Types of industrial bollards

There are two main types of industrial bollard, and they are: 

• Standard bollards 
• Heavy-duty bollards 

As the names suggest, standard bollards are designed to handle standard impacts. Whereas heavy-duty bollards are especially useful for protecting in areas where more substantial collisions or forces are likely to pose a threat.  

Both types perform the same function and operate in the same ways, but heavy-duty bollards are more robust and designed to handle larger impacts. For example, heavy-duty bollards may be used in service yards where vehicles are more likely to be large articulated lorries, rather than smaller materials handling vehicles.  

What can industrial bollards protect against?

Traditionally, bollards are designed to protect against vehicle impacts. Whether this is in a car park, near busy roads and streets or in and industrial setting, their main purpose is to act as a barrier between vehicles and whatever it is that needs protecting.  

In industrial settings, bollards can protect against a variety of vehicles and materials handling equipment, including: 

• Forklift trucks 
• Side-loaders 
• Pallet trucks 
• Cars and vans 
• Articulated lorries 

What do industrial bollards defend?

As mentioned above, industrial barriers are designed to protect vulnerable or valuable assets on site such as: 

• Machinery 
• Building infrastructure 
• Stock and goods 

They are primarily used to protect static objects, like machinery, although they can also be used to segregate one part of a busy facility from another, such as a busy vehicle route from pedestrian workspaces. However, if this is the sort of thing you need, it may be that safety barriers are a more suitable solution.  

Do I need bollards or safety barriers?

When identifying the right type of protection for your site, it’s good to consider your use for it first. Safety systems are the most effective way to keep people safe on site, however there are different systems better suited to specific needs.  

For example, bollards are ideal for providing protection at: 

• Sharp corners 
• Door frames 
• Areas where vehicles turn round  
• Specific vulnerable areas of machinery or infrastructure 

Whereas, safety barriers are better suited to providing protection that: 

• Segregates pedestrians from vehicles 
• Manages busy site traffic 
• Covers a long stretch or distance 
• Cordons off vulnerable structures, i.e. columns and posts 

Where this differs is in instances where protection is needed to defend against site vehicles, but it cannot impede access for pedestrians. A good example would be fire safety equipment; you may want to protect your safety equipment from unwanted collisions, but pedestrians would still need to gain access quickly in the event of a fire. In this case, you could use safety barriers with a gate configuration, but a bollard would be better suited for allowing immediate access.  

With this in mind, it is best to assess your site properly and identify which systems are right for your needs.  

How do you know how strong a bollard is?

Almost all bollard manufacturers provide impact ratings with their products. An impact rating is a figure assigned to a product which denotes the amount of force they can withstand, usually at specific angles.  

An impact rating is often given in Joules and this figure is reached by multiplying the velocity of a vehicle by its weight, while factoring in the angle of impact. This will tell you what size force a bollard can withstand, but it is best to interrogate these figures properly as some manufacturers can make misleading claims.  

What can cause a bollard to be less effective?

A bollard can be rendered less effective or even destroyed if it is subjected to a force larger than the one it is designed to handle. When this happens, it is usually a result of being impacted by a vehicle that has substantially altered its speed or weight.  

For example, it may have been impacted by a vehicle that is moving faster than the designated speed on site or one that is carrying a load larger than specified by the vehicle manufacturer.  

Safety systems can only operate to their full potential when the wider facility safety measures are adhered to – if vehicle drivers operate responsibility and within the specified guidelines, there is no reason a bollard should fail when impacted.  

Bollards provide effective protection in busy industrial sites and once you know what a bollard can handle, it’s easier to identify the right kind of protection for your needs. At A-SAFE, we’re committed to advancing workplace safety and our team are always on hand to provide friendly support and advice – they can even perform a free site survey. Book a consultation now.