DHF (Door & Hardware Federation) is preparing to focus once again on the important issue of ‘gate safety’ when sponsoring this year’s Fencex, due to take place on 13th October at the Warwick Suite at NAEC Stoneleigh near Coventry. Coinciding with the event’s 10th anniversary, the federation is also celebrating its decade-long continuous support of, not just the event, but the automated gate and traffic barrier sector.
DHF can be found at Stand 32 at Fencex, and the Chairman of DHF’s Automated Gate Group, Martin Keelagher, will be hosting a Q&A session in the theatre. The panel will comprise DHF’s Senior Training & Compliance Officers Nick Perkins and Steve Hill, who will be there to answer any questions from the gate industry.
Fencex is the only UK exhibition dedicated to perimeter security, fencing and access control and is staged once every two years with Fencex 2018 attracting almost 400 delegates. This year, it will reflect the diversity of the industry with a mix of manufacturers and suppliers. Registrations are reflecting the anticipation of the industry sectors in getting back together after a delay of more than 12 months, and it will welcome companies from the UK, Europe, China and America.
“We are very proud to sponsor this year’s Fencex and particularly pleased that the event is going ahead following its 2020 cancellation,” explains DHF’s Head of Commercial Operations, Patricia Sowsbery-Stevens. “We remain committed to raising awareness of the safety issues involved in the correct installation of automated gates and traffic barriers, to protect users and the general public. We will continue to advise the industry in this area and our Q&A session will provide clear answers to myths that can sometimes circulate within our industry. It will also provide key information on safety and compliance. DHF’s technical team answer many questions throughout the week so this is nothing unusual for them, it’s just another day in the office. Attendees are invited to pose their questions on the day, but should they be unable to attend, they can send their questions to DHF beforehand to be addressed at the event.”
DHF has become synonymous with gate safety, and through its continuing efforts and collaborative working has moved the issue of automated gate safety from the margin ‘to the mainstream’. It has been instrumental in advancing safety across the sector and for the improvement in installer knowledge across the UK. The organisation also ‘set the standard’ by offering Ofqual-regulated training and became the UK’s very first organisation to offer an official theory-based qualification for the automated gate sector that complements the industry NVQ. This formal qualification demonstrates a trained workforce and has been referred to in the industry as ‘revolutionary’.
