Choosing a Stair Gate: RoSPA Advice and What BS EN 1930 Covers

The first time a baby crawls purposefully towards the stairs is a milestone of a very particular kind. A good stair gate is one of the most useful bits of baby kit you can buy, and one of the easiest to choose badly, because the shelves are full of gates that look similar. This guide sets out what RoSPA (the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) says about gates and stairs, what the British Standard for child safety barriers actually covers, and a practical checklist for buying one. It applies to UK homes.

What RoSPA says about stairs

RoSPA describes stairs as a common place for serious falls, both for toddlers who are still finding their feet and occasionally for adults carrying young children. Its home-safety advice for stairs is to:

• keep stairs free from clutter that could cause you or your child to slip;
• for children under 24 months, fit wall-mounted safety gates to restrict access to both the top and the bottom of the stairs;
• keep stairs well maintained, and repair or remove damaged or worn carpet;
• make sure balustrades are strong and have no footholds for climbing;
• keep the stairs well lit.

Two details in that list are worth noting. RoSPA specifies wall-mounted gates, so it is worth checking what fixing method a gate uses before you fall for its price or looks. And it names both the top and the bottom of the stairs, so plan to buy at least two gates if your home has a staircase.

What BS EN 1930 covers

The relevant British Standard is BS EN 1930:2011, “Child use and care articles. Safety barriers. Safety requirements and test methods”. According to BSI, it sets out safety requirements and test methods for child safety barriers for domestic indoor use, designed to be fitted across openings to limit a child’s access inside the home and to prevent young children up to 24 months of age from passing through. BSI’s own description adds that the standard does not apply to products designed to be fitted across windows. Its listed topics include closures, locking and locating devices, dimensions, instructions for use and marking, which tells you what a compliant gate should give you: a working catch and clear fitting instructions rather than just a piece of mesh.

The standard is aimed at young children up to 24 months, which is also the age RoSPA uses in its stairs advice. As your child grows and learns to climb, the gate that suited a crawler may need a rethink, so treat a gate as something you review rather than fit once and forget.

A practical buying checklist

The points below are our own practical suggestions for choosing a gate, and they do not come from RoSPA or BSI. Nothing here replaces the instructions for your particular product.

• Measure first. Measure the opening at the height where the gate will sit, and check skirting boards and banisters, which can make an opening narrower or wider than it looks at floor level.
• Choose the fixing to suit the location. Given RoSPA’s advice on wall-mounted gates for the top and bottom of stairs, look for gates with screw-in fixings for those locations, and reserve other types for doorways if you use them at all.
• Check the way it opens. A gate at the top of the stairs that swings out over the staircase is awkward with a baby on your hip. Look at how the gate opens and whether it can be operated with one hand.
• Think about the threshold. Some gates have a bar across the floor that adults can trip over, especially when carrying a baby. Consider whether a design without a floor bar suits your stairs.
• Keep the instructions. You will want them when you move a gate, check the fittings or hand it on.
• Check the standard reference. Look for BS EN 1930 in the packaging or product information, then read the instructions on fitting and use.

Making the routine easy

A gate only works if it is used, so the routine matters as much as the hardware. Get into the habit of closing it behind you every time, including in the early days when your baby is not yet crawling, so that it is second nature by the time they are. Keep the area at both ends of the stairs clear of shoes, bags and laundry baskets, which fits neatly with RoSPA’s advice to keep stairs free of clutter. If you have visiting grandparents or childminders, show them how the catch works.

The bottom line

Buy for the job rather than the look: RoSPA’s advice is for wall-mounted gates at the top and bottom of the stairs for children under 24 months, and BS EN 1930:2011 is the standard for child safety barriers used across openings indoors. Measure carefully, choose a fixing that suits each location, and make closing the gate an automatic habit.

Sources

• RoSPA, “Keeping Kids Safe: Preventing falls and injuries”
• BSI Knowledge, “BS EN 1930:2011 Child use and care articles. Safety barriers. Safety requirements and test methods”