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When your child starts toddling and exploring the home, it’s essential to make each room as child-safe as possible. But some areas (such as stairs) simply can’t be made safe, and it’s not always easy or practical to child-proof every room.
A safety gate or barrier is a good way to close off areas dangerous to your toddler without restricting access for yourself.
- Baby Dan Premier Indicator
- # Baby Solutions Metal Safety Gate Double Lock USSG03
- Chicco Nightlight Autoclose Safety Gate 361379
- Dreambaby Extra-Tall Swing Closed Security Gate F190W
- Dreambaby Retractable Gate F820
- # Dreambaby Swing Closed Security Gate F160W
- # Dreambaby Timber Swing Gate F826
- Evenflo Soft and Wide Gate 526335
- Infa-Secure Protecta Door Barrier 320
- # Infa-Secure SECURE 350 Scenic
- Jolly Kidz Smart Door Barrier - Small JSB001
- Kiddy Cots Door Barrier DB-1
- # Lindam Numi aluminium 44435
- Lindam Sure Shut Orto Safety Gate LD147
- Love N Care Advanced Auto-Close Gate
- # Love N Care Child & Pet Gate BP3920 PETS/ELC
- # Love N Care Easyfit Gate BP3910 EFS/ELC
- # Mothercare Swing Shut Safety Gate K2999
- # North States Clear Choice Gate 4601
- North States Expandable Swing Gate, 4623
- # Safety 1st Alarm Security Gate 42250
- Safety 1st Quick Close Gate 35015720
- Summer Extra Tall Walk-Thru Gate, 07060C
- # Summer Sure & Secure Custom Fit Gate 07160A
- # Target Deluxe Safety Gate 44743581
- # The First Years Extra Tall and Wide Y7190
- The First Years Hands Free Gate Y3600
- Valco Guardian Swing Back Gate N81321
- # Valco Swing Back Gate SG03-21
# Newly tested.
There’s no Australian standard for safety gates, so we base our tests on suitable clauses from the standards for cots, portable cots and toys. Our tester, Matthew Tung, looks for a range of potential hazards:
- Gaps and moving parts that might trap fingers, limbs or heads; sharp edges or points
- Climbing footholds
- Detachable small parts that could be a choking hazard
- The strength of the gate and its attachment to the doorway
- Sharp corners, edges and points
- Projections or openings that could entangle clothing and lead to strangulation.
The safety barriers and gate are assembled and installed according to the supplied instructions.
The gaps between the sides of the safety gate and the door frame (or walls of a passageway) are installation-dependent; that is, they can vary depending on the width of the door opening. Therefore we don’t test these gaps for entrapment hazards. When installing a gate or barrier, make sure the gap between the gate and the door frame is as small as possible.
There are two international standards for safety gates: the European EN 1930 and the American ASTM F1004.
The manufacturers of the Dream Baby, Safety 1st, and The First Years gates told us their gates are tested to one or both of these standards and that they’d had no complaints of any hazards. Certification to these standards is certainly worth looking for.
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