What are the Different Types of Pedestrian Safety Barriers Options in a Warehouse?

Protecting workers and visitors in a warehouse setting from forklift traffic is a common concern in warehouse and manufacturing facilities. There are multiple options out there, which one is the right one for you? Typically, you get what you pay for, so here is a list of options from lowest cost to highest cost.

Low-Cost Options:

Warehouse Floor Tape – This method is simply applying warehouse floor tape to the floor to create lanes that are taped off to let pedestrians and forklift drivers know where they should drive and where they should walk. This is going to be the most economical option, but also poses the most risk to pedestrians, since you are relying on everyone to stay in their lane. If a forklift were to go out of their lane, there is no stopping them from hitting a pedestrian.

Bollards with Chain – This method allows for a better visual for the forklift driver and pedestrian to know where they should walk and drive. It’s simply anchoring some yellow bollards and using yellow chain links to rope off sections letting everyone know where pedestrians belong with relation to forklift traffic. It’s a better visual than warehouse floor tape, but there is still really no protection for pedestrians in the case that the forklift driver goes out of their lane.

Hand Rail – Hand Rail is like warehouse guard rail and is typically set up at about a 42’’ height. It provides a very clear indication of where pedestrians should be and where forklift drivers should be. It’s going to be the most expensive of the low-cost options, but it is still about half the cost of real warehouse guard rail. The problem with handrail is that it is not designed to take the impact of forklifts. So, if a forklift hits it, it most likely will not prevent the forklift from hitting the pedestrian on the other side of the hand rail.

Medium-Cost Option:

Warehouse Guard Rail – The most common option in the market for pedestrian safety barriers from forklift traffic is warehouse guard rail. Warehouse guard rail is made of steel and is anchored to the concrete creating a strong safety barrier that will protect pedestrians from forklifts. Most warehouse guard rail is rated at 10,000 lbs. at 4 mph. What this means is that if the guard rail is hit with something weighing up to 10,000 lbs. and at a speed of up to 4 mph, the rail will not deflect more than 6’’. Most people think that this is the rating required by OSHA. This is not correct though. OSHA does not actually have a standard rating for warehouse guard rail. This rating just happens to be the most commonly one used by most manufacturers of guard rail. Some may make a rating less than this or not have a rating, but those typically are not thought of as a trusted barrier. There also are ratings that are higher, and those will offer better protection from heavier impacts but will also proportionately cost more.

High-Cost Option:

Plastic Warehouse Guard Rail- It sounds counterintuitive, but plastic is the most expensive option and provides the most durability. Most plastic warehouse guard rail is designed to have a good amount of flex in the rails, and the posts are also installed where they are meant to flex back and forth from impact. The main selling point for plastic guard rail is that if you hit a rail or post, you typically don’t have to replace it. It usually will flex back into place. However, the cost of installation and for the product is at minimum 2-3 times more than the steel alternative, which is much more common.