A case study of a new reinforced barrier, used during the G20 leaders’ summit in Brisbane in Australia in mid-November.
Barriers were required to create restricted zones across the city and form walls around the event’s venues, including the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, that hosted 4000 delegates and 3000 media.
Coates Hire contracted Mojo Barriers to supply and install a barrier as specified by police and government officials. The resulting product, High Fence, consists of 1m wide and 2.4m high sections of reinforced aluminium barrier – the standard crowd control equipment from the company’s product range – with a see-through Polycarbonate upper, described by the makers as a durable and high impact resistance material.
More than 2000m of the product was installed across the city by the company’s Australian staff. Doors and gates were also made which integrated into the barrier line, to meet fire safety and access and egress rules.
Cees Muurling, managing director at Mojo Barriers, says: “The brief was to create a product to act as a deterrent and keep the public out of restricted areas. High Fence is quick and simple to install, exceptionally strong and durable and the clear upper section gives security personnel uninterrupted views of the surrounding areas. Its unique aspect is that it is not weighted or pinned to the ground, therefore is completely self supporting, and can withstand significant crowd pressure and deliberate attempts to breach the barrier line.
“It underwent extreme testing against pressure and targeted attacks. It was proven to be extremely strong and is the ideal solution for events and occasions where crowd and building segregation is an integral part of the security process.”
The installation for the G20 only allowed limited overnight shifts to install all barriers and transparent panels, snaking in a complex grid across the city. Craig Edwards, Mojo’s Australian operations and account manager, says: “The tough timeframe and sheer scale of the operation meant it was the most complex and challenging project the Australian Mojo office has faced to date. We assembled a skilled team of nine local and international supervisors, managed over 50 truck movements and directed a crew of over one-hundred hands. Coordinating simultaneous legs of the installation required accurate planning.”
Over 2500m of the product is now available to event, security and police users. Cees Muurling says that the product will open a new market sector for the company, which was established 25 years ago and offers crowd control products to festivals, tours, concerts and live events.
He says: “Post event, we will have 2,500 metres of High Fence available across all of Mojo Barriers’ offices; UK, Europe, Australia and the USA. It’s ideal for the police, security and protection industries as well as future political, government and cultural events. We’ve already had interest from parties across these sectors.”
