An electric gate company has been fined after a six-year-old boy was fatally crushed whilst playing on a sliding gate installed by the company.

Leeds Crown Court heard how, on 31 October 2015, the boy was playing with friends on the gate of an underground car park on Leylands Road, Leeds, pushing it open and closed. The gate was pushed beyond the retaining mechanism as no endstop had been fitted to the gate track. The gate fell over, trapping and fatally crushing the child.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the company that had manufactured and installed the electric gate failed to install an end stop. No-one else involved in commissioning or maintaining the gate over the next six years noticed and rectified the deficiency.

Bradfabs Ltd. of Planetrees Road, Laisterdyke, Bradford pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £30,000 and ordered to pay full costs of £12,411.46.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Julian Franklin commented: “This was a tragic and wholly avoidable incident, which could have been prevented by a thorough commissioning check before handing the gate over to the building occupier.”

“Companies should be aware the HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”