How do you choose the right safety barrier for your working environment?
Collision risks in a company are unavoidable due to the flow of traffic between personnel and vehicles. It is therefore incumbent on every responsible manager to install protection systems. Several solutions are available to prevent accidents and to optimise safety in your company.
However, you should be aware that protection equipment is often a significant investment. Making the right choice will help you avoid nasty surprises and unnecessary costs. Read this article to find out what to consider when choosing the best safety barrier for your business.
Define your needs in advance
To find the most appropriate safety barrier for your business, you must first define your needs. This includes assessing the risks within the plant or warehouse to determine the best protection system. In addition, Boplan offers a wide range of safety barriers to secure traffic in your company. Depending on your needs, you will be able to choose from:
- Safety rails for stairs
- Demarcation barriers
- Drop gates
- Modular barriers
- Reinforced barriers
It all depends on whether you want to protect loads or a work area, separate two areas, block access, etc. Also be aware that you can choose between a fixed model or one with removable panels. In this case, the choice will depend on the needs of the place to be secured.
Visibility: a criterion not to be overlooked
A safety barrier must be visible to optimise protection. Visibility of each piece of equipment is therefore critical, regardless of the system installed. At Boplan, there are several types of protection devices.
To improve visibility, the size of the safety barrier must first be considered. You can then choose the most appropriate shape for the area to be secured. Finally, the colour is a crucial element in the visibility of the equipment. Yellow, black, red or white, the possibilities are endless.
Find the right material for safety equipment
The material used in the construction of a safety barrier is a guarantee of its strength and quality. You can choose between polymer and steel. In principle, both materials offer a high level of collision protection. You will still need to choose the one that best suits your needs. For example, the polymer version is more suitable for outdoor safety barriers due to its resistance to rust.
It is also necessary to find the right diameter for each piece of equipment to increase its strength. The same applies to the thickness. If the aim is to ensure optimum protection, each piece of safety equipment must be sufficiently strong and resistant. In the same context, installation is also a point not to be overlooked. This is especially important if the protection must withstand heavy and fast machinery.
Various types of safety barriers for your company
Whether in a factory or warehouse, we offer several models of safety barriers for your company. Our available options in this case are:
Handrails
Not surprisingly, handrails ensure the safety of pedestrians moving around your business. This includes protection against collisions between people and machinery or vehicles. These barriers are an ideal complement to floor marking tapes to ensure maximum safety. You can then use single, flexible barriers, reinforced designs, protection grids or tunnels. Each version offers a different level of security as required. Balustrades are also perfect for high traffic areas.
Safety barriers
Vehicles and pedestrians need to have their respective routes in order to streamline traffic in your company. This is precisely where safety barriers come into play. They mark the lanes in which vehicles are travelling, increasing safety. The choice is made according to the traffic flow and the type of vehicle used. Either way, there are flexible safety barriers that can absorb shocks. At the same time, these models ensure the safety of the vehicle and the driver.
Rack protections
A safety system is essential to prevent accidents in your rack systems. These systems are also a hazard in the event of a collision. You can, of course, put up footguards, but protective barriers are more effective. In the event of an impact, they absorb the shock and prevent the racks from coming into contact with each other.
Safety bollards and height restrictors
It is important to create sufficiently wide openings to facilitate the flow of people and vehicles through the company. However, the dimensions of doors and gates are not sufficient for building protection. You will need to install bollards and height restrictors. For example, sturdy posts can prevent accidents in frequent collision areas. Height restrictors, on the other hand, can limit the height of vehicles that can enter through the opening. With this equipment, you can reduce or even eliminate the risk of collisions in the warehouse.
Corner and column protection
By placing a protection on columns and corners, the driver can better see where the hazardous locations are. This equipment is an essential safety barrier in plants with a high traffic flow. At the same time, they protect vehicles and locations by warning of obstacles. These protections will also absorb the impact in the event of a collision.
Safety gates
Safety gates are used to restrict access to hazardous areas and to indicate hazards in these spaces. This can be achieved through a variety of available barrier solutions.
Of course, the choice will depend mainly on the requirements of the area to be secured and the individual situation. The aforementioned criteria must also be taken into account.