How to Find Your Way Around the Confusion of Buying a Crowd Control Barriers

Steel barriers are now a familiar sight at many types of public gatherings, from parades to political rallies to sporting events. Crowd control barriers are an essential tool in the arsenal of event planners, venue managers, and security professionals. From the Olympics to local community celebrations, barriers have been employed as a crowd control measure.

Those in charge of making purchases of Crowd Control Barricades can choose from a wide variety of suppliers and a wealth of available product information, as is the case with many products.

History

The use of crowd controls barriers spread and eventually became normalized in society with little fanfare. It didn't take long for barriers to become "background" at major events in the United States. The installation of barriers to contain the frantic crowds that welcomed The Beatles' arrival in the United States in 1964 at New York City's JFK Airport is one of the earliest and most famous examples.

Identifying Fakes

Over the years since, reliable manufacturers have adhered to tried-and-true specifications for design, materials, and construction. But it has kept other businesses from trying to break into the market with non-traditional offerings. More than eighty variants of variable quality have been introduced in the past five years. So, how does a consumer know which is which?

Because of how easily one can be fooled by the appearance of Access Control Gates, this is not an easy process. The quality of various barriers may appear similar from afar (or in a photograph), but this is not the case. However, variations are often the product of a supplier's deliberate efforts to reduce costs to offer a lower retail price.

Although these Access Control Gates cost-cutting procedures might not have an immediate impact on the barrier's efficiency, they usually have a significant impact on the barrier's efficiency and longevity in the long run. Barriers to keeping crowds at bay cost money. You must balance the short-term benefits of a cheaper initial investment in low-quality copies with the long-term costs of having to constantly replace them.

There is always something around a barrier. It's possible that someone before you has had to make this kind of transaction, even if it's your first and final time. And one of your successors will likely have to do the same thing. Your current stock of barriers, even if it was acquired ten or more years ago, should be compatible with a new supply of barriers purchased today.

Checklist of Characteristics of Obstacles

Some (but not all) less-experienced vendors have been able to replicate the aforementioned measurements, but it has been more difficult for them to match the position and size of the hooks.

As an example, if you buy new barriers but they are incompatible (can't connect to) your existing barriers, you'll end up with "orphans." They will rot in storage or weaken your crowd control lines if used. If the measurements of the hooks and receivers are off by even a millimeter, they won't fit together.

Fabricators typically fail to make hooks at a 30-degree angle with sufficient tip bending to provide an accurate interlock, even if they get the size and spacing right. Without this sturdy interlock, crowd members can easily move barriers, jeopardizing the security of the lines once more.

Access Control Gates are among the most critical aspects to investigate (and challenge). Frames with bases that aren't strong enough to hold their weight will eventually bend.

Hot dip galvanizing will be used on the better-grade barriers following manufacturing. This treatment prevents corrosion from the inside out, so barriers can be left outside indefinitely or stored there. Hot-dipped galvanized steel can outlast painted steel by as much as four times.

The Vendor Checklist

In addition to various objective measures of product quality, a supplier's track record and dedication to customer service are also strong predictors of your satisfaction.

Conclusion

Steel crowd control barriers, when selected carefully, can significantly save costs, improve the effectiveness of police and security efforts, and increase public safety. For practical and financial reasons, shoppers must become more knowledgeable about available products and services. The possibility of having buyer's remorse can be mitigated by giving some thought to the aforementioned considerations.