Facts
Suitability
Baby safety barriers are designed to isolate toddlers from household dangers. The toddler stage commences when the child begins moving unaided. It ends when the child has developed an understanding of the concept of danger. This varies between children but is approximately 6 months to 3½ years.
As children are renowned for sleep-walking many parents will leave stair barriers in place after the child has mastered its operation simply to provide a physical barrier in front to the stair.
Product information will always state the product is satisfactory “to 24 months”. This is a legal disclaimer to indemnify the manufacturer. Safety barriers may vary in their performance according to various rating organisations however generally the products will perform through the toddler phase and beyond. Ultimate safety however is determined by quality of installation and frequency of maintenance.
Zoning
Toddler proofing a house can be expensive but by using child safety barriers to create ‘safety’ and ‘exclusion’ zones, costs can be substantially reduced. Many parents use our modular gate system to partition part of a living area as a large safe play space that can be monitored from adjacent living areas such as the kitchen or dining
Positioning
Poorly positioned safety barriers can create more serious dangers than they potentially solve.
A safety barrier with a base rail should be positioned at least 40cms from the threshold of a stair top. The most likely cause of injury from a barrier positioned too close is catching a heel on the base rail, propelling the person towards the void with no forward floor surface to recover from the imminent fall.
Stability
Pressure mounted barriers are designed to be ‘locked’ into position using the plastic cups that accompany the product. It is not safe to simply use adhesive pads or screws that do not penetrate through the plasterboard into the sub frame. An active toddler, or simply constant use will eventually dislodge the barrier from its location causing damage to wall surfaces and access to dangers.
Installation
Pressure mounted barriers require sufficient pressure applied between the pressure pads and wall surfaces to hold the barrier stable. The amount of pressure varies between brands however insufficient pressure will allow any pressure mounted barrier to dislodge.
The difference in span between the top and bottom pressure pads caused by skirtings is the most common cause of instability. The top pressure pads are excessively extended and cannot support the gate laterally.
HomesafeKids installs pressure mounted barriers with spacer blocks to ensure the top pressure pads are exerting sufficient pressure. The mounting blocks equalise the top and bottom spans, protect wall surfaces and allow the barrier to be removed and replaced to the same position safely.
Height
Barriers for child safety vary in height between 71cm and 74cm. These are perfectly adequate for every child through the toddler development phase. There are a range of products on the market that are 1mtr tall. These are specifically for child/animal separation and are suitable for medium size dog breeds that don’t have a disposition for jumping. A toddler does not require 1mtr tall barriers for normal isolation situations.
Architectural staircases
Most modern two storey homes incorporate a ‘feature’ staircase that cannot be isolated with off the shelf products. HomesafeKids range of safety barriers combined with our unique fixing techniques can resolve almost any stair situation.
Balustrades
Parents will often isolate a stair but ignore an adjacent dangerous balustrade. Horizontally configured or ornate balustrades can provide a climbing opportunity for toddlers. Older homes (pre 1990’s) can have open balustrades that would be illegal if built to current building codes.
Dangerous balustrades provide access to severe fall opportunities and must be isolated.
Compliant balustrades vary in height between 90cm and 110cm depending on the age of the building. These heights are perfectly adequate for toddler safety however you should never place furniture that can be climbed against the balustrade. Mobile or lightweight furniture should never be placed in the area.
Installation to balustrades
Never install a pressure mounted barrier to a glass balustrade. Although the glass is toughened and a minimum of 10mm thick, the pressure required places the glass under constant stress and any impact could result in shattering.
Do not install a pressure mounted barrier against an unsupported stair newel post. These can deflect under constant pressure and, in worst case scenarios, destabilise the newel post requiring major structural repair work
Operation of safety barriers
Children learn visually from day one of their lives. Many parents install barriers, then straddle rather than open them, particularly if they are tall. Chances are, you are being watched and all children will imitate their parents as soon as they are capable.
Always open the gate, preferably concealing the open/close operation with your body.
Manual v self-closing gates
Self-closing gates rely on delicate spring mechanisms and require frequent tuning. Day to day use can result in malfunctioning. This is more likely as the toddler grows and increases in strength and dexterity.
Manual operation is the only failsafe way of knowing a gate is latched safely. We recommend not using self-closing gates in high danger circumstances such as stairs or separation from boisterous pets.
Kitchens
Many accidents involving toddlers occur in the kitchen and it is often a good strategy to isolate this room. HomesafeKids can apply child safety barriers to precious surfaces including laminates, stone, timber, in fact any smooth surface. These can be removed without damage to substrate surfaces if instructions are followed.