Fixed barriers may be required in the case of rail track engineering sites where rail services continue to operate on adjacent tracks. Rail traffic on adjacent tracks is a hazard to workers because of the risk of collision, but also because of the draught generated by passing trains. If fixed barriers are possible and warranted in line with accident prevention procedures, they must be erected and cannot be substituted by alternative safety measures such as an automatic warning system.
Fixed barriers prevent workers from inadvertently accessing a section of the track. For this purpose, they must be stable, and at least 75 cm higher than the upper edge of the track. They must also be fitted with a knee rail to prevent anyone from bending down and crawling underneath. They are generally erected as closely as possible to the adjacent track that is in operation, in order to provide as much space as possible for the work to be performed. Depending on the speed travelled, the perimeters of the section of track must be observed.
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