When you work with or care for children, childproof gates are a must. Across Australia, they are used in community playgrounds, preschools, kindergartens and childcare centres are highly effective at keeping children safe and ensuring compliance with the relevant safety and legal regulations and requirements.
Magnalatch® is a trusted brand and popular choice for childproof gate systems in community spaces, businesses and homes—however, the one issue they have had to date has been around access for people in a wheelchair and people of short stature due to the height of the child-proof lock. With the standard lock located at 1500–1600 mm height from the ground, it becomes out of reach for this group, which means access to the premises can potentially be challenging or difficult for some visitors, clients and staff.
However, that’s about to change with the release of the AccessLatch—a simple, no power solution that allows Magnalatch® products to be opened from a lower height while remaining child safe and compliant with legislative requirements.
So if your preschool or early learning centre does not currently allow safe access from a lower height through your safety gates, read on to learn 3 key benefits of installing an AccessLatch.
1) An AccessLatch makes your premises accessible to all
Today, every workplace, business and community space has a responsibility to ensure that its premises can be easily accessed by people of all abilities. While ramps, accessible car parks and toilets are all now common features, there remain some small but important details that are often overlooked but can cause significant inconvenience and unnecessary stress. For people in wheelchairs and of short stature, safety gates can be one such problem if there is no alternative to the standard height lock. For this group, the installation of an AccessLatch is a simple and cost-effective solution that allows them to access the premises quickly, easily and independently.
2) The AccessLatch is a simple solution that’s easy to install
While some accessibility solutions can be difficult to implement and/or expensive to design and fit, the AccessLatch is simple to install and can easily be added to a new or existing Magnalatch® safety gate product. As an alternative key-operated base unit it allows the gate to be opened from a lower height with the use of an MLAK(R) key. This solution provides easy access to those who need it while also allowing your child safety lock system to remain child-safe and compliant with the relevant requirements.
3) The AccessLatch doesn’t require batteries or power to operate
Because the AccessLatch does not require batteries or a power source to operate, once it’s installed you won’t need to worry about ongoing maintenance or operating costs. The lock barrel of the unit comes fitted with a standard PD barrel used for restricted access keys, so all users need for access is an MLAK key and they can enter easily. If preferred, the barrel can be rekeyed by a locksmith, giving you complete flexibility to suit your requirements.
A simple solution that allows easy access for all
We are passionate about equal access and see the AccessLatch as a simple solution that preschools, kindergartens, early learning and childcare centres Australia-wide can easily implement to allow people in wheelchairs and of short stature to come and go from the premises with ease.
On top of this, the AccessLatch is 100% Australian-made and comes with a 10-year replacement warranty for peace of mind. Made from high-quality glass-filled Nylon with a UV dampener and designed to comply with AS 1428.1 (2009) – Design for access and mobility and AS 1926 – Safety barriers for swimming pools, once it’s installed, you can be confident it will provide access to all with zero fuss!
If you’d like to know more about AccessLatch or have a question about any of our other products, please contact our team on 1300 994 890 to discuss your requirements.