Safety Bollards FAQ: Choosing the Right Type for Every Purpose

We see them everywhere, these thin – or fat – short steel poles (usually no more than three or four feet high), painted a bright yellow that stick up out of a floor, sidewalk or road letting us know it’s unsafe to proceed. In fact safety bollards prevent us from proceeding.

Some folks also use bollards to indicate a parking space or even traffic lanes.

Below are Frequently Asked Questions we get regarding safety bollards.

How can I tell which safety bollard to use for which purpose?

The first thing to do is to think about what you’re going to use the bollard for? Is it to keep someone out or to show him where to go? If it’s to prevent someone from going somewhere, it’s probably best to have a thicker bollard than a thinner one.

Can I find removable bollards?

You sure can! Fixed bollards can be placed in sidewalks, roadways, even cement floors. If you need a bollard that you can remove in a few hours, days or weeks, look for a removable or even collapsible bollard. Such safety bollards are perfect for use during festivals, parades and other high-traffic events.

Safety bollards tend to look pretty indestructible. So how much damage to a car can a driver who hits one expect?

That will depend on several factors, such as how fast the driver is going when he hits the bollard, the size of the bollard, whether it’s a permanent or removable bollard (permanent bollards tend to be much tougher), as well as the size of the car.

But think about this: which will cause more damage to a driver? Falling off a cliff, hitting a building, going into oncoming traffic (that a bollard could prevent), or hitting the bollard?

What are some other uses of safety bollards that I may not have considered?

Do you own a retail store? Placing some permanent bollards in front of your window can prevent thieves from ramming the storefront window with a car and vandalizing/stealing from your property. Other safety bollard uses are in high-traffic pedestrian areas, such as helping to keep pedestrians out of traffic lanes, bicycle lanes, dangerous sidewalks, keeping them on proper paths in city parks, in parking lots, and so on.