirements through expansion of ASTM standards. Our industry is in its infancy stage of identifying fence and gate safety. It’s important to the growth of our industry and the safety of generations to come that we take an active role now to ensure the progress of the important topic of gate safety.”

To learn more about the AFA’s drive for improved gate safety as well as updates on gate safety resources, visit americanfenceassociation.com, click Government and Gate Safety Resources.