OTW’s Core Products: The Billboard Barricade (CC42)
Welcome to OTW Safety – we’re back with our newest blog series, our Core Products Feature!
If this is your first time tuning in to our blog, welcome! Whether you’re new to the OTW Safety community or have been with us from the beginning, thanks for being here.
This is the third installment of our blog series, our Core Products Feature – we’re discussing why our core products are the best on the market and why we can’t stop talking about them!
(If you missed the first two installments, head here for the OTW 42” Jersey Shape LCD Barricade Feature and here for the OTW Low-Profile Airport Barricade Feature – we’ve made some really incredible barricades, and we’re still so excited for you to read about them.)
So let’s get to it! Here’s the third of our original OTW products that have stood the test of time and been with us since the early years: OTW Safety’s Billboard Barricade.
The History of the Pedestrian Barricade
The pedestrian barricade itself has a long history, starting in Belgium in the late 1800s. Jules Anspach – the mayor of Brussels – is credited with creating what are still often called “Nadar barriers” or “Nadar gates”, in honor of the famous French photographer Nadar, who arrived in Brussels in a hot-air balloon in 1864. The crowds were expected to be so dense for this historic occasion that Anspach had a large area cordoned off with barriers specifically made (most likely out of wood) for the event to try to keep people safe – both from the giant balloon and from a potential crowd crush. Despite Nadar’s distaste for the “honor” (we think having a barricade named after us would be amazing!), the name stuck around in some parts of the world.
What hasn’t stuck around is the original iteration of the very first pedestrian barrier. Through the decades, pedestrian barricades have evolved with the times and with the available manufacturing processes. Metal barricades began to replace wooden ones during the Industrial Revolution, and the applications for which they were used also expanded.
Even more recently (within the last thirty-odd years), sustainability has become a key point when many are considering what barricades to choose for their project and events. Within the same timeframe, plastic barricades have become an increasingly more common (and oftentimes, safer) alternative to the metal pedestrian barricades that graced sites and venues previously.
Meet our Fan Favorite, the OTW Billboard Barricade
Created years back in collaboration with the Asheville Regional Airport, our pedestrian barricade has gone through several iterations since its inception. Their initial ask was for something small and lightweight, easy to deploy, and easy to store. We took these requests and added a few of our own (like a place for custom signage and something that was more aesthetic than traditional bike rack barricades), and, thus, the Billboard Barricade was born.
Why We Love the Billboard Barricade
We really think the Billboard Barricade is the epitome of pedestrian barricades. Let’s start with the basics of why:
They’re aesthetic.
Our pedestrian barricade is available in colors from red to purple to white to black, and any custom Pantone in between (with a minimum order). This allows event organizers to choose the color that best represents their brand to complement their event. For project managers or contractors, this allows them to choose the barricade with the highest visibility that will help keep their crews safe on site. School purchasers can match their school colors and create a fun atmosphere full of school spirit. Even Disney has gotten in on the OTW barricade action, with sleek dark green Billboard Barricades used at Animal Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World to complement the green foliage and the tree-laden atmosphere, among others.
They’re versatile.
The Billboard Barricade has been used at events, airports, construction sites, schools, and more. Because of its interlocking design, our pedestrian barricade is an excellent choice for perimeters, VIP spaces, guided pathways, parking lot delineation… You get the idea!
With the ability to be ballasted up to 58 pounds (and weighing in at 33 pounds empty), the Billboard Barricade can be used in nearly any type of weather, ensuring that sites and events are as safe as possible – even when it’s storming out. The folding feet are even gentle on indoor flooring, so nobody has to worry about their courts being scratched!
In addition to the many applications in which our pedestrian barricades can be used, there is the added benefit of a thoughtfully designed inlay for custom signage. Anybody can order custom signage with the Billboard Barricades, and we’ve printed signs for all sorts of things – from directive guidance to custom company logos to menus, and more!
They’re durable.
Thanks to long-lasting HDPE and the sleek design, you’ll find that our Billboard Barricades are incredibly durable and friendlier to the people who use them than traditional pedestrian barricades. They won’t rust or deteriorate to sharp edges, and can withstand weather, transport, and crowds with ease. Molded out of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) with added UV-resistant stabilizers, the Billboard Barricade is built to last. With proper care and storage, each barricade should give a minimum of eight years of use – that’s one heck of a return on investment!
They’re easy to set up, tear down, and store. Win, win, win!
In addition to avoiding scratches, the aforementioned folding feet also make storage easy, as Billboard Barricades can be stacked for optimal space saving. Transport is simple – throw them in a pick-up truck or flatbed, and you’re ready to roll. Only have a small crew for setup and teardown? No problem – the lightweight barricades can be handled with ease by one person and connect (and disconnect) quickly and seamlessly when necessary. You’ll save time and space and stress less with OTW Billboard Barricades.
Barricades that have matching accessories? You bet!
Created by our research and development team – in response to our customers’ needs – this past year, the Crowd Control Weight is an incredible complementary accessory for the Billboard Barricade.
Designed to add extra security to your pedestrian barricades with the perfect amount of weight, the Crowd Control Weights allow for ballasting in locations where other types of ballast may not be available or desired. The weights are easy to transport and help make a sturdy barricade even sturdier, especially when used in applications where there will be large numbers of people, or at work zones where the hazard indicators need to be easily moved but still secured.
The Golden Standard for Event and Pedestrian Barricades
Safety is the foundation of all we do, and we are honored to help enhance the safety of event guests, volunteers, and employees in as many spaces as possible. This is yet another one of the reasons we will always be excited to talk about our barricades – because every single person deserves to have the resources provided that will keep them safe doing the things they love. We know what a difference proper safety equipment can make – especially when it comes to big crowds – and we have created the best pedestrian and event barricade on the market in order to make crowd management as seamless and safe as possible.
Ready to make your next big event a safety success? Our team is just a phone call or email away, ready to answer your questions and craft you a personalized quote.
