
A safety barrier is a component which prevents passage into a dangerous area, and is commonly used to mitigate
risk
In simple terms, risk is the possibility of something bad happening. Risk involves uncertainty about the effects/implications of an activity with respect to something that humans value (such as health, well-being, wealth, property or the environ ...
.
Description
A safety barrier is a component which prevents passage into a dangerous area. It is commonly used to mitigate
risk
In simple terms, risk is the possibility of something bad happening. Risk involves uncertainty about the effects/implications of an activity with respect to something that humans value (such as health, well-being, wealth, property or the environ ...
in the
Hazard-Barrier-Target model, as studied in
safety science
''Safety Science'' is a monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal published by Elsevier covering research on all aspects of human and industrial safety. The editor-in-chief is Georgios Boustras ( European University Cyprus),. The journal was estab ...
.
Work Safe Victoria (an Australian organization) defines a Safety Barrier as a device that:
* physically separate the work area and the traveled way,
* are designed to resist the penetration of an out-of control vehicle, and
* have properties which redirect an out-of-control vehicle back on to the road away from the work area.
Types of barriers
Hard barriers are fixed or removable guards which prevent entry. These include fences,
traffic barriers, and crush barriers.
Soft barriers are devices such as
light curtain
A light curtain is a safety device that detects when a beam of infrared light has been broken by a person passing through an area.
Light curtains, now more commonly known as opto-electronic devices, are used to safeguard personnel in the vicinit ...
s. They detect the presence of a foreign body and are tied into the control circuit to stop the machine.
Components
Hard barriers are fixed into the ground as a
bollard or
gate
A gate or gateway is a point of entry to or from a space enclosed by walls. The word is derived from Proto-Germanic language, Proto-Germanic ''*gatan'', meaning an opening or passageway. Synonyms include yett (which comes from the same root w ...
, removable on stands, or clipped to a structure. Regardless of the barrier type, the components and overall assembly will be similar.
The material of rails used to stop the flow of objects into the protected area must be durable and strong enough to withstand any impacts related to the environment in which it is installed; for example, a guard rail on the side of the road must be able to contain and safely stop or drastically slow down a vehicle weighing up to 40 tons (
cable barriers are most effective against tractor trailers), whereas a pedestrian safety barrier only needs to be tall enough, designed with a lattice effect to keep people from climbing through it, or highly visible when being used to display caution.
Applications
Safety barriers vary depending on their application. In an industrial setting, a safety barrier may be a
fence
A fence is a structure that encloses an area, typically outdoors, and is usually constructed from posts that are connected by boards, wire, rails or net (textile), netting. A fence differs from a wall in not having a solid foundation along its ...
or window, designed to keep the operator away from moving parts or other hazards. Railings should be closed cornered with rounded or flared edges to prevent any further damage to personnel or machinery in the event of a collision. Safety barriers can also be used to protect the corners of fixtures, support columns, exposed pipes or cables, or designated areas on the work floor.
In an automotive setting, the barrier may be a
traffic barrier or
Jersey barrier
A Jersey barrier, Jersey wall, or Jersey bump is a modular concrete or plastic barrier employed to separate lanes of traffic. It is designed to minimize vehicle damage in cases of incidental contact while still preventing vehicle crossovers resu ...
, separating lanes/directions of traffic flow. In crowd control,
terraces use crush barriers to reduce the risk of
human crush in large crowds.
See also
*
Platform screen doors
Platform screen doors (PSDs), also known as platform edge doors (PEDs), are used at some train, rapid transit and people mover stations to separate the platform from train tracks, as well as on some bus rapid transit, tram and light rail ...
References
Protective barriers
Perimeter security
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