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Safety Barriers or “Danger, Keep Out” Signs?
safety Barrier Safety Barriers or "Danger, Keep Out" Signs? 1

Safety Barriers or “Danger, Keep Out” Signs?

Safety is and should be given the utmost importance in workplaces like factories. We often see signage that warns people of the presence of hazards hanging at the entrance of these places; for example, the prevalent danger keep out sign. Signs like this can also be seen in standard and busy places like shopping malls, theme parks or markets, where some areas are strictly restricted for authorised staff admittance only. However, the question lies in whether these signs are always effective. If you ask us, we think they are good but not enough to 100% keep people out.

Safety Barrier

Reasons why you’d need more than a sign

i. Unintentional trespass
Understand that it is possible for some people, workers or visitors, to miss the keep-out signage and enter the restricted area unintentionally. It could be that some other items or furniture blocked out the sign, it could be that the sign is not big and visible enough, or it could be that the signage had fallen off. After all, the path was not physically blocked out.

ii. Intentional trespass
While you have people who may have trespassed on the premises unintentionally, you also have people who are aware of the circumstances but choose to make their way in any way. It takes more than just simple signage to keep these people out. Things would have been different if the path was blocked out and there was no way in.

iii. Children trespassing
Though rare, we cannot just rule out the possibility of children being present in workplaces like factories. Take, for example, when the children visit factories for their school trip. Unlike adults, children might not be able to see the purpose of these signs and understand the dangers of crossing the line. Also, note that hazards occur not only in factories; many places in shopping centres, theme parks, and furniture stores also have restricted areas.

What difference can safety barriers make?

a. No way in
Instead of warning people to keep out using a sign that might go unnoticed or be neglected intentionally, blocking out the access or entrance would be more effective. Physical barriers do not just inform people to stay out; they close up the path, and there is no way in. Take Image Extra’ Expandable Safety Barriers, for example; the barrier can be expanded up to 7.8 metres which can effectively close up an entrance, no matter how wide it is, leaving no spaces for people to slip through.

b. High visibility
Safety barriers are hard to miss. Aside from their physical feature of being wide and tall (expandable barriers), they also come in different colours that are highly visible to passers-by. Using the same product as an example, the expandable barriers come in bright safety yellow, red solid and white, and if requested, in other colours depending on your preference and needs.

c. Cost-effective
Forget hiring extra human resources to guard the area to stop people from entering the premise; safety barriers is the solution to fast and effective access control. Depending on whether the access restriction is frequent or rare, the safety barriers can either be mounted to the wall or be portable. Either way, they are designed to be lightweight and easy to handle.

Aside from the Expandable Safety Barrier, Image Bollards also has a range of other safety barriers for different functions catering to various events and situations. Browse our website or get in touch with our team to learn more!