A-one+ gets to gripes with The Blade

UK contractor A-one+ maintenance operatives in England’s southern counties of Kent, Sussex and Surrey are now protected by a new vehicle-fitted crash cushion. The Blade - manufactured by Dutch company Verdegro Blade - is designed to absorb impacts including those by large heavy vehicles that have increased bumper heights. A-one+ said that the Blade is the only crash cushion that has been tested to US MASH crash testing standards, the most demanding in the world. The cushion, when deployed on a vehicle,
November 7, 2017 Read time: 2 mins

UK contractor 2316 A-one+ maintenance operatives in England’s southern counties of Kent, Sussex and Surrey are now protected by a new vehicle-fitted crash cushion.

The Blade - manufactured by Dutch company Verdegro Blade - is designed to absorb impacts including those by large heavy vehicles that have increased bumper heights.

A-one+ said that the Blade is the only crash cushion that has been tested to US MASH crash testing standards, the most demanding in the world.

The cushion, when deployed on a vehicle, extends out 6m.

“Cars and lorries have got bigger and we need tougher protection for our staff working in front of our impact protection vehicles repairing the roads, litter picking or clearing up after accidents,” said Gavin Crittenden, A-one+ transport manager for the region.

“When the cushion is deployed behind an impact protection vehicle, if anything hits it the IPV’s brakes lock and the cushion absorbs all the impact to stop the truck being pushed forward and threatening our operatives, even under braking,” said Crittenden.

The Blade unit measures 6m long by 2.4m wide and its strength comes from a composite aluminium welded profile. The unit has 12 internal “blades”. During an impact four blades cut through the aluminium composite H-beams, with another eight cutting through welded tubes, absorbing the impact. The remaining weak aluminium parts bend away safely.

Alongside the Blade, A-one+ is using a new RedX arrow board on its new protection vehicles. RedX, also manufactured by Verdegro, is designed to match the latest traffic management signage used to signal lane closures on smart motorways.

Road Markings, Barriers & Workzone Protection

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Digging It gets down with Hyundai fleet
    October 3, 2018
    Ben Boare is the founder and managing director of Digging It Groundworks – a multifaceted construction company based in Andover in southern England. Boare formed Digging in 2007. “We initially started out doing small groundworks jobs, but as the years pass by we are focusing more and more on the plant hire side of things and our crushing, screening and recycling operation,” he said. The company has historically run a mixed fleet of hydraulic excavators, including JCB, Volvo, Takeuchi and Kubota. But in re
    Read More
  • Ford Focus is first to receive four NCAP advanced safety rewards
    May 15, 2012
    The new Ford Focus has become the first ever car to receive four Euro NCAP Advanced safety rewards after its driver alert and forward alert technologies were honoured this week. The rewards come a month after new Ford Ranger achieved an historic first by becoming the only pickup to receive a maximum 5 Star safety rating from Euro NCAP. Ranger also achieved the highest score ever recorded by Euro NCAP for pedestrian protection.
    Read More
  • UK Roads Crash Demo Day is a Big Hit
    July 19, 2012
    Representatives from local authorities, the police, and the highway safety-related business world attended last month’s UK Roads Crash Demonstration Day at MIRA near Nuneaton, in central England. Guy Woodford reports It was never meant to be an occasion for crash test dummies. And each of the latest road safety solutions from leading highway technology companies tested at the UK Roads Crash Demonstration Day passed with top marks. A crowd of over 100 enjoyed the high impact, minimum damage action.
    Read More
  • UK motorway upgrade underway
    December 14, 2015
    A fleet of Hitachi short-tailswing excavators have been working on the M3 smart motorway project in the counties of Hampshire and Surrey in England. Eight ZX135US-5 and ZX225USLC-5 excavators owned by Skyland Drainage Contractors, and a further two ZX225USLC-5s owned by Davey Civils, have been employed on the subcontractors’ drainage works. Having previously hired Zaxis excavators, Kent-based Davey Civils has been a Hitachi customer for one year. Both models were supplied with service contracts from Hita
    Read More

Highlighted Content