5 Questions To Ask Before Purchasing Special Event Barricades for Your School
Barricades designed for use at schools can serve a wide variety of purposes. That’s partially because different school administrators have different needs for them. Principals planning events at elementary schools have different priorities than athletic directors planning sporting events at major universities, for instance. At OTW, we work closely with school administrators all the time, and we’re used to fielding questions about our products when potential customers are doing their research before they purchase special event barricades. Today, we’ll address five of the top questions about school barricades we hear on a regular basis, namely:
- How Long Can I Expect Event Barricades to Last?
- Are Plastic Barricades Safe Around Children?
- Can I Customize Barricades for my School?
- Is It Easy to Move and Store Plastic Barricades?
- Do Plastic Barricades Offer Any Other Special Features?
Check out our answers here:
How Long Can I Expect Event Barricades to Last?
Plastic barricades are both durable and sustainable. Composed of HDPE, a plastic known for its stiffness and toughness, they actually have a higher strength-to-weight ratio than steel. We add a chemical during the manufacturing process to increase the UV resistance of the plastic so the barricades resist fading over time. In general, schools can expect at least eight years of use out of our barricades –– and often more. Barricades can be used both indoors and outdoors and will only show minimal signs of wear.
Are Plastic Barricades Safe Around Children?
Principals at elementary schools may be concerned that children roughhousing around barricades could lead to injuries. Plastic barricades have wedge-shaped feet that sit low to the ground; they are designed to be very stable. In especially windy conditions they can be filled with sand or weighed down with sandbags. In the event they are pushed over they at least don’t have any sharp edges or corners that could lead to serious injuries. In contrast, metal barricades often rust or break over time, and they develop jagged edges that present a safety concern for children and staff.
Plastic barricades can also promote safety in other ways. For instance, Farmdale Elementary in Merced, California uses barricades and signs to post playground rules and mark emergency exits.
Can I Customize Barricades for My School?
Administrators can choose from a variety of stocked colors or submit a pantone swatch for a custom color match. We often see schools purchase two different colors to alternate in one line or to designate different areas at special events. Custom barricade signs can also be added to promote school spirit. Corona Del Mar High in Costa Mesa, California took advantage of custom signs when they added their Sea Kings logo to barricades, highlighting their school mascot.
Schools can also utilize signage to direct foot traffic or advertise. High schools and universities often use barricade signs to highlight local businesses and donors that help sustain various athletic and academic programs.
Is It Easy to Move and Store Plastic Barricades?
Plastic barricades are relatively easy to move and rearrange. They’re light enough to be handled by one person and they have swiveling feet that close inward allowing barricades to nest and stack flat. Maintenance staff can easily stack them and place them in the back of vehicles for quick transport. They’re simple to set up and break down and they take up minimal storage space.
Do Plastic Barricades Offer Any Other Special Features?
OTW crowd control barricades are able to interlock with each other and form a continuous fence, which can keep people out of “off-limits” areas. They feature two points of connection so it’s possible to fit three barricades together, forming a wall with a divider in the middle. Barricades can also accommodate flag poles and of course the built-in display panel holds custom signs.
Contact Us
At OTW Safety, we take pride in our barricades because we design and manufacture them ourselves! We love getting feedback from happy schools who find our products useful. We’re pretty sure that if you give our barricades a try, you won’t want to use anything else. Click here to read through our FAQ section to learn more, or, contact us to request a quote before purchasing school barricades.
If you’re looking for more information on school barricades for events, read our free resource “The Ultimate Guide to School Barricades” today:
