OTW’s Core Products: The 10” Low-Profile Airport Barricade (AR10x96)

Welcome to OTW Safety – we’re back with our newest blog series, our Core Products Feature!

Let’s reiterate: If you’ve been around for a while, you know just how much we value our customers and clients, and how grateful we are for the continued support year after year. We have had the privilege of sending barricades to countries worldwide, and we are honored to play a part in enhancing safety wherever our barricades are deployed. 

This is the second installment of our blog series, our Core Products Feature. If you missed the first installment, head here for the OTW 42” Jersey Shape LCD Barricade Feature. We’ve made some really incredible barricades, and we can’t wait for you to read about them – we’re discussing why our core products are the best on the market and why we can’t stop talking about them! 

So, again, without further ado, here’s the second of our original OTW products that have stood the test of time and been with us since the early years (but this one was literally the beginning for us!): OTW Safety’s 10” Low-Profile Airport Barricade, also known as the AR10x96.

The History of the Low-Profile Barricade

This history is personal, and we’re really proud of that fact. This barricade was OTW Safety’s very first barricade nearly three decades ago. The low-profile airport barricade was patented in 1999 by one of our founders, Marc Christiansen, in response to the great need for a fully FOD-free (flying object debris) hazard barricade on runways and taxiways. 

Before the advent of the low-profile barricade, railroad ties were most often used as hazard indicators and construction barricades, as were concrete barriers. Fitted with reflective panels, lights, and sandbags, they did the job… but were prone to rot, weathering, insects, and more. The hardware used to assemble the railroad ties and outfit them also contributed to FOD on the airfield, making them a hazard themselves and a fairly ineffective piece of equipment overall. Concrete barriers had similar issues, as both are at best inflexible (infrangible) and at worst a hazard.   

In 2000, a tragic collision happened when a Boeing 747 attempted to take off from the wrong runway in Singapore during a typhoon. The aircraft collided with construction equipment on the runway while attempting to take off, and the crash killed 83 people on board. Visibility was poor in the typhoon, and there were no hazard indicators present to warn the pilot of the danger, only concrete barriers. If better hazard indicators had been present, it’s possible that such a tragic incident would not have occurred, as lights and reflective striping may have improved visibility, even in the fierce rain, and prevented the pilot from turning down the incorrect runway in the first place.    

Meet our very first original barricade, the OTW Low-Profile Airport Barricade 

Ahead of the curve, OTW patented and introduced the Low-Profile Airport Barricade – a safer alternative to railroad ties and concrete barriers – for use at airports across the United States and globally. The first iteration, introduced in 1999, was 24 inches tall and rotationally molded from plastic, allowing for ballasting with water and providing incredible durability. 

Over the years, the AR10x96 has only gotten better. In 2003, the height was reduced to better accommodate wing-tip clearance, and the shape was angled to give better visibility to pilots; modifications were also made so that hazard flags and lights could be easily attached. The design was also updated so that the barricades could be bolted together if necessary. 

Why We Love the AR10x96 Barricade

From 2004 on, we’ve continued to innovate and reimagine the low-profile barricade so that it could be the best version of itself, and we really think we’ve delivered. We made the switch to UV-resistant high-density polyethylene (HDPE) early on to make it more durable and weather-resistant. We factory attach the reflective sheeting with strong adhesive instead of the original bolts to even further reduce the chance of flying object debris (FOD). The connection pin to interlock the barricades is now integrated into the design, ensuring no extra hardware is necessary. Our solar hazard lights fit directly into the barricades, once again eliminating extra hardware and removing the potential for FOD. Finally, as of 2024, our hazard flags are manufactured with a strong fiberglass retention dowel, which remains strong against even the harshest of jet blasts. Each upgrade has improved the reliability and safety of our Low-Profile Airport Barricade, and you can rest assured we don’t plan to stop anytime soon. Twenty years of innovation have created a product that we’re incredibly proud of, and one that is helping keep aircraft, crews, and passengers safe across the globe.

Flying Object Debris (FOD)-free accessories make for safer runways

As mentioned above, our hazard flags and barricade lights are specifically designed to reduce FOD, which is debris, waste, or loose objects that create hazards for aircraft on taxiways and runways. When flying debris gets caught in engines or under wheels, aircraft and passengers face danger. The FAA sought to reduce the potential harm by regulating the materials and types of equipment allowed airside, so every single vehicle, barricade, or hazard indicator used where aircraft operate is required to be FOD-free. 

The Airport Hazard Light is a complete redesign of our original airport light, and it is well able to light up the night with its bright, improved LEDs and more efficient solar panel. Its threaded base screws directly into any airport barricade, and the options between flashing or steady burn allow you to customize the type of hazard indicator while fulfilling FAA regulations for reduced visibility at night (FAA AC 150/5370 – 2G). 

The Airport Barricade Flag, available in bright white or safety orange, is the perfect addition to airport barricades to increase their visibility as hazard indicators and construction barricades.  The large 20×20 flags are held in place by our new active retention system, and the fiberglass dowel is strong and durable against jet blast and high winds. 

Finally, while not technically an accessory in name or function, the 24” Mid-Profile Airport Barricade is yet another excellent complement to the AR10x96. More reminiscent of the first iterations of our low-profile barricade, the mid-profile barricade is visible from further distances (great for larger aircraft) while still maintaining wing-tip clearance. Its heftier profile works incredibly well in low-speed construction zones, and its advantageous height-to-weight ratio when ballasted ensures that it won’t budge in high-wind conditions.    

The Golden Standard for Airport Construction Barricades

Safety is the foundation of all we do, and we are honored to help enhance the safety of airport passengers and crews. 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, whether that be travel, work, or something else. We know what a difference proper safety equipment can make – especially when it comes to aircraft and visibility – and we have created the best airport barricade on the market in order to make airport construction zones as seamless and safe as possible.   

Ready to enhance the safety success of your taxiways and runways? Our team is just a phone call or email away, ready to answer your questions and craft you a personalized quote.