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Recently we’ve seen extremely heavy rainfall in Australia, specifically for NSW and Victoria regions.

As the leading specialists in guardrails and fence protection for roads and pedestrians, we know how important it is to stay safe on the roads, and that’s what our guardrails and fencing options are there for! But in mass rain and flood events, sometimes guardrails may not be enough to protect your vehicle or passengers. 

Did you know that it takes only 15cm of water to float a small car? 

It means that just because a road may have protective guardrails, it does not ensure that the road underneath the flood water is in good condition for driving.    

We recommend sticking to the advice from the government and protective services in your area, and steering clear from attempting to drive through dangerous zones. 

Driving on flooded roads is always a risky option, and it doesn’t take much for your car to become unstable, lose traction or wash away. 

Here are tips from the SES on how to prepare for flooding situations: 

• Never drive, ride or walk through floodwater
• Never allow children to play in or near floodwater
• If evacuated, do not return until it is safe to do so
• Follow the advice of authorities (including any requests for evacuation)
• Leave early before flooding occurs and goto family or friends on higher ground if you can
• Contact family, neighbours and those you know are at risk to ensure they are aware of the situation and know what to do
• Learn more about the risk of flooding in your area – Check to see if your community has a Local Flood Guide or local flood information

It is important that you do not drive through floodwater, but here are some tips for driving on the road in heavy rain if you have no other option: 

• Keep your eyes on the road and pay attention to the cars around you. 
• Keep your headlights on so that vehicles can see you and you can see them! 
• Skidding/hydroplaning is where the tyres lose their grip on a wet surface and slides. Try to drive in the tracks of the cars in front of you to increase your tyre grip on the road.
• Allow a 5 second gap between you and the car in front. By doing this, you can avoid any nasty crashes.
• The rain can cause your windscreen to fog up, blocking your vision. Turn on the defogger and aircon in the front and back of your car.  You’ll get the best results running the aircon on cold!
• Check live traffic updates online or on the radio to see if there are any road closures or accidents. Plan your trip to avoid heavy traffic and be aware of current weather conditions.

You can go to the SES website for your state for more information on how to prepare for any dangerous flooding situations. 

As always, stay safe out on the roads.

If safety is your name, then roadside barriers are your game. Accidents can happen at any moment! Especially on the road. You need to be fully prepared and fully fitted out for any situation that could have potentially dire consequences.   

As you know, roads are fraught with dangers, and that’s why we recommend using a barrier to help mitigate any serious injuries and prevent devastating crashes. 

They help safeguard pedestrians, vehicles and drivers, and will add extra peace of mind to any project or job you’re conducting. Since they’re often a necessity, they need to comply with Australian Standards, which can attest to the quality of barrier you’re receiving.         

So which barrier should I get? Why exactly should I invest in them for my project? We’re going to answer those questions for you. Read on to find out more. 

What Are the Benefits?

As we already discussed, the main benefit of a barrier is protection. But they actually hold many more uses than just that, depending on the environment they’re placed in. For example, some barriers or bollards may be used to block emergency exits from traffic or alert road users of dangerous areas.   

They have numerous benefits including: 

• Diverting traffic 
• Blocking off areas that are potentially hazardous 
• Segregating vehicles and traffic    
• Preventing accidents and collisions 
• Directing flow of crowds              

Depending on your roadside project, there are multiple options to choose from when deciding what kind of fence or barrier will work best. If you’re wondering which to choose, we’ve got you covered.   

Which Safety Barrier Is Right for My Job? 

Choosing the right safety barrier can seem intimidating! How do you know what will suit your needs? There are three kinds of common barriers to mull over: 

• Flexible barriers 
• Semi-rigid barriers 
• Rigid barriers 

Flexible barriers help minimise injuries of vehicle occupants and deflect to a high degree. 

Semi-rigid barriers deflect a bit less than the flexible barriers, their deflection is at a moderate level. 

Rigid barriers are best suited to heavy vehicles, they have a high level of containment. 

Get the Safest Road Barriers Around 

You must now be experts on safety barriers! And you should be able to find the best-suited option for your project. No matter the job you’ve got, there’ll be a roadside barrier for you. And there’s no better option than McIntosh Fencing to provide you with high-quality, safe and strong barriers. Get in touch with us today to talk more about which will work best for you and how we can make your project a safe success.

While some crash barriers can be heavy-duty like crash barrier systems, there are other options that can enable a softer impact. Wire rope barriers are a prime and trusted alternative from more rigid crash barriers.

Wire rope barriers consist of a straight alignment of ropes, allowing for easy installation and tensioning. They are critical for the separation of oncoming vehicles and protection from any roadside hazards.

When a vehicle makes an impact onto the wire rope barrier, it will be redirected in a safe and predictable manner. The design has a lot of benefits and features that has meant it’s become a key countermeasure in barrier designs and is often a top choice for numerous protective barrier projects.

The major factor in favour of wire rope barrier systems is that they are more forgiving than other, more rigid systems. They provide a softer ride-down deceleration for vehicle occupants in the event of a crash, meaning less chance of an injury for the occupants of the vehicle.

Our wire rope fences are a smart option to assist in your project, offering top-of-the-range protection for on-road vehicles.

Additional Features: 

• Easy installation 
• Minimal maintenance required 
• Quick to repair after collisions 
• Cables can be installed and removed in any order and with ease 
• Soft vehicle containment and redirection

If you’re in need of top-quality fencing, specifically a wire rope barrier that you know will work to your high standards, contact us today for all of your safety barriers and fencing needs.

We’re the team that you can trust to craft and install the very best in the industry, every time.

If you’re needing a road safety barrier, and have been doing a bit of research, you may have seen the term ‘MASH standard’ or ‘MASH compliant’ thrown around a lot. But what exactly is it? 

MASH Explained

MASH stands for Manual of Assessing Safety Hardware, and is now set as the standard for Australian roadside crash barriers.  

To ensure you’re receiving the best quality, and absolute safest barrier system out there, AustRoads has set up the MASH program that prescribes a set of crash tests to validate barrier systems before they can be approved for use on our road networks. 

There’s one thing we can guarantee: if your crash barrier systems are MASH compliant, you’ll be receiving a product that does not compromise on safety or quality.   

Why Is MASH Testing Important? 

OK, now you know what it is, why should you care? Because if your fence or barrier system is not MASH compliant, it runs the risk of being much less safe and sturdy. The MASH performance criteria ensures that road barriers have proven capability to tackle the weight and speed of modern-day vehicles.         

At McIntosh Fencing, we are quality assured MASH compliant with our barrier and fence systems, as well as holding tri-certification accreditation and being consistently quality assured. 

Get in touch today to find out how we can support your project and get you the very best of barrier and fence protection for your roads.

We’ll be providing you with valuable knowledge, information and updates via our Blog page, so don’t forget to see what other blogs you can read to keep you informed on all things fencing!   

And as always, keep up to date on the state road authorities via the links below: 

NSW Roads & Traffic Authority  

VicRoads

Crash barrier systems are an ideal choice for roads, whether it be the long, winding roads or the twisting country highway.

This type of fencing solution offers ultimate protection, reducing the severity of run-off-the-road crashes. It provides premium shielding from multiple impacts and also deters and protects vehicles from off-road hazards such as trees, poles, embankments, cliff edges etc.

It’s a smart way to protect road users, and that’s why we’ve worked with clients such as the Road & Traffic Authority of NSW and Vic Roads, offering our skills and services to guarantee an experienced set up and quality workmanship.

Crash barrier systems require high-quality materials and expertise to assemble, craft and install, that’s why you should be looking for providers with quality assurance and Quality Management Systems to ensure you’re receiving the very best for your project.

With a myriad of helpful features to protect motorists and serve your project’s needs, the crash barrier systems are an excellent option to assist you in your project.

Additional Features: 

• First-rate mechanisms for optimal safety 
• Controlled performance on impact 
• Suitable for use in asphalt and concrete 
• Engineered for high impact 

If you’re in need of top-quality fencing, specifically a crash barrier system that you know will work to your high standards, contact us today for all of your safety barriers and fencing needs.

We’re the team that you can trust to craft and install the very best in the industry, every time.