A barricade is a portable or fixed device with three rails and appropriate markings. It is used to control traffic by closing, restricting, or delineating all or a portion of the right-of-way. Barricades are physical obstructions such as walls, guardrails, screens, tapes, or cones intended to warn and limit access to a hazardous area. Signs, signals, or tags must be affixed to the barricades. Flag safety is used when warning signs cannot effectively control moving traffic.
Follow these safety guidelines:
- Temporary barricades must be placed along the workspace depending on factors such as lateral clearance of workers from adjacent work, traffic, duration and type of operations, time of day, and traffic volume. Barricades must not intrude into the usable width of a sidewalk or temporary pathway.
- Barricades can be made of plastic tape, such as
- Red Tape Danger: DO NOT CROSS BARRICADE
- Yellow Tape Caution: Proceed with caution and ask for permission to cross
- Access to authorized equipment barricades should be assigned to a worker who will provide proper opening and closure after entry and departure. At the end of each workday, all barricades will be placed in their properly designated place.
Signs are warnings of hazards. They are placed temporarily where hazards exist. Signs and symbols must always be visible when work is being performed. They are to be removed or covered when hazards no longer exist.
WARNING signs must be placed according to the hazard, i.e.
• Power Actuated Tools
• Laser Use
• Overhead Work
• Stilt Walkers
• Asbestos Awareness
• Lead Liner Installation
• Sanding in Progress
• Danger: An immediate hazard exists. Caution: Warn against potential hazards or caution against unsafe practices.
Signals are moving signs provided by workers, such as flagmen. Flagmen must wear high-visibility garments, such as vests, jackets, shirts, or rainwear.
Leading Edge barricades consist of guardrails installed at the open sides of all work surfaces that are 6ft feet or higher, or workers must be protected by other fall protection or valid fall protection equipment. Guard railing specifications are as follows:
- Guard rails must be made from select lumber (or equivalent material) and consist of a wooden top rail that is 42 inches to 45 inches high and measures 2 inches x 4 inches or larger. A mid-rail is placed halfway between the top rail and the floor. A supporting post that measures at least 2 inches x 4 inches and is placed every 8 feet. Metal studs are not allowed to be used as guardrails.
- All railings should be capable of withstanding a load of 200 pounds or more whenever worksite regulations specify.
- Wall openings must be guarded if they have a drop of more than 4 feet and the bottom of the opening is less than 3 feet above the working surface. Demolition wall openings must also have guardrails, except on the floor being demolished and on the ground floor.
- Instead of a standard railing, a single 3/8-inch wire rope may be used to guard openings and exposed edges of temporary floors. The rope must have a breaking strength of 13,500 lbs. (minimum) and be placed 42 inches to 45 inches above the finished floor.
- Floor Openings greater than 2 inches need a cover capable of resisting twice the load of the heaviest equipment at the jobsite. The cover must be anchored and marked with the word “HOLE.”
Conclusion: Each year, several serious and fatal accidents are caused by inadequately trained employees, including newly hired employees, employees with newly assigned duties, and employees using unfamiliar tools and equipment. Barricades are physical obstructions intended to warn and limit access to hazardous areas. Follow these guidelines for safety.