Choose Water Barriers for Safe Road Construction

Water Barriers Keep Your Construction Crew Safe

Since many of today’s construction projects happen on log-jammed roadways with crews competing with heavy traffic for highway access, safety is a minute-to-minute challenge. How do you ensure construction vehicles can move through work zones without endangering workers, pedestrians, truckers and motorists?  

For decades, concrete road barricades were the go-to solution for lane-blocking and traffic flow redirection. And while the number of work zone deaths has steadily declined since 2002, the National Safety Council’s 2019 data analysis still cited 842 fatalities and over 39,000 work zone injuries.  

To further minimize accidents and increase worksite safety, construction teams often replace concrete barriers with water barriers. Traffic safety suppliers like SONCO recommend these H2O or sand-filled traffic barricades (also called jersey barriers) for a safe, versatile traffic setup. In roadwork applications, plastic perimeter equipment can be emptied for lightweight transport and easily deployed for lane blocking, access control and traffic detours.

Concrete Road Barricade Shortcomings

Concrete barricades are often ideal for permanent highway installations, but construction companies prefer water channelizers for temporary applications. In part-time setups like traffic work zones, water-filled construction barricades offer benefits over concrete barriers, which can degrade with frequent moves. Barrier cracks, concrete chunks and pieces of exposed rebar contribute to accidents since they snag on vehicle tires or drag underneath the chassis. And when drivers are moving at high speeds and become distracted, concrete channelizers are unforgiving and often cause severe injuries.

21st Century Safety: SONCO Water Barriers

Times have changed since the 1959 introduction of concrete jersey traffic walls. Work zones no longer focus on new roadway construction, but instead, they include thoroughfare repairs, road improvements and infrastructure expansion. Traffic safety experts and job site managers must safely accommodate all types of traffic — cars, pedestrians, trucks and motorcycles — while directing complex site operations in the same stretch of roadway.  

Plastic barriers for construction are common in today’s large-scale work zones since concrete walls are cumbersome to transport, store and replace. Water barricades, constructed to Federal Highway Administration standards, offer exceptional work zone safety plus many other advantages that make them an industry-leading choice for multi-phase roadway projects. 

Benefits of SONCO Sand & Water Barriers on the Job Site

Water walls are lightweight and easily transported when empty, so they are effective traffic channels and obstacles when filled with H2O or sand. Durable materials and sturdy connectors make them a better alternative to concrete jersey walls in dynamic work zones. Features and advantages of SONCO water barricades include: 

• Long-lasting design that’s reusable for years Easy transport & reconfiguration when construction phases are completed
• High-viz “safety orange” & other OSHA-approved colors
• Visibility during daytime or nighttime
• Recyclable at the end of a lifespan
• More forgiving than concrete in minor collisions Energy-absorbing design withstands impact
• Customizable with lights, fence panels & signage
• Swivel-spike connections for 90-degree angles Cost-effective pricing & bundled discounts  

SONCO Water Barricades Protect More Than Work Zone Safety

Convenient reconfiguration and impressive crashworthiness make SONCO water barriers perfect for traffic safety. Staff at event centers, job sites and municipal installations trust plastic jersey barriers since they are fully customizable. Order SONCO water walls with the thickness, size, color and accessories you need to channel bicycle and foot traffic, control parking lot boundaries, establish racetrack routes or secure venues. Other features include: 

• Accessory lights
• Chain-link fence panels
• Custom-printed screens for advertising or OSHA safety signs Affordable pricing for large & small quantities
• NET-30 payment plans 

To learn more about the benefits of water barricades and plastic jersey barrier systems, call SONCO customer service at (855) 430-6420 to set up your account or learn about our APRUVE Credit and Cashback programs. Questions? Connect to a SONCO expert for questions about water-filled jersey walls and barricade accessories.