To help navigate, here is a partial list of highway projects to keep in mind. The orange barrel faces an uncertain life, sitting on freeways, warning of construction, separating worker from driver, enduring loading and unloading in scorching sun, rain and sometimes snow. It's a cheap security guard. It is called a channeler drum or channeler because it's frequently used to channel traffic from one lane to another. They're made of a polyethylene, a plastic prized for its flexibility.
Some states require impact testing.
A 129-page section of a Federal Highway Administration manual lays out standards for orange barrels, but they vary by state. An ultraviolet-ray inhibitor is added to delay fading. Federal rules say they must be at least 3 feet tall and 18 inches around. Warning lights are optional. Michigan, for example, requires four reflective stripes on the barrels for night-time visibility.