Concrete Barriers are designed for highway safety and vehicle delineation, but how easy are they to move around?
Weighing in about 400 – 500 lbs per linear foot, they often require more than a skid loader to offload from a flatbed truck, reposition, or set in place on unpaved material. One question we get is: “Can you move these with a forklift.” Every time I want to tell them that you can do it, but unfortunately not all of them have “slots” or “scuppers” on the bottom for forklift access.
As often as we can, we produce and sell barriers with forklift slots since the majority of our clients need this versatile option — after all, this is a versatile product! However, the original design for the slots is for drainage while lining a roadway or highway. The proper way is to use a barrier lift to clamp down on the top, which exhibits safety and less chance of damage.
Barriers moved from the truck to the ground with a forklift will likely sustain some level of chipping. The more frequently they are moved… well, the quicker these turn into a used barrier.
So although the convenience of the slots allows maneuverability, you also run the risk of damaging your barrier and thus, challenging the integrity of the product.
Lift safe and stay lifting!
