Before and After: The Critical Role Crash Barriers in Mitigating Damage

When designing road infrastructure around high-risk assets—such as bridge piers, steep embankments, or complex interchange ramps—the stakes are magnified by the presence of Heavy Vehicles (HVs). The momentum of a run-off truck is immense, and in these critical zones, the difference between a minor incident and a catastrophic failure lies solely in the strength of the crash barrier system.
At McIntosh Fencing, we specialise in the installation of the heavy-duty metal crash barriers and guardrails designed specifically to withstand these high-impact forces. This is the critical, often invisible, role these barriers play when disaster strikes.

A bridge pier is a fixed hazard; if struck by a heavy vehicle, the outcome is potentially disastrous, threatening the structural integrity of the bridge itself and causing prolonged network closure.
- Before the Barrier: A heavy vehicle drifts due to fatigue, distraction, or a mechanical failure. Without a certified barrier system in place, the vehicle’s massive momentum carries it directly into the concrete pier.
- The Catastrophic Result: The impact is total. Not only is the driver and cargo at severe risk, but the entire bridge structure sustains major damage, requiring emergency closure, costly engineering assessment, and months of repair, leading to massive economic disruption.

In this high-stakes scenario, a robust, heavy-duty metal barrier system—such as an appropriately specified W-Beam guardrail with compliant terminals—serves to redirect and contain the vehicle.
- The Barrier’s Action: The guardrail intercepts the vehicle, progressively absorbing the kinetic energy and smoothly guiding the truck parallel to the pier, preventing a direct, square-on impact.
- The Life-Saving Result: The severe impact is transformed into a manageable side-swipe. The barrier takes the full force of the blow, protecting the critical pier asset and, most importantly, increasing the driver’s chance of survival. The road asset is protected from structural collapse, turning a multi-month repair into a quick barrier replacement.

At McIntosh Fencing, we are a trusted partner to road authorities because our Quality Assured MASH Compliance and Tri-Certification Accreditation guarantees that our heavy-duty installations are engineered, installed, and certified to perform under these exact, high-stakes conditions.
Protect your critical assets and the lives of road users. Contact McIntosh Fencing today to ensure your high-risk zones have a barrier system built for the inevitable “After.”













































