Bollards, the sturdy and stationary vertical posts, play a crucial role in ensuring safety and security in various construction settings. Widely used for traffic control and defining safety zones, these structures help safeguard both personnel and equipment at construction sites.
Their effectiveness in limiting vehicle access and protecting against accidental damage makes them indispensable in maintaining worksite safety and security.
Utilization of Bollards in Construction
In construction, bollards serve a dual purpose of traffic separation and area protection, similar to their roles in parking and event safety. By confining vehicles to specific zones, these robust edifices help protect both workers and valuable on-site equipment. They establish distinct perimeters around working areas, thus minimizing unauthorized access and preventing the removal of equipment.
The implementation of bollards also aids in creating designated safe zones for pedestrians and break areas for workers, offering protection from moving vehicles and equipment. Furthermore, strategically positioning bollards around critical infrastructure such as fire hydrants, transformers, and water supplies helps shield them from accidental impacts by construction machinery.
Factors in Selecting Construction Bollards
In roadside construction, where workers might be within feet of moving traffic, safety is crucial. Bollards provide robust crash-rated protection, offering a sturdier alternative to cones or barrels against high-speed vehicular impacts.
Given the massive size and weight of construction equipment, bollards used in such environments must withstand potential impacts from heavy machinery to safeguard the workforce and the operational site.
Varieties of Construction Bollards
Typically made from steel and designed for visibility, construction bollards come in different types suitable for varying applications. The choice of bollard depends on the specific requirements of the project, including its expected duration and the level of protection necessary.
- Shallow Foundation: These bollards are ideal for long-term installation, equipped with a 12-inch foundation for stability. The tubes can be customized using crash-rated options like the DSC650 bollards, which feature manual-lift tubes for facilitating site access. Covers made from materials such as cast aluminum and fiberglass can be tailored to suit different project needs.
- Surface-Mounted: Portable surface-mounted bollards are favored for their versatility and cost-effectiveness. Easily movable and reusable across multiple sites, these bollards can be deployed quickly without extensive setup. Their portability simplifies acquisition by classifying them as non-permanent assets, while their capability to connect with others aids in pedestrian traffic management.
Advantages of Using Construction Bollards
Bollards widely enhance safety and security at construction sites. By combining them with perimeter fencing, they provide an extra security layer for guarding high-value equipment. Bollards enable strict vehicle access control, impeding unauthorized access and deterring the illicit removal of large items.
The role of bollards in traffic management is significant. They are used to regulate vehicle entry to worksites, maintaining clear pathways for workers and operations. With reports indicating over 60% of roadside fatalities in 2021 resulted from vehicle impacts, bollards are critical in improving safety for construction projects near active traffic zones.
Beyond security, bollards offer additional benefits, such as customization options for increased visibility or displaying company branding to enhance the site’s professional appearance.
Bollards are short, immovable columns used to restrict access to certain areas. They are useful for traffic control and establishing safety zones. Construction managers can also use them to increase worksite safety and security. Learn more about what a bollard is in construction and how to use them effectively.
How Bollards Are Used in Construction
Bollards in construction serve to separate traffic and protect designated areas, much like they do in parking, traffic, and event safety. By restricting vehicles to specific zones, bollards help maintain safety and protect both construction workers and on-site equipment.
Their strength makes bollards a good choice for securing worksites and equipment. They establish a visible physical perimeter for designated work areas, reducing the risk of unauthorized traffic entering or someone removing equipment.
Construction bollards work well to create designated pedestrian or worker break areas. Their impact-resistance and visibility protect people from moving vehicles and construction equipment. Another excellent use for bollards in construction is to secure infrastructure from accidental equipment damage. Placing bollards around fire hydrants, power boxes, transformers, and water supplies reduces the risk of a worker accidentally striking something while moving around the worksite.
Considerations for Choosing Construction Bollards
During a roadside construction project, there could be hundreds of workers just feet away from moving traffic, making safety a top priority. Bollards provide critical, crash-rated protection to keep people safe, offering a stronger and more reliable barrier against high-speed impacts than cones or traffic barrels.
Additionally, construction equipment is typically larger and more powerful than standard vehicles, often weighing several tons. Construction bollards must be able to withstand impacts from such heavy machinery to ensure the safety of workers and the worksite.
Types of Construction Bollards
Construction bollards are generally steel tubes or barriers that they can paint or fit with a sleeve for higher visibility. They are used to mark perimeters, protect workers and equipment, and direct traffic around construction sites.
There are many different types of bollards; some are better suited for construction projects. The specific application, including the estimated project time and level of protection needed, plays a role in determining which type to use.
Shallow Foundation
Shallow foundation bollards are ideal for permanent or semi-permanent installation. They attach to a shallow, 12-inch foundation for stability. Bollard tubes attach to the foundation to provide visibility and crash protection.
They can fit the crash-rated shallow-foundation DSC650 bollards with manual-lift tubes, facilitating access for construction equipment and deliveries. Cast aluminum and fiberglass covers offer customisable options for tube covers.
Surface-Mounted
Portable bollards are an excellent solution for most construction projects due to their flexibility. They can be easily moved and reused at multiple job sites. Many portable bollards can be used individually or connected in groups, providing versatile options for different needs. Connections between grouped bollards help to control pedestrian traffic.
Surface-mounted construction bollards are a cost-effective solution to providing security and visibility at a construction site. They are quick to set up and take down, requiring no additional construction, excavation, or engineering. Additionally, their portability often simplifies purchasing, as they are not classified as permanent physical assets.
Benefits of Construction Bollards
Using bollards to secure construction sites offers numerous benefits. They increase safety and security in several ways, including:
- Site security: When used with perimeter fencing, bollards add an extra layer of security for expensive equipment left on job sites. By restricting vehicle access, they make it difficult – if not impossible – for unauthorized individuals to remove large items.
- Traffic control: Removable and retractable bollards restrict and control vehicle access to a worksite, reducing unauthorized entry and keeping the area clear for workers.
- Worksite safety: Construction bollards protect workers from impacts caused by surrounding traffic. Considering that in 2021, more than 60% of fatalities at roadside worksites were the result of a vehicle impact, bollards can significantly improve worker safety on construction projects near traffic.
Bollards in construction come with extra benefits, too. They can make them highly visible with customization options for covers, which can further increase security, or use them to display the company name around the job site.
