When to use plastic chains for your safety or crowd control barriers...

There are many occasions where a simple crowd control or safety barrier is necessary for work operations to continue smoothly and without injury or confusion. But how do you know when a simple plastic chain is sufficient for the job vs the more expensive alternatives?

4 top reasons you may want to use a simple plastic chain barrier instead of other stanchion alternatives:

• Affordability: When it comes to affordable safety barriers, it's hard to get cheaper than a simple plastic chain. A warehouse or safety manager can buy 25 feet of plastic chain for less than $10 for instance. And even when paired with simple plastic posts for ~$20 a piece, this barrier is significantly cheaper than most alternatives.
  
  
• Versatile/Easy Set Up: Set up and installation of a plastic post and chain is a simple, intuitive process which can easily be accomplished by unskilled laborers and volunteers. If you need to keep a parking lot safe for church or school events for instance which may not have event-staff specialists on hand, set up is extremely easy and self explanatory. This is especially true with post and chain stanchion kits like the ones for sale here at Crowd Control Warehouse.
  
  However, posts are not required for these simple plastic chains to create barriers, as they can be wrapped, tied, or looped to the structures and posts already in place on site. For instance some people use these plastic chains with warehouse racks, simply wrapping them around warehouse rack posts.
  
  
• Easy Portability and Storability: Along these same lines, plastic chains are obviously quite portable and space efficient to store or move, rolling up into convenient coils.
  
  
• Safety Colors: Plastic chains are available in a wide variety of UV-resistant colors which can communicate a wide variety of different safety messages depending on the color combination.

• Size Customization: Unlike retractable belt barriers or stanchion ropes, plastic chains can easily be cut to the exact size needed, and at such a low cost, this can be done without a concern for wasted costs. Since replacement chain links can be easily purchased as well, they can also be extended again with repair or connection links.

4 common use-cases for plastic chain barriers:

• Plastic Chains For Parking Lot Safety: One common use for plastic chains is as barriers to indicate where parking is allowed, or barriers to protect pedestrian entrances and exits in parking lots. While this isn't a physical blockade between vehicles and pedestrians, visual barriers go a long way towards increasing driver awareness and decreasing traffic accidents.
  
  
• Plastic Chains for Work Zones: Similarly, plastic chains are easily movable and can be used to block off work areas in public spaces. This is especially convenient when work spaces change as progress continues or where renovations may be ongoing. Made from UV-resistant plastic, this can even be in outdoor settings.
  
  
• Plastic Chains for Warehouses: As mentioned above, plastic chains can easily be draped from one warehouse rack post to another, closing off aisles which may be restricted or unsafe.
  
  
• Plastic Chains for Custodial Work: In public schools or recreation centers where custodians may be working amidst ongoing foot traffic, plastic chains can be useful for quickly and easily blocking off custodial work areas.

Realistically, plastic chain barriers can be used for nearly any situation where a quick and easy solution is needed for a visual barrier. While retractable belt barrier stanchions may be more suitable for permanent or long-standing barrier needs, there are plenty of situations where a simple and affordable barrier is needed to quickly indicate areas which are off limits. This is when plastic chains are particularly useful.

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