Site Safety Controls
Exclusion Zones & Barricades
Definition of exclusion zones, hard vs. soft barricades, when they are required, the banksman role, and the normalization of deviance.
v2.0Updated 15 Feb 2026ADOSH-SF v4.1 (February 2026)Learning Objectives
- Define an exclusion zone and when one is required.
- Distinguish hard vs. soft barricades.
- Position signage and lighting at exclusion zones.
- Manage entry via banksman or gate control.
- Recognise and stop the normalisation of deviance.
Awareness Video
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1. Definition
An exclusion zone is a physically demarcated area where entry is forbidden or controlled because of an active hazard: lifting, hot work, chemical spill, working at height overhead, excavation edge.
2. Hard vs Soft Barricades
Hard = steel mesh, concrete Jersey barriers, hoarding. Soft = plastic mesh, cones with tape. Hard is required for lifting, excavations, edge of drop > 1.8 m, hot work and traffic separation. Soft is acceptable for temporary short-duration hazards with attendance.
3. Signage & Lighting
Signs at every access face, in Arabic and English, with the hazard and the responsible person. Amber flashers at night. Fully lit if work is 24/7.
4. Entry Control
Entry only through a controlled gate or via a banksman. Every entrant logged. PPE upgraded if the hazard requires it. No 'quick pass through'.
5. Normalisation of Deviance
When workers regularly step over a barricade because 'nothing has happened yet', deviance is normalised. Supervisors must challenge and reset. Every violation is an early warning.
6. Removal
Barricades stay until the hazard is removed and confirmed by a competent person. Missing barricades are a Category A violation.
Knowledge Assessment
1. An exclusion zone is required when:
2. Hard barricades are required for:
3. Signs at an exclusion zone must be:
4. Entry into an exclusion zone is:
5. 'Nothing has happened yet' as a reason to bypass a barricade is an example of:
6. Amber flashers on barricades are required:
7. Barricades may be removed:
8. Soft barricades (plastic mesh, cones with tape) are acceptable for:
9. A missing barricade at an active hazard is:
10. Which is a hard barricade?
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