What is a Bollard Used For?
Safety bollards can be used for a variety of purposes including managing road traffic and for managing parking lot systems. Bollards are often made using reflective and bright materials to be used at all times of the day.
Bollards come in various forms, including permanent and removable options. Traditional permanent bollards are often made from steel or concrete and are used in pedestrian settings to block off traffic from entering the area. Removable bollards are more dynamic and have a variety of uses.
What is a bollard used for in pedestrian and workplace settings:
- For Controlling Road Traffic
- For Managing Entrances and Exits
- For Residential Property Usage
- For Cycle Space Awareness
- For Assisting on Boat Docks
- For Managing Parking Lot System
1. For Controlling Road Traffic
Much like a traffic cone, bollards can be used in helping to control traffic flow. This is done by placing bollards in areas where incidents have occurred or areas of road works. As bollards are often heavier, they can also be used to block off lanes temporarily and will not sustain much damage if hit.
Cars can see the bollards from afar and at night due to reflective strips. This warns the driver of upcoming hazards and allows them to manoeuvre themselves away from them.
2. For Managing Entrances and Exits
Bollards can be used to set the perimeters of a workspace and their entrances and exits. Bollards are the obvious choice due to their bright orange colour and reflective strips, this makes locating the specific areas easier. These also set out their boundaries, with multiple bollards being lined up, creating a barrier between pedestrians and the workers.
Gaps in this long barrier of bollards alert workers of the entrances and exits that have been deemed safe for them to come and go from. This makes the process safer for workers overall.
3. For Residential Property Usage
Although removable bollards are predominantly used in the workplace and public settings, they can be used privately too. If a troublesome neighbour has taken a fancy to parking in front of your driveway and blocking you in, bollards can be used on your property to allow others to the location of your driveway. These must stay on your property unless you want to get in trouble with your local councils.
Bollards are commonly used for stopping unauthorised traffic into apartment buildings and for alerting cars of private property locations.
4. For Cycle Space Awareness
Cycle paths often use bollards to bring awareness and a safety partition between the cycle path and the road. These bollards also act as a safety precaution for cyclists, allowing them to understand and stay within the perimeters set out by the bollards.
Due to their vibrant colouring and reflective strips, the bollard can also be seen from a distance, alerting the driver of the hazard, and allowing them to be mindful of the cycle path.
5. For Assisting on Boat Docks
Historically, the main use of bollards was to assist with the docking of boats. These bollards were often made of concrete and could not be moved. The boat’s ropes were tied around the bollard, allowing the boat to remain moored at that location. These can be easily removed and the boats can leave once more.
6. For Managing Parking Lot Systems
Parking lots often use bollards to control traffic. This is often a prominent feature during events and high-traffic times. This allows drivers to be aware of blocked-off areas and areas of full parking. This eases traffic congestion and allows the process to be streamlined and more time efficient. This helps both the organisers and those driving too.
To conclude, if you work in a hazardous location or are often working on roadsides, a bollard is an essential piece of safety equipment. The reflective material of the bollard makes it visible at all times of the day.
They have multiple uses for both public and private reasons, including for managing parking systems and for awareness reasons.
For more information about what health and safety equipment should be used in the workplace and how to stay safe while at work, visit our MorSafe shop, or contact us at 01686 611 377 or sales@morsafesupplies.com
Written by Luthien, for Morsafe Supplies.
Leave a Reply