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

  • Lindsay moveable barrier system earns MASH approval in the US
    May 14, 2018
    Lindsay Transportation Solutions has announced that its QuickChange Moveable Barrier Concrete Reactive Tension System (QMB-CRTS) has earned MASH approval. The system meets crash test and evaluation criteria contained in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH). MASH is the new standard for the crash-testing of safety devices for use on the National Highway System. It updates and replaces NCHRP Report 350. “We are pleased to inform
    Read More
  • Workzone safety protects workforce and drivers
    May 3, 2012
    Highway construction work zones are dangerous places, and anything that can improve safety is welcomed as Patrick Smith reports. The safe and efficient flow of traffic through work zones is a major concern to transportation officials, industry, the public, businesses, and commercial motor carriers. This is the view of the US Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), which has developed the Highway Work Zone Safety Program to reduce the fatalities and injurious crashes in work zones, and to enhance traffic oper
    Read More
  • Intelligent paving and compaction holds the key
    October 16, 2024
    Intelligent paving and compaction holds the key to more efficient road construction according to BOMAG – Mike Woof writes
    Read More
  • A macro website launched for microsurfacing processes
    October 9, 2018
    RoadResource.org as a go-to website for surfacing information is now live When RoadResouce.org went live – quietly - in July it was the end of two years of hard work by three major US associations for pavement preservation. But there was no grand party or ceremonial pushing of the “go live” button, says Doug Hogue, vice president and general manager of VSS Macropaver. “For all of us in the industry July is a busy period that left little time to celebrate on the opening day,” says the 51-year-old chartere
    Read More

Highlighted Content