Guard Rails vs. Bollards

At job sites and facilities with a high amount of traffic from forklifts, vehicles and other mobile equipment, it is important to provide a safe working environment in areas near these heavy, fast moving pieces of machinery. While protecting workers, building structures and other equipment from vehicles is never a complete guarantee, utilizing protective barriers can lower the chances of injury and damage occurring. Beacon guard rails and safety bollards are high quality, versatile barrier equipment that can provide exceptional protection both outside and inside buildings. Other protective equipment can include products such as car stop curbs, speed bumps and column protectors. When considering guard rails vs. bollards, it’s important to know what applications each product is designed for.

Guard Rails

Steel Industrial Guard Rail

Typically found inside distribution centers, warehouses, factories and manufacturing facilities, industrial guard rails are placed along the interior perimeters of the building to prevent damage caused by out of control or improperly driven fork trucks and vehicles. Guard rails can also be placed for protection on the outside of a structure, usually areas that see a lot of vehicle traffic like parking lots. Unlike guard rails you see on the highway, which are usually taking impacts along the length of the unit, industrial guard rails may see more lateral forces. A guard rail bolted to the face of the post is stronger than the drop-in-place sleeve type. Posts can be poured in place or bolted onto concrete surfaces to link guard rails together for a continuous run of protection. Several different types of guard rail coatings are available, including galvanized steel and powder coated yellow. Sections of guard rail 10 feet or longer require center posts for additional support. Check your rated speed requirements when selecting the appropriate guard rail system for your facility.

Bollards

Steel Pipe Bollard

Where guard rails offer protection on a macro level, safety bollards are meant for more micro levels of protection. While able to prevent some damage to machinery and objects, bollards are also meant to be visual aids to guide traffic and restrict vehicle access to particular areas. Pipe bollards can be placed in tighter curves than a guard rail, still allowing enough room for personnel on foot to pass around them. A number of different bollards exist for a wide range of applications outside of industrial ones. You can see bollards in use at sporting events, parking garages, playgrounds, toll booths and retail store fronts. Smoker’s Bollards are hollow steel units that contain a cigarette disposal unit and removable top for easy emptying. From spring loaded bollards to portable bollards with wheels, Beacon can recommend a model to fill your requirements. Optional accessories are also available to help prolong the service life of your equipment. Bollard caps prevent water from accumulating inside of hollow units where it could eventually freeze and permanently damage the bollard.