A Brief Guide to Retractable Safety Barriers

Retractable safety barriers are a great way to temporarily guide people or restrict access. Many different types of barriers are available to purchase, and choosing the right one to suit your needs can be tricky. This article will take a closer look at some of the retractable safety barrier systems and describe where they are best used.

 

The Indoor Post Barrier

This is typically a stainless steel post with a polished finish that is an excellent option for dealing with queues. It’s a simple safety barrier system that looks great, and many people may be familiar with them from a bank waiting area. A polished unit will hold a nice mirrored finish, but it is prone to scuff, so some people have switched to black units. The tops of the posts are often fitted with a retractable belt system to dissuade people from moving in between the posts and disrupting a queue. A post barrier usually has a heavily weighted base to make it hard to push over casually.

The Outdoor Post Barrier

This is similar to the indoor post barrier detailed above, but there is significantly less focus on the post’s aesthetic appeal. This solution would be used in a more industrial setting, such as a factory or warehouse, where utility and visibility are more crucial. These heavy-duty posts are often constructed from rigid polymer materials and sit on a heavy rubber base that can be filled with water or sand for extra weight. These types of safety barriers are often coloured with high visibility colours during the manufacturing process.

Safety Webbing

The material placed between the chosen posts is the actual retractable barrier. This is often made from 50mm wide webbing, but this width could be as wide as 150mm if more boundary enforcement is necessary. The webbing is usually coloured to promote greater visibility, and many companies offer customisation options. This could be a great option if you want to promote your business or services to several people waiting in a queue. Some posts can also be fitted with a holder on top to dispense leaflets or other promotional materials.

The Retractable Element

The retractable webbing barrier is easy to deploy by pulling out the webbing under tension and fixing it to the desired post configuration. This makes it easy to quickly build a queuing system or deny access to a given area. Most modern systems have a slow-releasing retraction system to ensure the user cannot injure their fingers when extending or retracting the webbing barrier.

Using Bollards Instead

Some bollard systems now feature a retractable barrier option that can be added to the top. This is an easy system to use and can be combined with a temporary fencing system if required.

If you need an expandable safety barrier for your business, get in touch with Image Extra, and we will have a product to suit your needs.