Guardrails provide effective protection to workers engaged in construction or maintenance works at heights in commercial or residential buildings. Aerial workers are usually equipped with all kinds of safety equipment’s to prevent falls. However, guardrails serve to assure complete safety for the workers. Contractors hardly like to take any chance when it comes to the safety of the workers. Guardrails are also used in highways for providing protection against vehicle impacts. It depends on your requirement that what type of guardrails you want, and you can also customize them according to your needs.
5 Types of Guardrails and Their Uses:
#1 Standard guardrails
These are commonly used guardrails for protection on rooftops. They can be installed easily. Standard guardrails provide good protection to the workers.
#2 Radius guardrails
Radius guardrails are curved either in convex or concave form. Such guardrails are usually found on the rooftops of commercial buildings. They have some additional safety features and these guardrails can also be being installed permanently.
#3 Fixed guardrails
Fixed guardrail is fixed to the surface of the roof or parapet. The fixed guardrail is a permanent structure and enables safe access to the roof whenever required. In case the parapet is lower than the prescribed safety standards, the fixed guardrail can be mounted on top or on the inside of the parapet. This results in the creation of a safe zone by raising the barrier.
#4 Freestanding guardrails
Freestanding guardrail is not fixed to the surface of the roof. This guardrail is instead fixed by using counterweights which are placed on the horizontal beam of the guardrail. This kind of guardrail can be easily removed whenever required. There is also no need to drill the roof for placing this guardrail which eliminates the risk of leakage. Freestanding guardrails are highly suitable for flat roofs.
#5 Parapet guardrails
Parapet guardrail is fixed over the parapet through a flexible bracket system. Such a guardrail provides additional protection along with the parapet wall.
Components of Highway Guardrails:
There are many types of highway guardrail systems currently in use all over the world. A standard highway guardrail has columns that are made of steel. These columns are called posts and come in pre-drilled forms. The guardrail system is fixed to the ground using base plates which in turn are fixed using anchor bolts. The guardrails are often curved in high-traffic areas. The beams can also be cylindrical or flat. The guardrail can have three or more beams. The highway guardrail can also be coated with UV resistant polyurethane sleeves.
Safety Handrail Systems |
Types of Guardrails Available in The Market:
#1 W-Beam highway guardrail
W-Beam guardrails feature W- shaped steel beams. Galvanized steel is used for their construction which is corrosion-resistant. These guardrails can be mounted on both strong as well as weak posts. W-beam guardrail can also be coated with zinc and other weather-resistant materials. This is a standard highway safety guardrail.
#2 Bridge guardrail
Bridge guardrails are used on the bridges. They are available in standard design types. The bridge guardrails can also be custom designed according to bridges under construction. Such guardrails are fabricated using many aesthetically pleasing designs.
#3 Box beam guardrail
Box beam guardrail is in the form of a steel tube. This kind of guardrail requires some special kinds of brackets and posts for installation. This is a highly durable highway guardrail with low maintenance costs. But the installation cost of these guardrails is little high and after you install them, you do not need to spend any additional cost on their maintenance purposes.
For more details, you can search these guardrails online and you can contact their manufacturers for further details and customizations.
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