Protecting structures

Questions to ask

Your risk assessment should include answers to these questions:

• What permanent features would be damaged by a collision?
• How likely it is that a vehicle will hit the feature?
• How fast will the vehicle be moving?
• At what angle might it hit the feature?
• How heavy is the vehicle?
• What would the effects of a collision be?
• How can we protect the features?
• What signage and markings do we need to provide to warn and inform drivers about the features?

Vulnerable features

Vulnerable parts of the workplace need to be protected from vehicles hitting them. Common features that might need protection include:

• Cast-iron columns
• Bund walls
• Partitions
• Buildings
• Tanks
• Columns
• Services
• Masts
• Cylinders
• Gantries and pipes
• Silos

Barriers

Protective barriers should be built to the standards set out in BS 7669-3: 1994 Vehicle restraint systems. Find out more in the British Standard Code of Practice BS 6180: 2011 Barriers in and about buildings