Pedestrian, walkway and road safety: take it to the next level

8 of the best products for pedestrian, walkway and road safety

Large suburban construction projects often have a lot of foot traffic moving in and around them. This can be from both workers, subcontractors and trades, as well as the general public. Keeping your team safe is important, but often it’s even more critical to ensure you are covered when it comes to protecting the public.

Keeping members of the public out of harm’s way is a key factor in ensuring your project is a success, and your safety record remains intact. Whilst you and your team will be site inducted, you’ll hold a range of tickets and you’ll also have a good handle on general safety on the average worksite, the public can be blissfully unaware of the dangers that surround a typical construction or infrastructure project.

Pedestrian, walkway and road safety products can help you create a safer environment by covering trenches, barricading danger zones, fencing off hazards, smoothing out trip hazards and providing directions to help navigate changed conditions.

Some of these tools and products are used temporarily during the construction phase, and some can be permanently installed to provide safer walkways and better road access for years to come.

Let’s take a look at some of the common pedestrian, walkway and workzone safety products on the market and how they can make your site safer, for both the public and your team.

Construction site pedestrian safety:

Use these products during construction works.

Temporary kerb ramps

Portable kerb ramps are bright yellow with a non-slip textured surface. These 1.3 metre wide ramps provide safe passage for pedestrians during footpath or works near the kerb or verge. They are particularly helpful to people with prams and wheelchair users, and anyone with mobility issues who would typically need to use the sloped access area of the footpath when crossing the road.

Trench covers and safe plates

Trench covers are often used when new footpaths are still under construction or work is being done on the kerb area. When there is uneven surfaces or gaps between the road surface at a pedestrian crossing and the adjacent footpath area, a trench cover provides a good temporary solution to cover the trip hazard.

The trench covers available for sale at Jaybro are tough, slip-resistant and measure 2m long. With a maximum load of 500kg they are ideal for most pedestrian situations around construction sites. Handrails are also available separately as an additional safety feature.

Crowd control barriers

These simple lightweight steel barriers have numerous uses around the site, from creating safe pathways for workers through to channelling pedestrians when access to an area has temporarily changed. They can be used to block off areas indoors or outdoors and to direct people in a certain fashion. Crowd control barriers are made from lightweight steel with low profile feet so that the barrier itself does not become a trip hazard. Our customers have used crowd control barriers in all kinds of situations, from creating on-site walkways at the Westconnex project to redirecting visitors to Sydney’s Star Casino, to blocking off small stores of building supplies in the CBD whilst new street furniture and trees were being installed.

Portaboom remote-controlled boom gates with pedestrian crossing functions

The Portaboom remote controlled portable boom gate is an innovative safety tool that is being used across a wide range of projects in Australia. As you can see in this case study focused on Melbourne’s West Gate Tunnel project, the Portaboom is great for controlling pedestrian and vehicle access at key entrances to a site. These boom gates have a pedestrian crossing accessory available, making them a versatile addition to larger projects that encroach on public spaces like bike paths and crossings. Find out more about using the Portaboom for site traffic control here.

Pedestrian, walkway and road safety equipment:

Install these products permanently at the end of construction.

Island barriers

Pedestrian refuge barriers are made from tubular steel and are generally installed on pedestrian islands where a raised concrete or paving island has been incorporated into the road design. With a Class 1 reflective finish, refuge island signs feature a reflective red and yellow chevron panel that is 600mm wide, providing extra visibility to oncoming motorists. The tubular steel yellow handrail assists pedestrians and road users with limited mobility.

Reflective kerb ramps

Reflective kerb ramps are fitted in a gutter or at a kerb to provide safe access for vehicles and wheeled devices over roadside kerbs. Although they are typically used on civil and construction worksites, these modular rubber kerb ramps can be utilised in other situations for longer-term projects. They can help reduce trip hazards by installing where foot traffic is heavy during road works. They can be installed at an offset from the gutter allowing for water to drain away easily, and by supplying them in modular pieces, contractors can create the length they need for each installation.

Tactiles

Tactile indicators are special tiles that feature a lined or dotted surface profile. They are used to help vision-impaired people determine upcoming hazards such as the edge of a train platform, the end of a kerb and the approach to a roadway. Tactiles are legally required to be installed in public places in Australia, to ensure that shared environments are accessible to all. Tactile indicator tiles are available in self-adhesive, ceramic, rubber and stainless steel, in both hazard and warning patterns. If you’re not sure which type of tactiles you need, read more about the different types available here in our Buyers Guide.

Pedestrian signage

Signage is one of the most important ways you can keep people informed of the best and safest ways to access the area around your site. Using signs like ‘no pedestrian access’, ‘give way to pedestrians’ and signage for shared areas ensures that both people, cars and workers can find safe passage around the site and surrounding streets. If you’re setting up a project over or near a footpath, or in another area that is usually used as a thoroughfare, it’s a wise move to provide signs to show pedestrians where to go to move out and around any safety hazards.

Pedestrian signs are available in a variety of designs for temporary use and permanent installation. Jaybro supplies a huge range of signs which are available in a choice of metal, poly or corflute depending on the type of application. Metal is best for outdoor use, poly can be used indoors or out, and flexible corflute signs are ideal for short term use whilst the project is underway.

Take a look at some of our pedestrian signs here, and don’t forget that we manufacture custom signs too! If you can’t find exactly what you are looking for, contact our friendly team to request a quote on a custom sign made precisely to your specifications.

Get advice and the best prices on pedestrian walkway and road safety

Our products have been selected to suit the specific needs of civil and infrastructure contractors Australia wide. Call Jaybro for a quote or take a look at the huge range on our website.

This information is provided as an introductory guide only and does not constitute professional advice. Ensure you make your own independent enquiries at your workplace before deciding if a particular product is right for you. Consult the regulations and standards applicable to your area and check with your workplace health and safety representative for further information. Jaybro does not warrant the accuracy, content, completeness or suitability of the information on this site (or any site owned by the Jaybro Group) for your individual purposes. Any price or saving claim is correct at the time of publishing, and subject to change without notice.