Warehouse barriers can be crucial to protect workers, goods and equipment, especially when heavy vehicles are in motion.
Depending on your needs, there are many types of warehouse safety barriers that can be installed, and five of the most commonly used are highlighted below.
SEE ALSO: Warehouses and logistics: 5 key elements that any facility needs.
At Serviap Logistics we help our partners to optimize their warehouse operations by providing and installing elements such as racking, signage, labels and floor markings, as well as warehouse barriers.
We also offer project management services, supervising remodeling, relocations and warehouse assembly.
Contact us at for more information.
Warehouse barriers: 5 options for considering their installation
If you are opening, renovating or relocating your warehouse operations, you are likely to consider which warehouse safety barriers to install.
1) Handrails
Guardrails are usually metal separators used in warehouses to divide areas in order to limit the possibility of people mixing in the same areas as vehicles and machinery, thus avoiding accidents and protecting the goods.
There are several types of guardrails to consider when deciding which warehouse barriers to install.
Heavy-duty handrails
As the name implies, heavy duty guardrails are built to withstand significant impacts and are especially important in warehouses where there is a significant flow of vehicles and equipment.
Obviously, high-strength railings tend to be more expensive, due to the quality and quantity of materials used to manufacture them, but that cost is offset by the safety they provide.
Medium-strength handrails
Medium-strength guardrails also serve to keep people and property protected, but are more appropriate when the chances of collision or the flow of heavy vehicles is lower.
Although medium-strength guardrails offer less protection than high-strength guardrails, they are still robust warehouse barriers capable of withstanding considerable impact.
Flexible barriers
Flexible warehouse barriers are malleable and capable of absorbing some impact before returning to their original shape.
They are especially useful when there is a high probability of vehicle and equipment impact.
2) Bollards
A bollard is a short post that serves as one of the warehouse barriers by preventing or restricting access to certain areas.
They are also often used to protect portals and support beams from heavy impact, with a wide variety available.
Buried bollards
This is a heavy bollard (usually made of stone or metal) that is sunk into the ground to provide a high degree of impact protection.
Although buried bollards tend to be the strongest, they are also the most permanent, so it is important to make sure they are well placed when arranging warehouse barriers.
Bolt-on bollards
Bolt-on bollards are fixed to a solid base in the ground, provide a high degree of protection and have the added advantage that they can be easily moved or removed when necessary.
For increased visibility, bolt-on bollards are often painted in bright colors, which can be especially important if they are only used at certain times.
Flexible bollards
Flexible bollards are made of or coated with a material that cushions impacts and recovers its previous shape, such as high-density foam.
Spring-loaded bollards, which can withstand a run-over before returning to their previous position, are also an option in areas where impacts are likely to occur, in order to minimize damage to vehicles.
3) Spine protectors
These guards are placed around columns and resist the impact of a forklift or machinery collision. Their use avoids possible damage to the facilities, so these warehouse barriers help save time and money on maintenance.
It is important to think of the protection of retaining walls and columns as a priority in the warehouse. For these structures we also have different equipment that can reduce the damage of an impact. There are several materials and ways to consider for their protection.
However, we can distinguish between hard and flexible materials. The choice of one or the other depends on the needs of each store. The advantage in both cases is that they increase the visibility of the column and therefore its protection.
4) Retractable barriers for warehouses
A retractable barrier is a temporary separator that can be used whenever necessary. Generally, a retractable barrier is a piece of strong material that can be hooked together to separate or divide an area. They are often used to cordon off an aisle or other area to prevent the proximity of people and vehicles.
In general, retractable barriers are either brightly colored or used in conjunction with signage, as they offer little impact protection and only serve to show people that an area is divided.
5) Security doors
Safety gates are warehouse barriers used to allow access to an area whenever necessary and to keep access restricted otherwise. They are often used to prevent access to loading docks when not in use, or to control the flow of people and vehicles to prevent accidents.
As such, they can be vital warehouse barriers for any operation involving the entry and exit of large quantities of goods, or where there is high pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
Protective gates can be automated to open and close in order to give priority to one or the other type of traffic, and can come in different forms.
These include swing-rail doors, which open outward, and straight-rail doors, which lift and close.
Serviap Logistics supplies and installs safety barriers
At Serviap Logistics we supply and install warehouse barriers to help our customers bring the highest levels of security and organization to their facilities.
Warehouse barriers are just one of the many features we offer, along with shelving, signage, labels, floor markings and other collision protection. We also offer project management for warehouse installation, remodeling and relocation.
We are present in Brazil, Mexico and the United States, and count some of the world’s largest companies among our satisfied customers and partners. Our customers come from a wide range of industries, including automotive, e-commerce and wholesale, among others.
We are committed to service excellence and meet the highest safety standards wherever we work, including OSHA certification in the United States.
If you want to operate a warehouse you can be proud of, contact us at today to find out how we can help you.
