What are water-filled barriers and when should you use them?

What is a water-filled barrier?

Plastic traffic barriers are lightweight and multipurpose barricades that are used to surround the perimeter of worksites and construction zones to increase safety.

Water-filled barriers provide a low impact visual barrier for pedestrians and workers, meaning they do not restrict visibility for drivers or people.

They are ideal for low-speed traffic zones such as car parks and work zones, offering many benefits to ensure construction and infrastructure contractors stay safe on work sites.

The benefits of water-filled barriers

Plastic barriers offer a range of benefits over and above their concrete and steel counterparts.

The most obvious advantage is that they are very lightweight when empty, making them easy to move, stack and store when not in use. Also, their interlocking system allows them to manage bends and curves with ease.

Contrast this with concrete barriers that weigh hundreds of kilograms and need to be moved with a Franna, and you can see why plastic water-filled barriers are a more efficient solution for certain situations.

Are plastic barriers a safe option?

Water filled barriers vastly increase safety at your worksite, protecting workers and the general public. Although they are not suitable for every application, plastic barriers are often a good choice for low to medium speed roadside projects with specific models such as the LoRo barriers suitable for speed zones up to 70km/hr.

Most plastic barriers are designed for use within car parks, inside worksites, and on infrastructure projects, where they absorb impact rather than deflect it. They provide a high amount of visibility, which is ideal for busy worksites.

It’s important to note that plastic water-filled barriers are not rated for the same type of speeds and impacts as concrete barriers, however, they are a safe, effective and affordable solution for certain projects.

Water barriers are ideal for changing needs on site

Another bonus of plastic water-filled barriers is how manoeuvrable they are, with many that can be shifted by hand or using simple equipment, as the needs of your site progress.

They have the ability to securely interlock and once in position, where they are filled with water from a water truck, creating a stable and rigid barrier.

Whilst they are often used as a delineating barrier to separate no-go areas or separate people and vehicles, it is also possible to add anti-gawk screening for extra privacy.

This creates a barrier that acts almost like hoarding, shielding your site from prying eyes with the addition of scrim or shade cloth. The metal mesh barrier screens provide an element of safety and stop debris from leaving the site.

Are water-filled barriers crash tested?

Some plastic barriers are designed to handle impacts from vehicles travelling at low speeds.

The Lo-Ro barrier is one example of a plastic barrier rated for use in traffic applications. Whilst most water-filled barriers are not crash rated for use on roads, they still provide the best value in terms of low impact worksite protection.

Note: Crash rated barriers are designed to be deployed alongside road traffic, however, you should always double-check with your local traffic authority to see which barriers are approved for use in your area.

What is the average length of a water-filled barrier?

Below is a quick guide to the MASH test level (the type of impact each barrier is rated for) and the size of each water-filled barrier.

Lo-Ro Barrier

MASH TL-1 TL-2 tested
Length: 1830 mm
Height: 876 mm
Width: 570 mm

Waterwall Barrier

TL-1 tested
Length: 1800 mm
Height: 810 mm
Width: 450 mm

Trafix 2000 Barrier

Non-crash rated
Length: 2100 mm
Height: 900 mm
Width: 500 mm

Why are most water-filled barriers orange?

A more noticeable barrier guarantees increased safety awareness. Delineating barriers need to be visually striking and hard-to-miss to ensure they provide the best protection for workers and pedestrians.

To get the safest, most effective barrier for your site, get in touch with the Jaybro team for advice or take a look at our range of water-filled barriers for sale.