Published: 7 December 2016 | Category: Technical advice note | Audiences: Road controlling authorities, Road traffic engineers & consultants, Roading contractors
Road safety barrier accreditation scheme gets green light for safety.
New Zealand and Australia have joined forces in introducing an Australasian road safety barrier accreditation scheme.
Austroads, the organisation of Australasian road transport and traffic agencies, recently agreed to implement the scheme, comprising a coordinated training scheme and accreditation for the supply, installation and maintenance of road safety barriers, throughout New Zealand and Australia.
Austroads board member and NZ Transport Agency Group Manager Highway and Network Operations, Tommy Parker, says this is an important step in raising standards within the sector to further improve the safety performance of our networks.
‘This is a major milestone for industry. Austroads would like to thank the Road Safety Barrier Industry Working Party for the hours they have put in to bring this scheme to fruition,’ Tommy says.
New Zealand has been represented on the working party by CSP Pacific’s Technical Support and Marketing Manager Sue Walker, with assistance from Downer NZ Project Lead Sean O’Neill and Civil Contractors NZ Technical Manager Alan Stevens.
The next step will be the formation of an Australasian steering committee to provide direction for the implementation of the scheme.
International training provider Lantra is soon to be contracted as the service provider, and the current Transport Agency training programme will be transitioned over the next few months.
In the interim, the Transport Agency will continue to provide a programme of Installation and Maintenance Inspection (IMI) and Design courses for both permanent and temporary road safety barrier installations. Details of the courses are available here(external link).
In due course, the Austroads road safety barrier accreditation will be phased in as a formal
requirement for NZ Transport Agency road safety barrier contract work, with recognition for passed NZ Transport Agency courses.
Transport Agency National Traffic and Safety Engineer, Julian Chisnall represents the Transport Agency on the Austroads Safety Barrier Assessment Panel.
He says the scheme will be a big step forward, and one which the New Zealand barrier industry has been wanting for some time.
Contact Julian Chisnall or Stuart Fraser of the Highways and Network Operations’ Safety team.
Kevin Reid
