When any road construction is underway, many activities are happening side-by-side, workers performing their tasks, deliveries of construction materials, supervisors guiding the team, and let’s not forget, the public is still driving on the road nearby.
In such critical scenarios, it’s very crucial to prioritize workers, site staff, and drivers’ safety on the road. One best way to manage traffic while ensuring safety is by using Water Filled Barriers. These parking barriers are an easy-to-deploy solution for work zone protection and traffic control.
If you are a road construction company or contractor, this guide is specifically designed for you, to enhance your knowledge about water filled barriers, legal compliances, best practices, and many more. So you can choose the right setup for your next road construction project.
What Are Water Filled Barriers?
Water filled barriers are also called water barricades. They are used to intersect the road in two halves, one for drivers, another for road construction zone. This helps control traffic and protect everyone on the road. These barriers are hollow, brightly-colored, and made of plastic (HDPE material).
You can fill them with water or sand (from the top holes), to make them heavy and stable, so they don’t move easily. You can place them in a long-row near road construction sites, to separate workers from vehicles, and guide drivers to slow down and follow the safe path.
Why Construction Companies Should Use Water-Filled Barriers?
Construction zones are high-risk areas where safety and efficiency matter a lot. Here, using water-filled barriers provides a smart, reliable, and cost-effective solution. Here’s a list of potential reasons why road construction companies like you must opt for water-filled barriers:
- Clear Safety Alert
Water filled barriers come in bold colors (red, yellow, blue) that can be easily seen during day and nighttime. A one look at water filled barriers will signal drivers of a danger zone, and they will cautiously pass through the zone, and hence, stay safe.
- Cost-effective
These water filled barriers also save you money. Here’s how: as empty barriers are light-weight and easy to transport in bulk, so your transportation and fuel cost is reduced. Additionally, water filled barriers are made with durable material, so buy them once, and use several years.
- Quick and Easy Installation
These water filled barriers are very easy to install and remove. To install, you need to put them in order, put water inside barriers and that’s it. To remove, take out the water, let them dry and remove. It is that simple!
- Impact Absorption
In case a vehicle collides into the water filled barriers, the injury will be very less, as these barriers are made up of plastic and absorb pressure impact. So at the end, it’ll be a win-win safety situation.
- Environmental Benefits
Water-filled barriers also contribute to environmental benefits, such as, after using barriers, you can drain the water inside the barrier, and then reuse them anywhere else. Plus, these barriers are reusable, so they produce less waste compared to traditional alternatives like sandbags.
- Low Maintenance Required
Water filled barriers require very less maintenance. All you need to do is keep checking it for any damage, leakages to ensure its effectiveness. This way they can be re-used for several years.
Water Filled Barrier VS Concrete Barriers: Which One is More Safer?
Well, both barriers serve different purposes, and that’s why it will be unfair to compare them. But when it comes to safety concerns, we at JACKWIN stand by the fact that plastic, water-filled barriers are far more safer compared to concrete ones. Here’s a valid explanation of our stand:
You may have noticed that concrete barriers are not highly visible and are less attractive, but plastic water-filled barriers are more highly visible and can be easily seen from far distance, due to their bright vibrant colors. Plus, plastic material retains its color for a long time, which means the high-visibility factor stays for a long-time.
In terms of durability, water filled barriers also take the lead. They are more durable compared to concrete ones, when empty, they are easy to remove. On the other hand, concrete barriers require heavy machinery and more manpower. Plus, every time you try to move them, you risk cracking or breakage.
Cost-effectiveness is another major concern for road construction contractors like you. Water-filled barriers typically cost about half as much as concrete ones. Even after adding the cost of water or sand filling, the total expense is still lower than using concrete barriers.
Finally, water-filled barriers are a more ideal solution for temporary road construction zones, while concrete barriers are ideal for long-term projects or roads with high-traffic flow.
Key Features to Choose Water Filled Barrier
On road construction sites, workers’ and drivers’ safety are real concerns. That’s why you should know what features matter most before purchasing water filled barriers. The high-quality water-filled barriers have:
- High Visibility: With reflective film of bright colors like, red, yellow, barriers catch drivers attention and alert them of the work zone from a distance, in both day and night.
- Durable Material: Made of high-quality plastic like polyethylene or HDPE. This material is UV-resistant, long-lasting, easy-to-carry, and high-impact (means it doesn’t crack easily).
- Stackability: When empty, they are easy to transport, install, and reposition without heavy equipment. When filled, they become stable even if the ground is uneven.
- Interlocking Design: Many barriers like our plastic water filled barrier come with interlocking features. This helps expand the length of barriers.
Water-filled barriers also come in different sizes and can be customizable according to your needs. You can get them from leading water-filled barriers’ suppliers, like us, at wholesale rates. Our team can also customize your brand logo over barriers to help you expand and increase your brand influence.
Rent vs. Buy Water Filled Barriers – Which Is the Best Option?
The rent vs buy decision depends on how long you need water-filled barriers and how often you will use them. Let us help you in making a smart purchase decision:
Renting water-filled barriers is a smart option if you intend to use them for short-term projects (under 6 months) or one-time use. You don’t have to worry about storage, maintenance, or transportation. Just rent, use, and return. For example, if you’re working on a 3-week road repair, renting can save you money and effort.
On the contrary, if your project duration is long (more than 9–12 months) or your road construction company frequently completes construction and repair projects, then buying water-filled barriers can be cost-effective. So invest once and use several years. Plus, having your own barriers means you’re always ready to deploy them without waiting on rentals.
OSHA Compliance and Legal Requirements
Although water-filled barriers are critical for protecting workers, guiding drivers, and preventing intrusion in road construction zones. However, compliance with OSHA and MUTCD is mandatory for installing barriers on roads. Compliance and requirements include:
- Barriers must be high-visibility (orange, red, white or yellow) with retroreflective sheeting (MUTCD approved).
- Must delineate road construction zones clearly to prevent vehicle intrusions.
- Water levels inside barriers must be maintained (typically 90-90% full) for stability.
- Workers must daily check barriers for leaks, damage or fading reflectivity.
Additionally, road construction companies should consider the road’s traffic flow and adjust the barriers’ position accordingly, as less space for drivers can lead to frequent road blockages.
Beyond these requirements, finding the water filled barriers that meet all these standards can also be challenging. If you don’t want hassle, our plastic, water filled barriers are highly-visible, durable, come with interlock design, and also meet OSHA compliant standards.
How to Install and Remove Water Filled Barriers?
Well, it’s very easy to install and remove water-filled barriers. Let’s go through the steps:
Installation Steps:
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- First, deliver all the water-filled barriers to the road construction zone.
- Set all the empty plastic barriers in a certain order (curve, vertical, horizontal). Remember, you need to decide the zone first, where you need traffic control or zone separation.
- Tip: Minimum spacing for urban roads should be: 20-50 ft apart, for high-speed highways: 50-100 ft apart. And the buffer zone should be at least 2 ft (between workers and barriers).
- Most barriers have built-in connectors, like JACKWIN water filled barriers. All you need to do is just slide or lock one barrier into the next to form a continuous wall.
- After that, open the top cap and fill the barrier using a hose or funnel. You can also fill sand, instead of water. Using sand in barriers gives extra weight and stability.
- Keep filling until the barrier is 80-90% full.
- Once filled, then tightly close the lid to prevent spillage or evaporation.
- Lastly, check and ensure all barriers are aligned, stable, and most importantly, clearly visible to both workers and drivers.
Removal Steps:
After the road construction is done, you may need to remove all installed barriers. Here’s how you can do that:
- Open the drain plug (at the bottom). Then let the water or sand flow and fully drain out.
- Remember to not try moving barriers until they become light and easy to move.
- If the barriers are interlocked, gently separate each unit.
- Then, remove them. You can use a dolly, forklift, or manpower to transport the empty barriers to your storage area.
Important: Before storing, we suggest you clean all the barriers and check for any cracks or damage. Then store them in a dry place, away from any sharp units.
Maintenance & Storage Tips
Water-filled barriers are strong, durable, and reliable. But with a little care, they can last even longer. According to our experience, here are some tips you should keep in mind to maintain water-filled barrier conditions and performance:
- Drain Before Storage: After every use, you should always take out the water or sand and then store them. Because storing them, while filled, can damage the plastic and make barriers heavier to move.
- Clean After Use: We also recommend you clear the water barriers. To clean, prepare a mix of water and mild soap to clean off dirt, oil, or road debris. Then, use the water to clear away the dirt.
- Check for Cracks or Leaks: Before and after every project, inspect each barrier for cracks or holes. If you find even a crack, repair it quickly or replace the unit.
- Store in a Dry Area: After every project, keep barriers in a dry, shaded area. This helps prevent them from UV damage or plastic fading.
- Label and Organize: If you have water filled barriers in multiple sizes, we suggest you label and stack them properly. This allows quick access during the next project.
Conclusion
After reading this guide, you now have an idea of how much water filled barriers are crucial to structure roads, and ensure safety on construction zones, for both workers and drivers. But installing high-quality water barriers plays a critical role too. That’s why we understand your need and give you peace of mind by offering a full range of high-visibility, durable, and OSHA-complaint plastic, water-filled barriers.
Most importantly, reliable road protection removes your daily stress of managing unpredictable traffic flow and safety risks. By installing water-filled barriers, your work zone stays secure and organized.
