Portable barricade system and method of using same

Abstract

A portable safety barricade meeting known safety standards and having a plurality of horizontally attached straps and vertically attached straps. The horizontal straps are preferably attached to support poles or other structural members and then ratcheted to a desired tension. The vertical straps are preferably attached between and in a perpendicular fashion to the horizontal straps. Preferably, a ratcheting device is attached at one end of the horizontal straps to allow tensioning of the barricade. The barricade may be attached to poles which can be attached to a grating or to another surface as desired to maintain a safety barricade. The barricade is easy to assemble, is portable and meets safety requirements of offshore rigs, as well as construction sites in order to keep machinery and personnel out of harms way.

1 . A safety barrier comprising:
 a first strap, a second strap, and a third strap, each said strap having a first end and a second end;   a first structural member having a first attachment point and a second attachment point;   a second structural member having a third attachment point and a fourth attachment point;   said first end of said first strap being configured for attachment to said first attachment point;   said first end of said second strap being configured for attachment to said second attachment point;   said second end of said first strap being configured for attachment to said third attachment point;   said second end of said second strap being configured for attachment to said fourth attachment point, wherein said second end of said first strap and said second end of said second strap are configured to tension said first strap and said second strap, respectively, when said first strap is attached between said first attachment point and said third attachment point and said second strap is attached between said second attachment point and said fourth attachment point; and   said first end and said second end of said third strap being configured to attach to said first strap and to said second strap, wherein said first strap, said second strap, and said third strap form a safety barrier when said first strap and said second strap are respectively attached between said first and third, and said second and fourth attachment points and tensioned.   
   
   
       2 . The safety barrier of  claim 1 , wherein said second end of said first strap and said second end of said second strap comprise a ratchet device attachable to said third and said fourth attachment points, respectively. 
   
   
       3 . The safety barrier of  claim 1 , wherein said ratchet device is operated to achieve the desired tension. 
   
   
       4 . The safety barrier of  claim 1 , wherein said third strap is positioned in a substantially perpendicular relationship to said first strap. 
   
   
       5 . The safety barrier of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second structural members are poles attached to a bottom supporting surface. 
   
   
       6 . The safety barrier of  claim 5 , wherein said poles are attached to a grating. 
   
   
       7 . The safety barrier of  claim 5 , wherein said poles each have a first end and a second end. 
   
   
       8 . The safety barrier of  claim 7 , wherein said poles have a base at said second end. 
   
   
       9 . The safety barrier of  claim 8 , wherein the base is attached to a bottom supporting surface by at least one attachment bolt. 
   
   
       10 . The safety barrier of  claim 1 , wherein the third strap comprises pockets through which the first strap may pass, whereby said third strap is slidably movable along said first strap. 
   
   
       11 . A safety barrier comprising:
 a plurality of first straps and a plurality of second straps, each a first end and a second end;   a first structural member having a plurality of attachment points and a second structural member having a plurality of attachment points;   each said first end of said plurality of first straps being configured for attachment to said first structural member;   each said second end of said plurality of first straps being configured for attachment to said second structural member, wherein each said second end of said plurality of first straps are configured to tension each of said plurality of first straps when said plurality of first straps is attached between said first structural member and said second structural member; and   each of said first end and each of said second end of said plurality of second straps being configured to attach to said plurality of first straps, wherein said plurality of first straps and said plurality of second straps form a safety barrier when said plurality of first straps are attached between said first and said second structural members and tensioned.   
   
   
       12 . The safety barrier of  claim 11 , wherein said second end of said plurality of first straps comprise a ratchet device attachable to said second structural member. 
   
   
       13 . The safety barrier of  claim 11 , wherein said ratchet device is operated to achieve the desired tension. 
   
   
       14 . The safety barrier of  claim 11 , wherein said plurality of second straps is positioned in a substantially perpendicular relationship to said plurality of first straps. 
   
   
       15 . The safety barrier of  claim 11 , wherein said first and second structural members are poles attached to a bottom supporting surface. 
   
   
       16 . The safety barrier of  claim 15 , wherein said poles are attached to a grating. 
   
   
       17 . The safety barrier of  claim 15 , wherein said poles each have a first end and a second end. 
   
   
       18 . The safety barrier of  claim 17 , wherein said poles comprises a base at said second end. 
   
   
       19 . The safety barrier of  claim 18 , wherein the base is attached to a bottom supporting surface by at least one attachment bolt. 
   
   
       20 . The safety barrier of  claim 11 , wherein said plurality of second straps further comprise pockets through which the plurality of first strap may pass, whereby said plurality of second straps slidingly engage said plurality of first straps. 
   
   
       21 . A method of erecting a safety barrier comprising the steps of:
 providing at least one pole having a first and second end, said second end comprising a base;   attaching said pole to a grating or other surface;   attaching a first end of a first strap, near said first end of said pole;   attaching a first end of a second strap, near said second end of said pole;   attaching at least one third strap between said first and said second straps;   attaching a second end of said first and said second straps to a structural member having at least two second desired attachment points; and   tensioning said first and said second straps attached between said pole and said second attachment points, wherein said tensioning creates said safety barrier.   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising the steps of:
 providing a second pole, wherein said second pole is said structural member having said second attachment points; and   attaching each said first end of said first and second straps respectively near the first end and second end of said second pole.   
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said at least one third strap comprises a plurality of third straps. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising the steps of attaching said plurality of third straps between said first and second straps in a substantially perpendicular manner. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising the steps of:
 providing a plurality of first and second straps; and   attaching said plurality of first and second straps in a horizontally parallel relationship with each other.   
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising the steps of attaching said plurality of third straps between said plurality of first and second straps so as to be substantially interwoven 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising attaching a plurality of first and second straps to a plurality of poles. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising the steps of:
 constructing the safety barrier having a plurality of attachment points; and   attaching said plurality of first and second straps to form a certain desired perimeter and/or circumference around an area.   
   
   
       29 . A method of erecting a safety barrier comprising the steps of:
 providing a first structural member having at least a first attachment point and a second attachment point;   providing a second structural member having at least a third attachment point and a fourth attachment point;   attaching a first end of a first strap, to said first attachment point;   attaching a first end of a second strap, to said second attachment point;   attaching at least one third strap between said first and said second straps;   attaching a second end of said first strap to said third attachment point;   attaching a second end of said second strap to said fourth attachment point; and   tensioning said first and said second straps attached between said first and third and said second and fourth attachment points, respectively, wherein said tensioning creates said safety barrier.   
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising the steps of:
 providing a first pole, wherein said first pole is said first structural member having said first and second attachment points; and   attaching each said first end of said first and second straps respectively near a first end and a second end of said first pole.   
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the steps of:
 providing a second pole, wherein said second pole is said second structural member having said third and fourth attachment points; and   attaching each said second end of said first and second straps respectively near a first end and a second end of said second pole.   
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising the steps of:
 providing a second pole, wherein said second pole is said second structural member having said third and fourth attachment points; and   attaching each said second end of said first and second straps respectively near a first end and a second end of said second pole.