Barricades
On construction sites, properly built and maintained barricades are essential to the safety of workers, visitors, and even trespassers. Failure to set up marked, sturdy barricades over worksite hazards such as trenches, excavations, and other potentially dangerous liabilities could result in injury, financial loss, and even death.Purpose of Barricades
Barricades serve as warning devices that make people in and about the worksite fully aware of potential dangers. Barricades also serve the role of being a deterrent to property theft and vandalism on construction sites.
Types of Barricades
Forms of temporary barricades include cyclone fencing or plastic safety fencing as well as portable manhole barricades. In order to minimize risk of injury and potential liability, barricades that are likely to be missed or overturned (such as yellow tape or plastic cones) should only be used as temporary stopgaps until more substantial barricades can be put in place.
Barricades should be in bright colors that are noticeable in daylight and equipped with lights for evening visibility. Signs that are easy to read and reliably illuminated should be used as necessary to add to the overall effectiveness of a barricade.
Erecting a Barricade
Barricades are of vital importance in certain situations, including:
- Trenches and other excavations
- Areas where construction debris is dropped without the aid of a chute or other mechanism designed to deposit debris directly into a sealed container
- Places near electrical equipment with exposed parts that could be live
- Places with temporary wiring over a specified voltage (usually 500 to 600 volts)
- Street openings, such as grates or manhole covers
- Any area where explosives are used or stored
- Construction sites
- The radius of any cranes or other similar equipment that are being used
- The regular routes used by heavy construction equipment on a construction site
- Around any equipment left unattended on roadsides or other public thoroughfares overnight
Consequences of Failure to Place Barricades
Proper barricades are outlined by local and state statutes. Failure to erect and maintain barricades on construction sites could result in fines, damage claims, forfeiture of licenses and bonds, and even jail time.