Skip to main content

Crash cushions EU compliant

In January 2011 it became a legal requirement for all crash cushions sold in the EU to carry the CE Mark, the symbol of conformity to European Directives.
February 24, 2012 Read time: 2 mins

In January 2011 it became a legal requirement for all crash cushions sold in the EU to carry the CE Mark, the symbol of conformity to European Directives.

This can only be applied to a road restraint system once the manufacturer has undergone a rigorous process of checks and inspections from a relevant Notified Body. A manufacturer cannot simply add a sticker with a CE logo to its product.
As part of the CE certification process, the manufacturer must produce a comprehensive technical file for the product, including the initial testing details and test reports. The Notified Body ensures that the product is correctly qualified and meets the requirements of EN 1317.  
Also as part of this process, the Notified Body will make a factory production control inspection when the manufacturing facility, quality control procedures and monitoring processes are all examined.
The manufacturer and its products must meet the exacting standards set out in EN 1317-5 to ensure that the products are compliant and those coming out of the factory are consistent and manufactured to the same standards and specifications as the original product that successfully performed the initial EN 1317 testing.
Once the Notified Body is satisfied that all necessary requirements have been met it will issue a Certificate of Conformity, and only then can a manufacturer apply the CE Mark to its products. The CE label will show the product’s Certificate Number, the Notified Body’s ID number and a summary of what the product has qualified to and its performance levels.

Related Content

  • New equipment for materials testing
    January 13, 2014
    Leading formwork manufacturers have secured some impressive contracts in Africa, as the continent’s transport infrastructure continues to improve at a rapid pace. Meanwhile, other bridgework equipment companies are also seeing their products in demand in Africa, as well as North America and Australia. Guy Woodford reports
  • Industry AMS opts for safety in any direction
    January 25, 2017
    Italian company AMS explains how its crashworthy end terminals act like a crash cushion Industry AMS (Automation Manufacturing Services) has developed a crashworthy end terminal tested according to part 7 of the EN 1317 that is classified as a double-sided and bi-directional end terminal. Starting from the European version of the terminal, and based on the same architecture, AMS has designed the SMA (Safety Modular Absorber) as a reinforced end-terminal in order to be complaint with both the MASH and
  • Road markings important for road safety
    February 20, 2012
    Manufacturers are constantly upgrading marking materials and equipment. Now those responsible for highways are being asked to do more as Patrick Smith reports. A recent report claimed that nearly one-third of the length of Britain's single carriageway A-roads have white lines so worn out that they do not meet recognised standards. According to the LifeLines Report, an assessment of more than 2,400km of the road network, Britain's most dangerous roads have the most worn-out centre line markings of all, leavi
  • Greener drainage
    February 6, 2012
    Pipeline & Drainage Systems (PDS) intends to boost its market presence with its novel kerb, bridge and channel drainage products. The latest addition to the line-up is the Envirodeck system, which takes over from the well-accepted and well-proven Hydrodeck range. Envirodeck uses similar technology to the firm's existing