Barriers are important in many areas of commerce including construction and crowd control. During construction, it’s important to get the right type of barrier for different kinds of use. One can risk cost overruns and problems with local ordinances when they choose the wrong type of barrier for a particular task. To do this correctly, you should rent your barriers from a firm that understands the needs of your project and can then suggest barriers which will fulfil this need. This requires a firm understanding of what a steel barrier vs. plastic barrier has to offer.
Barrier Use in Construction
There are many reasons to use barriers during construction. One of the most obvious is to offer safety to bystanders and pedestrians. If the project is occurring in an area with high pedestrian traffic, it’s important that barriers are in place to protect them from and direct them away from hazards. These include areas where heavy debris may fall, areas where a crane is operating and where holes have been dug.
Choice Between Materials
The choice between plastic and metal barriers can also be down to the qualities of the material. Plastic barriers are typically light and easy to set up or move around. For this reason, they are better used in environments where traffic control will not face any constraints such as a surge in crowds which might render the barriers useless.
Plastic barriers also come in vibrant colours meant to catch the eye. The point of this is that in any danger zone, a potential individual will spot the barriers from far away without having to look for them. This makes them ideal if the barriers are also to be used to guide motorists. The latter are usually more focused and moving at a higher speed than people on foot and are thus likely to miss objects that don’t stand out from the surroundings. This property also makes the plastic barriers useful in rainy weather and in the dark. In addition to being brightly covered, they can also have high visibility markings which make them easier to see at night.
Metal barriers, on the other hand, tend to be stronger and heavier than their metal counterparts. Depending on the make, they can also provide overhead protection to a limited degree. In some cases, metal barriers can be constructed to be permanently embedded in the ground. This makes them immovable, either temporarily or permanently. They are the preferred types of barriers for crowd control since they will fare better with problems such as crowd surges.
Which Barriers to Pick for a Construction Site
While both types of barriers can be used in a construction site, where they are used will determine whether you should go for metal or plastic. If you need segregation of a construction area using heavy duty barriers, you are better off with metal barriers. If you need barriers to guide construction site workers and vehicles, the plastic barriers would do.
Barrier Support at Starr Industries LLC
Starr Industries LLC has barrier equipment and varieties as well as experienced staff to both help you pick the best and install the barriers if need be. Give us a call today for hassle free selection of barriers for whatever project or event you are planning.
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