The Correct Use of Safety Barrier Rails in Busy Locations

If they look for barrier rails, Perth residents will see them everywhere in car parks, industrial facilities and even sports stadiums. Steel barrier rails are a great way to keep pedestrians safe from traffic and to mark changes to guide them. They can be used to mark the edges of roads, paths, and ramps providing safety and assurance. If you’re a business manager that is considering using safety barrier rails, there are few things to consider.

What Features Should a Guardrail Have?

At the bare minimum, a guardrail should be constructed of a strong metal material preferably steel. It should be situated by being bolted into the ground or concreted into the surface. The barrier should be solid and should not move at all if pulled or pushed by a person. A guardrail will slow down an impact considerably, but it may not stop it completely. Bearing this in mind, it’s important that a pedestrian has additional room to move out of the way, without being forced into traffic or into other unsafe situations.

Protecting Pedestrians from Harm:

A pedestrian barrier rail is very effective at protecting people from traffic in accident hotspots. One would think that this is primarily due to their ability to mitigate the effects of a collision, but this is not correct. The main reason they prevent accidents is that they direct pedestrians away from the road. We’ve all seen busy paths filled with people in city centers, crowding and a lack of visibility can be a lethal combination. Another more recent problem has been the proliferation of smart phone usage and a lack of attention that can be fatal. Finally, a guardrail can be a very useful way to protect pedestrians when there is a change in height, such as a bridge, stairs at sporting arenas and pedestrian parapets on retaining walls.

Where are Guardrails Needed Most?

The best place to position pedestrian barriers is in locations where the dividing line between people and traffic is very small. This could be at tight busy crossroads and corners in towns and cities where people come into close contact with vehicles. The collision risk here is extremely high, and guardrails can have a dramatic effect on safety in these dangerous areas. Another high risk area is close to schools and at pedestrian crossings where a false sense of security and a lack of experience can come into play.

If they are interested in barrier rails, Perth business managers and safety specialists should contact us. Here at Image Bollards we can supply and fit (if required) high quality barrier rails for a variety of different uses. All of our products are manufactured to very high tolerances from 60mm, 90mm, and 100mm steel pipe. We can provide powder coated barriers with a variety of colours to choose from to suit your requirements. Visit our website or give us a call and our sales team will be happy to answer all of your questions.

How Do You Space Your Bollards

Whether they are considering fixed or removable bollards one of the most common questions encountered is how do you space them? This may seem like an easy question to answer on the face of it, but in fact, it can be quite complicated. There are a number of different factors to consider, such as: where will they be used, what traffic is expected and what is their purpose? Answering these three questions adequately is key to getting the spacing right to suit your needs.

Where Will the Bollards be used?

Are the bollards going to be used to protect a facility or utility that does not require pedestrian access? If so, it will be possible to place the bollards closer together in order to increase the strength of the barrier. If the protected area will have regular access by foot traffic, it will be necessary to place the bollards further apart. This is primarily necessary to ensure that there is a safe exit for pedestrians that need to move quickly.

What Traffic is expected?

Bearing the above in mind, there are a few hard and fast rules that we can follow. An area that will not be used regularly by pedestrians could have a minimum of 92 cm between each bollard. A more common figure would be closer to 122 cm approximately to allow for disabled access. If the bollard has any bulges or bulky extensions, these should also be factored into the equation. If the traffic is going to be vehicular in nature then the anticipated speed and expected mass should be taken into consideration. The energy generated in a collision is mass times speed squared, an increased in speed dramatically increases the energy released. If the space between the bollards is less than twice the height of the bollard, the strength of the bollards combined is double if the impact hits both of them.

What is the Purpose of the Bollard?

If the bollard is being used to control traffic they should be no more than 152 cm apart to prevent small cars passing between them. This could vary depending upon the kind of vehicles using the space; a forklift in a warehouse is a good example of this. Special consideration should be given to access for emergency vehicles into the protected area. In this case, a removable bollard can be very quickly removed to provide rapid access. If removable bollards are being used, it is important from a security perspective that they can be locked in place. There should also be a cover or ground cap to ensure that the bollard hole is covered to avoid potential accidents and/or debris filling the space.

If they are interested in a removable bollard, Perth business managers should contact us. Here at Image Bollards we can supply and if required fit a wide variety of products including stainless steel removable bollard systems. Our removable bollards are available in beautiful yet functional marine grade stainless steel and they are lockable. Our sales team is standing by to offer advice and answer any further questions that you may have.