The issue of personal safety is of prime importance to industry. This is particularly true for industries such as the chemical or oil industry where the potential for serious incidents is particularly acute.

Recent European Union legislation has resulted in a greater onus on employers to provide a safe workplace.

While the standards are improving there is still considerable room for improvement. In the U. K. alone, hundreds of people are killed in the workplace and thousands injured every year.

A key element in the prevention of workplace accidents is the management of access and egress by personnel. Often accidents occur as a result of people being in areas that have been deemed unsafe but have not been secured to prevent entry by those who are unaware of the hazards.

There also exists the possibility of an individual falling through an open hatch.

Therefore, the provision of a form of barrier preventing access to specific areas would deliver important benefits to a company as part of their ongoing Health and Safety programme. Such benefits include reduced risk to employees of injury and the cost savings that result from the avoidance of workplace accidents. While organisations often carry substantial insurance, poor Health and Safety performance leads to detrimental economic affects, including increasing premiums. In addition, estimates suggest that for every one pound of insured cost as much as eleven to twenty pounds of uninsured costs are incurred by the company.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-purpose barrier that can be installed quickly and easily to block access to a designated area. The barrier should be versatile for attachment to a variety of sites or locations and easily portable between these.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a multi-purpose barrier that is easily removed or dismantled when desired in accordance with predetermined rules or conditions, yet most difficult to remove by unauthorised personnel or for inappropriate reasons.

According to the present invention there is provided a multi-purpose barrier comprising an elongate bar, the bar being shaped at each end thereof for engagement with one or more fixtures associated with an opening or other access area, wherein the elongate bar is of adjustable linear length for sizing the barrier in use to correspond

with a span or width of the one or more fixtures of the opening or other access area so as to bar or hinder the passage of personnel therethrough, and wherein the length of the bar may be fixed once adjusted.

Typically the elongate bar comprises at least two components and the barrier further comprises securing means adapted for enabling an adjustable mechanical connection of the components to each other.

Preferably the securing means is associated with a lock to prevent removal of the barrier from the opening or access area.

Preferably, the shaped ends of the components intended for engagement with a said fixture are U-shaped.

The components can be made of any suitable material.

Typically the material is either metal or high strength plastic.

The barrier may further comprise a sleeve adapted to provide a physical guide for controlling the relative telescopic movement of the components. The sleeve may be a separate member or may be formed as part of one of the components.

More preferably the sleeve assists in holding the components together and in alignment.

Optionally each shaped end of the elongate bar is provided with a bolt to secure said end to a respective said fixture associated with the opening or the area of access.

In order to provide a better understanding of the invention, an embodiment will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying Figures in which : Figure 1 illustrates a multi-purpose barrier in accordance with the present invention ; Figure 2 illustrates the invention of Figure 1 in an example position of operation ; and Figure 3 illustrates an alternative multi-purpose barrier in accordance with the present invention.

Referring firstly to Figure 1, a multi-purpose barrier is generally depicted at 1. The barrier 1 comprises two elongate components 2, 3 aligned in substantially colinear relationship to form a bar.

Each component is formed with an integral loop or sleeve 4, 5 at a first end ; the sleeves 4, 5 being sized to receive the other respective component 2, 3. Thus, the sleeves 4, 5 are used to hold the two components 2, 3 in juxtaposition and in a manner that permits their sliding or telescopic mutual engagement.

However, the relative positions of the components 2, 3 may be fixed or secured. In the example embodiment shown, this is achieved by the provision of a pin 6 that may be inserted through a chosen aperture 7 in each of the components, the pin 6 thereby preventing further relative longitudinal movement of the components 2, 3. Several apertures 7 may be located incrementally along each component 2, 3 so as to afford a wide diversity in the

positioning of the pin 6. This provides the barrier 1 with an inherent ability to adopt a wide range of overall lengths so as to enable it to correspond with the dimensions of a specific opening or access area intended to be blocked.

Ideally, the pin 6 is associated with a lock, such as a pad-lock to prevent the inadvertent or unauthorised removal of the barrier 1. In the example embodiment of Figure 1, the pin 6 is formed with a barrel lock 16. In use, the key to the lock 16 may be maintained by a safety officer or the like and its use regulated according to predetermined safety procedures.

The other or peripheral ends 8, 9 of the components 2, 3 are shaped to engage fixtures or other structures at the opening or access area. The U-shaped formation shown is suitable for engaging most structures typically found on site. The shaped ends 8, 9 are each provided with a bolt 10a, 10b as means of tightening the shaped ends 8, 9 to the respective fixture or fixtures.

The components 2, 3 can be made of any suitable material, for example metal or high strength plastic.

Figure 2 illustrates the multi-purpose barrier 1 in position round a hatch 11.

In use the components 2, 3 of the barrier 1 are extended such that the length of the barrier 1 is greater than the diameter of the hatch 11 it is to protect. The sleeves 4, 5 of the barrier 1 keep the components 2, 3 aligned making the barrier 1 easier to use and prevent the components 2, 3 from being separated. The shaped ends 8, 9

are then aligned with the hatch 11 and the components 2, 3 closed until the shaped ends 8, 9 are tight to the hatch 11 and an aperture 7 from each component 2, 3 is in alignment with the other. A barrel lock 16 is then passed through the aperture 7 in each component 2, 3 and secured to prevent either component 2, 3 from moving. The sleeves 4, 5 prevent any lateral movement of the components 2, 3 that would otherwise occur. The bolt 10a, 10b of each of the shaped ends 8, 9 is then tightened to hold the barrier 1 in position.

Removal of the barrel lock 16 and bolts 10a, 10b allows the barrier 1 to be removed from the hatch 11 that has been secured.

In Figure 3 an alternative multi-purpose barrier is illustrated at 12. One component 13 of the barrier 12 is formed into two distinct shaped ends 14 and 15.

Accordingly, the barrier 12 has three shaped ends 14,15 and 16 for attachment to a fixture. The shaped ends can be adjusted for use with rims of any depth. The barrier 12 is further provided with warning means 16, for example a NO ENTRY sign.

The advantages of the present invention include that it may be quickly assembled and is easy to use. The use of high strength plastic material means that the barrier is also lightweight and therefore readily portable.

A further advantage is that the barrier finds a wide range of uses for example a hatch, a stairwell or a catwalk.

An alternative embodiment provides for the barrier to be provided with ends that allow its use to prevent access through a doorway. For example, each of the shaped ends may be a U shape pointing away from the telescopic component.

A further embodiment provides for the size of the shaped ends to be adjustable such that the barrier may be used with a rim of any depth.

A still further embodiment provides for the barrier to be supplied with hinged ends such that it may be used in an angular fashion.

A still further embodiment provides for the components to be fitted with a ratchet mechanism to secure the determined length of the barrier.

A still further embodiment provides for an alternative means to be used to secure each of the shaped ends, for example a pin.

A still further embodiment provides for the components to be provided with a rail to keep the components together and prevent any lateral movement.

Further modifications and improvements may be made without departing from the scope of the invention herein intended.