Care guide

Bollard maintenance: inspection, damage and replacement

Short answer: Check each bollard on a routine the site owner or manager sets: upright, anchors tight, base plate seated, finish and reflective band intact, lock turning freely and socket clear. After a vehicle strike, take the bollard out of service and have the anchors and slab checked before you trust it. Touch up chips early, and replace a bent bollard rather than straighten it.

Figures: SafeWise product data. Standards are quoted as commonly cited guidance, so check the current edition. How we check.

Bollards are simple, but they only work while they are upright, fixed and visible. Here is a routine check, and what to do when one is hit.

Updated 28 October 2026

fixed safety bollard installed on concrete

Who decides

Who sets the inspection routine

The site owner or manager sets how often bollards are inspected, often alongside other routine site checks, and may need to agree it with an insurer or their own safety procedures. We don’t set an interval, because the right one depends on how busy the site is and how often bollards get hit. For the wider picture, see the car park safety checklist.

Inspection

The five-minute inspection

  • Upright. The post stands straight, with no lean or kink. Check on two faces.
  • Anchors tight. Push hard on the post. It shouldn’t move. Nuts are present and tight, and there are no cracks in the concrete around the anchors.
  • Base plate seated. The plate sits flat, with no rocking, gap or rust weeping from under it.
  • Finish. Look for powder-coat chips, scrapes and rust, especially near the base.
  • Reflective band. It is present, clean and not fading, because a faded band is harder to see in low light.
  • Lock turns freely (removable bollards). The key turns smoothly, and the bollard lifts out and seats back square.
  • Socket clear (removable bollards). No grit, debris or standing water in the socket.
  • Surrounding surface. No new cracks, settlement or crumbling around the bollard.

Keep a simple record of what you find. The note on record keeping below shows what is worth writing down.

After a hit

What to do after a vehicle strike

  1. 1. Take it out of service

    Cone or barrier the position so nobody relies on it. Don’t assume it is still sound because it is still standing.

  2. 2. Check the whole fixing

    Look at the post for bends and cracked coating, the base plate and anchors for movement, and the slab for cracks. For a removable bollard, check that it still seats and locks, and that the socket has not moved or deformed.

  3. 3. Tell the owner and insurer

    Report it to the site owner or manager, and to the insurer if the site requires it. Photograph the damage.

  4. 4. Replace rather than straighten

    Straightening can weaken the steel and damage the coating, and the anchors have already taken the load. Replace the bollard and have the anchors and slab assessed.

Finish

Touching up powder-coat chips

Bare steel rusts, and rust spreads under the paint, so touch up chips early. In general terms:

  1. Clean and dry the area.
  2. Remove loose paint and rust back to sound edges.
  3. Treat any rust.
  4. Prime the bare steel.
  5. Apply a matching topcoat suited to exterior steel.

A touch-up is a repair, not a factory finish. Ask your paint supplier for products to suit exterior steel and the safety yellow. We haven’t published a coating specification, so don’t quote one on our behalf.

Replacement

Replacing a fixed or removable bollard

Fixed bollard

A damaged fixed bollard can usually be unbolted and replaced once the anchors and slab have been checked. Reusing the existing anchor holes depends on whether the new base plate’s hole pattern matches them. Ask us for the bolt-hole pattern before you plan on it. Anchors that took an impact should be assessed, and replaced if your installer isn’t satisfied. See how to install fixed bollards.

Removable bollard

The socket stays in the slab, so a damaged removable bollard can be replaced without re-coring, provided the socket is undamaged and still firmly set. Unlock it, lift it clear, check the socket, and fit a matching bollard of the same size. If the socket has loosened or deformed, an installer assesses it. See how to install removable bollards.

Need a replacement bollard? Send the size, type and your postcode.

Request a quote

Engineer

When to call an engineer

  • The slab has cracked or moved around the bollard, or the anchors have pulled.
  • The bollard protects something where failure could injure people, such as a gas meter or a building corner.
  • The same position keeps getting hit. The bollard may be in the wrong place, or the risk may need a different solution.
  • Anyone wants the bollard to resist impact. That needs a tested, rated system on an engineered foundation.

Not crash-rated

SafeWise bollards are safety and delineation bollards. They are not crash-rated and not impact-tested or certified to PAS 68 or IWA 14. See safety vs crash-rated bollards.

Records

Record keeping

A short log pays for itself when you need to show an insurer or a new manager what happened. For each bollard, note the position or ID, the date, who inspected it, what they found, what was done, and photos. File incident reports and quotes for repairs alongside it. If you are deciding between types for a replacement, removable vs fixed bollards compares them. Bollards are pre-order on the next container, so order replacements early.

FAQs

Bollard maintenance questions

How often should bollards be inspected?

The site owner or manager sets the routine. We don’t set an interval, because it depends on the traffic and how often bollards are hit. Many sites fold the five-minute check into their regular site inspections.

Can I straighten a bent bollard?

We recommend replacing it. Straightening can weaken the steel and damage the coating, and the anchors have already taken the impact. Have the anchors and slab assessed when you replace it.

Can I touch up the powder coat myself?

Yes, for small chips. Clean the area, remove loose rust, treat it, prime the bare steel and apply a matching topcoat suited to exterior steel. It is a repair, not a factory finish.

Do I need to re-core when I replace a removable bollard?

Not if the socket is undamaged and still firmly set. The socket stays in the slab and the new bollard fits the same size socket. If the socket has loosened or deformed, an installer assesses it.

What do I do after a car hits a bollard?

Take it out of service, check the post, base plate, anchors and slab, tell the owner and insurer, and don’t assume it is still sound. Replace a bent bollard rather than straighten it.

Related products

Replacement bollards

Bollards are pre-order on the next container: factory production typically takes 15–20 days, plus sea freight and customs. Storage holders are in stock now.

Need a replacement bollard?

Tell us the size, type and delivery postcode. We will send a written quote with freight and the expected landing date.

Request a quote

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