Beacon base

Beacon base

Beacon feet as the basis for a warning beacon (left), a barrier (in the middle) and a traffic sign (right, two yellow plates in the base plate carrier)

A beacon foot (also: K1 footplate , according to the stability class 1 of an individual foot) is a mobile plastic plate that is used as a support for guide beacons , warning beacons, barriers and temporarily erected traffic signs as part of construction site protection .

Construction

Beacon feet are mostly made of recycled plastic. The plates weigh around 28 kg. A base plate must not be higher than 12 cm. The length is between 85 and 90 cm, the width must not exceed 45 cm. Beacon feet are often bevelled towards the top in order to reduce the consequences of accidentally being run over with tires and the risk of tripping for pedestrians.

The plates have several round and square holes of different diameters (hole pattern) into which the respective beacons or the carriers of traffic signs are inserted. Other barriers or fences can also be inserted and the beacon feet can be used as a base . The holes run through the plate completely so that signs can be pushed through several stacked plates, which then form a correspondingly heavier foundation.

There is a handle for transporting the beacon base on one or both long sides. Some models have a cutout for a battery that supplies power to a warning lamp on the beacon.

Lineup

The guidelines for securing workplaces on roads (RSA) stipulate that traffic signs at workplaces must be set up in a clearly visible, stable and twist-proof manner. This is why the square holes in the beacon feet accommodate perfectly fitting rods and connecting pieces so that the signs or beacons are prevented from twisting.

There are manufacturer-specific combinations of beacon feet, shaft systems and warning lamps that are intended to ensure crash safety in particular . However, because the shape and dimensions of the connections are the same, in practice products from different manufacturers are also combined without their approval.

A single beacon base is usually used for simple plastic beacons. This corresponds to the stability class K1. For higher and larger signs, depending on the wind load and the intended location, higher stability classes must be achieved by combining several base plates. For this purpose, beacon feet can be stacked and inserted into a base plate carrier. The beacon base must always be set up alongside the wind load.

If installation on the roadway is necessary, the guidelines for securing workplaces on roads limit the maximum permissible stacking height to two panels.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ TL footplates (K1 footplates) at rsa-online.de, online , accessed on April 12, 2015
2. ↑ Exemplary: Information from ks-Kunststofftechnik on the beacon base plate 5200 Uni (K1), online , accessed on April 11, 2015
3. ↑ Basics of installation devices at rsa-online.de, online , accessed on April 12, 2015
4. ↑ RSA Part A, Section 2.0 Paragraph 3
5. ↑ Explanation of the TL-Leitbaken on rsa-online.de, online , accessed on April 12, 2015
6. ↑ Basics and wind load calculation for erection devices for traffic signs on rsa-online.de, online , accessed on April 12, 2015
7. ↑ RSA Part A, Section 2.2 Paragraph 7