OCTOBER 2019 | 23
Industry Associations
more than 2500 individuals have
‘ now
completed at least one of DHF’s
safety training courses, whether a
diploma or certificate course, and
in October 2018, it announced the
launch of a new one-day automated
gate safety certificate course
’
‘Gate Safety Week’
becomes ‘Gate
Safety Month’:
Of course, DHF and ‘Gate
Safety Week’ have become
synonymous with one anoth-
er. The now-national cam-
paign to ‘make gates safe’ is a
DHF initiative and was started
six years ago. It has become a
crusade supported by some of
the most influential organisa-
tions in the security, enforce-
ment, inspection, education
and safety sectors, with The
British Safety Council, the
British Safety Industry Federa-
tion, (BSIF), the Federation of
Private Residents’ Landlords
DHF’s voice has been one of
the most powerful in its drive
for third-party certification of
manufacture, installation, main-
tenance and inspection of fire,
smoke and security doors. The
publication: A Guide for Select-
ing Flat Entrance Doorsets; A
publication for housing associa-
tions, landlords, building owners
and local authorities in England,
brings together the very best
combined advice available from
the industry in one straightfor-
ward document to highlight the
fundamental issues of fire safety
and security for those selecting
fire doorsets. There is little doubt
that it has accomplished a gen-
uine need for greater clarity in a
complicated market.
“We remain convinced that
certification remains the best and
only way to assure that effective,
quality products are delivered to
market, providing the additional
assurance of performance,” said
Bob. “We were delighted to have
worked together with SBD and
FIA in sharing our joint expertise
and guidance on doorsets and
fire safety. It really was a natural
partnership.”
Training: the
heartbeat of DHF:
One of the areas for which
DHF has become most known, is
its exceptional training offering.
In the past year alone, 787 peo-
ple have been trained by DHF,
with 563 candidates attending
the two-day safety diploma
courses and 224 trainees opting
for the one-day safety training
certificate. 84 fire door courses
were held with BRE Academy. In
all, more than 2500 individuals
have now completed at least one
of DHF’s safety training courses,
whether a diploma or certificate
course, and in October 2018, it
announced the launch of a new
one-day automated gate safety
certificate course.
There is little doubt that the
organisation’s move to state-
of-the-art training facilities in
September 2018, has resulted in
a significant swell in numbers,
demonstrating the federation’s
continuing dedication to train-
ing. In fact, in 2018, DHF beat
its training target by a healthy
9%. The launch of a new online
booking and payment system last
October, for would-be delegates
of their training courses, has
undeniably contributed to this
increase; it has provided ‘speed’
and ‘ease’ for both members
and non-members and reduced
the administrative booking and
payment procedure from days to
mere minutes.
This summer, DHF continued
to ‘set the standard’ by offering
Ofqual-regulation training, and in
doing so, became the UK’s very
first organisation to offer an offi-
cial theory-based qualification for
three of the industries it serves:
the automated gate, industrial
door and domestic garage door
sectors. The formal qualifications
are recognised by employers
and are vital in demonstrating a
competent workforce. It is an-
other feather in DHF’s cap, so to
speak, and is described by Bob
as ‘a game changer’, bringing the
federation “one step closer to
our objective: to offer a ‘one stop
shop’ for our members and re-
spond effectively to their needs.
We are already widely renowned
as experts in technical knowl-
edge and training; now, we can
add accredited courses to our
ever-expanding list of benefits.”
paign; we never stop lobby-
ing for safer standards in the
installation and maintenance
of powered gates,” says Bob.
“By using the month of Oc-
tober to highlight the issues
around the dangers of unsafe
gates, we are shining an even
greater spotlight on what
can go wrong, and how to
prevent accidents, and worse,
fatalities.”
And in July of this year,
and in an effort to extend its
training offering to a wider
audience, DHF held its very
first one-day public Automat-
ed Gate Group Certificate
Course in Dublin, Ireland.
using the month of October
‘ to By highlight
the issues around
the dangers of unsafe gates,
we are shining an even greater
spotlight on what can go wrong,
and how to prevent accidents,
and worse, fatalities
’
(FPRA), the Institute of Resi-
dential Property Management
(IRPM), Royal Society for the
Prevention of Accidents (Ro-
SPA) and Health and Safety
Executive (HSE) choosing to
support its objectives.
The federation’s continuing
crusade has been credited
with bringing the issue of
unsafe automated gates ‘from
the margin to the main-
stream’, and in September
2019, it was announced that
‘Gate Safety Week’ would,
in fact, become ‘Gate Safety
Month’.
“Essentially, ‘Gate Safety
Week’ is a year-long cam-
www.dhfonline.org.uk
“Another successful year
for DHF has set the scene to
continue our good work, both
for the industry and the pub-
lic,” concludes Bob, “and we
have much to look forward
to. This year will also see the
launch of CSCS cards, an NVQ
Assessment Centre, a new
training website and further
additions to our workforce.
We continue to expand our
training offering and welcome
new members, with their
needs up-front-and-centre.
Moreover, DHF remains an
acknowledged and pioneering
‘Centre of Excellence’. We are
always looking forward.”