Expandable Barriers Buying Guide

Extendable mobile barriers are designed to temporarily restrict access to areas, highlight hazards, and discourage pedestrians from entering restricted zones. They are commonly used in commercial and industrial settings, including shops and schools to mark off spillages, in buildings to restrict access where maintenance is being carried out, and at events to control the flow of pedestrian traffic.

These portable barriers are available in a variety of styles and designs, with plastic, steel, and aluminium options. Their collapsible design makes them quick and easy to use, as well as compact for storage.

Expandable barriers offer a range of features to meet user requirements, including high‑visibility designs, interlocking solutions to cover larger areas, lightweight portable options with carry handles, and barriers on wheels to allow them to be easily moved into position.

Consider whether the barrier will be used indoors, outdoors, or both — water‑filled or metal solutions are generally best for outdoor use.

Check the size of the area you need to cover — for larger areas, interlocking solutions are available to help you reach the required width.

For low‑traffic and indoor areas, plastic solutions are normally sufficient. For high‑traffic areas, metal barriers are generally recommended.

For outdoor use, it is important to choose a barrier that can withstand the elements. We recommend water‑fillable or sand‑fillable barriers, or alternatively, metal barriers.

For areas with high pedestrian traffic, or where security is a concern, we recommend interlocking metal expandable barriers. These barriers are supplied with keys that allow you to lock several units together, preventing unauthorised users from retracting or moving them.

• Barriers are regularly used to enhance safety on sites and within businesses; however, if they are not used correctly, they can become a hazard.
• When barriers are used in a public area or commercial site, it is important that a risk assessment is undertaken to ensure the barrier is appropriate for the location.
• We recommend ensuring that the barrier does not restrict access to essential areas such as fire escapes. Where barriers are used on a pathway or pavement, it is important to make sure there is still sufficient space for pedestrians, wheelchair users, and mobility scooters to pass safely.
• When purchasing a barrier, it is important to ensure it is highly visible to prevent trips and to ensure those with limited vision can see the barrier clearly.
• It is also important to ensure the barrier is suitable for the specific environment. For example, The Ramp People’s range of expandable barriers is designed for use only in pedestrian areas. They are not suitable for restricting vehicle access and have not been tested to withstand the force of vehicles.
• Please note that these barriers are not intended for crowd control, so they should not be leaned on or subjected to heavy force.

• Where a barrier is used in the workplace, if it needs to be lifted, it is essential to comply with manual handling requirements.

• Expandable barriers are a popular choice across a wide range of industries. Examples include:
• Factories – Highlight hazards such as spills
• Schools – Restrict access while maintenance work is taking place
• Festivals and events – Restrict pedestrian access to out‑of‑bounds areas
• Shops – Corner off areas when breakages or spills occur
• Offices – Highlight wet floors after cleaning

• The majority of our extendable barriers are provided fully assembled, or can be assembled in just a few moments. The barriers are designed to be quick to deploy — simply move the barrier to your preferred location and extend it to the required length. Where an interlocking barrier is chosen, multiple units can be connected together easily
• If you need any support using your barrier, please contact our team.

Still need assistance? Our team is available throughout the week to help via phone, email, live chat or WhatsApp. If you’d rather we call you, you can easily request a callback here.