The Importance Of Mash Rating When It Comes To Traffic Barrier Hire

When it comes to traffic barrier hire, you want to ensure that you are getting the very best products possible. No matter what the project might be, if are you looking to control the flow of traffic and keep road users and your staff safe, MASH safety barriers are some of the most effective ways to do this. 

What is a MASH rating, though, and why is it important when it comes to a crash barrier? We thought we would take a closer look. 

What is MASH testing?

Road safety is continuously developing, and there are strict procedures and guidelines on hardware to ensure that they are as safe as possible. The Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) sets out the latest standards for both temporary and permanent traffic safety hardware. 

MASH testing was introduced in 2009 and has helped to take road safety to new levels thanks to covering a more comprehensive testing programme that includes:

• Using modern and larger vehicles during testing
• Conducting crash tests at an array of angles alongside the traditional head-on test
• Using barriers of different heights

Incorporating MASH safety barriers into your project means you can have complete peace of mind about their performance should a crash occur. These traffic barrier types are designed to redirect crashed cars in a certain way to minimise the impact on the driver and reduce the risk of re-entering oncoming traffic. 

What are the different MASH safety barrier categories?

After completing these tests, each crash barrier is then given a rating that indicates its performance. This will be between TL-1 and TL-6, which shows its performance during testing, including the redirection of the crashed vehicle, the impact speed and the size of the vehicle. 

The current MASH safety barrier categories are:

• TL-1 This is suitable for low-speed projects, capable of withstanding an impact from a car or truck up to 31mph.

• TL-2 This can withstand impacts from cars and trucks up to 44mph.

• TL-3 These traffic barriers are able to withstand impacts of up to 62mph.

• TL-4 Barriers that are TL-4 are also able to absorb impacts from cars and trucks up to 62mph and single-unit trucks up to 56mph.

• TL-5 These crash barriers can withstand cars and trucks up to 62mph and tractor trailers up to 50mph.

• TL-6 This is the highest rating, capable of withstanding impacts from cars and trucks at 62mph and tractor tank trailers up to 50mph.

What are the different traffic barrier types?

Here at RPM Hire, we know the importance of using MASH safety barriers when it comes to keeping your project as safe as it can be. That is why we provide our customers with a huge array of products designed to protect your workers. 

We have a variety of MASH safety barriers to choose from, with some of our most popular including:

Concrete Barriers 

One of the most popular solutions that we offer our customers is our temporary concrete barriers and end treatments. These traffic barriers are perfect for a wide range of projects, and they are available for both long-term and short-term hire. 

We stock DeltaBloc (DB80) and J-J Hook concrete traffic barrier types, both of which are compliant with the highest Australian road standards. These robust and instantly recognisable barriers provide a physical level of protection for both road users and your employees working behind the barrier. 

Not only are concrete traffic barriers incredibly durable and long-lasting, but they are also very low maintenance and affordable. They also provide a choice of installation options, including free-standing, pinned and bolted, and our RPM Hire team is highly experienced in hiring, transporting, installing and removing these barriers, giving you a hassle-free process and complete peace of mind. 

Both the J-J Hook and DeltaBloc (DB80) options are rated as MASH TL-3. Find out more here. 

HighwayGuard 

Our RPM Hire HighwayGuard is MASH rated TL-4, the highest possible level for a temporary crash barrier, ensuring you can have complete peace of mind that your workers are protected. Considered one of the world’s safest temporary road barriers, it is the next generation of traffic barrier types available. 

Made from steel, the 6m modular sections have fewer components and offer a very low deflection, ensuring crashed vehicles will not rebound back into traffic. HighwayGuard is also able to be connected to any existing MASH-compliant BG800 barriers and crash cushions, allowing you to quickly and easily expand your protection. 

Thanks to a unique two-part T-connector alongside multiple lifting and grab points, the HighwayGuard traffic barriers can be installed and removed very easily. As with all of our products, our experienced RPM Hire team will be able to take care of the entire installation process for you. 

Steel Barriers 

These are one of the most common traffic barrier types on the market and are a fantastic option for construction, roadworks and events. At RPM Hire, we offer our customers the incredibly durable and long-lasting BG800 steel barriers. These offer an extremely high level of protection, achieving MASH TL-3. 

Made from galvanised steel, these barriers are able to absorb the impact of a crash, reducing the damage to vehicles and minimising the risk of it re-entering traffic. This absorption ability also helps to maximise the safety of your team working behind the barrier. 

This ensures that our steel barriers are highly versatile and capable of being used in an array of different situations. Our team can also install and remove these very quickly, helping you to keep your project on time and on budget. 

Water-filled Barriers/ArmorZone Barriers 

Another extremely popular crash barrier is our RPM Hire ArmorZone water-filled barriers. These are made from an exceptionally durable and UV-stabilised polythene, which means that they are not only very long-lasting but are also quick to manoeuvre and install. Not sure about when to use Water Filled Barriers? Find out more about Water Filled Barrier uses and applications here.

These traffic barriers are made from bright orange, ensuring they are instantly visible to oncoming drivers, while they have been rigorously tested to provide TL-2 levels of protection. Thanks to a steel pin interlocking system, our team is able to install them for you incredibly easily at a rate of 120 metres an hour, helping to quickly create a safe working environment for your team. 

Are you in need of MASH safety barriers?

Are you about to start a construction project? Need to complete extensive roadworks? Whatever it might be, RPM Hire is here to help you. Founded in 2011, our mission has always been to provide our customers with the very best products at the most affordable prices and with outstanding service. 

We pride ourselves on our customer service, and we have a wide array of high-quality traffic barriers available, ensuring no matter what your project might be, you will always be able to find the right solution. To give you complete peace of mind, we will also deliver, install and remove all of our barriers, ensuring they are correctly installed and reducing your workload. 

Want to find out more? Get in touch today!