Barricades and Warning Devices

Barricades are an important part of the construction business. On any given job site there are multiple situations that call for proper barricading. Anyone of you standing here at this toolbox talk can think about your job and come up with at least one item that needs to be properly barricaded. It could be anything from barricading a hole in the floor of a basement to a warning line on top of a sky scrapper. The need to properly identify potential hazards and convey the correct safety message is a huge step in preventing accidents from occurring on your job site.

Types of Accidents include :

• Collision with construction equipment such as forklifts or trucks
• Collision with other vehicles
• Pedestrians (both construction workers and visitors) falling into excavations.
• Driving into excavations
• Driving into work areas

Putting proper barricades up on the job site is a great way to help prevent these types of accidents and to properly put up barricades you need to know that there are many types of barricades that can be used.

Barricades include the use of:

• Signs

• Cones

• Barricades

• Caution Tape

• Channeling devices such as barrier walls

• Flashing lights
• Danger tape

• Saw horses

• Rope
• Snow Fence

Once you have determined that barricades are needed for your construction project, just putting them up does not mean you are done.

Be sure to take time to consider barricading items such as these:

• Giving the public plenty of warning by use of signs
• Make sure warning devices can be seen and are effective
• Use flagmen on narrow passages, one way passages, or when construction vehicles will
• Maintain all barricades and signs
• Be sure you clearly mark the beginning and end of the construction area.

Remember barricades can be moved and improved for whatever the need may be. Having no barricade in place is never the right answer. Let’s make sure we have the right answer to barricading issues every time.