What is a safety barrier?

A safety barrier is a reinforced fence structure that is used to protect items of value, such as people, buildings, machines and stock from unwanted damage caused by vehicles and other moving objects. Safety barriers can also be used to create designated routes and segregate different types of traffic, such as walkways for people and vehicle routes.

The components of a safety barrier

While barriers can differ between manufacturers, the basic components are:

• The end post
• The mid post
• The rail

Where are safety barriers used?

Safety barriers are used across a range of industries and sectors, as well as various workplaces. They are mainly used in busy industrial facilities where site vehicles are very common, such as:

• Factories
• Warehouses
• Distribution centres
• Airports
• Car parks

Learn more: Safety Barriers in the Workplace | Protecting Your Facility

What are safety barriers used for?

In most cases, safety barriers are used for:

• Protection
• Segregation
• Defining routes
• Pedestrian support

Protection

The most common use for safety barriers is to provide protection. This can be protection for any number of things, such as people, machinery, vulnerable structural spaces in a building or facility, as well as stock and goods. Safety barriers provide protection from vehicles and smaller person-operated materials handling equipment such as pallet trucks.

Segregation

Another important use for safety barriers is segregation. This refers to the separation of one object or person from another. Safety barriers can be used to segregate:

• People from moving vehicles
• Workforce from dangerous or harmful areas and machinery
• One workspace or station from another
• Opposing lanes of traffic

Defining routes

As with segregation, safety barriers can be used to identify and clearly mark out specific routes and paths. This can include vehicle routes throughout a facility, safe walkways for staff and visitors as well as more specific routes such as one-way systems in busy sites.

Pedestrian support

In addition to creating pedestrian walkways, safety barriers also provide necessary support for foot traffic. Most pedestrian barriers include a handrail for additional support, allowing people to cross facilities more easily.