The wire-rope safety fence is a permanent rail that consists of posts installed on the road surface with wire rope suspended between them. The entire system works together to form a safety fence. With the wire-rope safety fence taking up far less space on the road surface than other types of barriers such as concrete barriers or guardrails, it is suitable for roads where space is limited. It prevents motorists from straying into emergency, pedestrian, cyclist, or bus lanes. The wire-rope safety fence therefore protects pedestrians and cyclists from direct impact by errant vehicles. As such, it is a suitable solution for creating protected lanes.

With its small footprint, the wire-rope safety fence is perfectly suited to prevent crossover accidents. Such accidents occur on two opposing lanes where an accident in the oncoming lane spills over into the fast lane of the opposite carriageway. This type of accident is usually very severe, causing head-on collisions and high fatality rates. Concrete barriers on the median are highly effective in preventing such accidents, but these barriers take up more road space than the wire-rope safety fence. In addition, these barriers are usually unforgiving and difficult to transport and install because of their weight. The wire-rope safety fence is lightweight compared to other types of road barriers and thus cheaper to transport and install. Installation is relatively quick too, helping to reduce the duration of roadworks on a stretch of road, and thus the risks associated with such road construction. No heavy equipment is needed for installation and as such, the environmental impact of the fence system is reduced, as heavy products and installation equipment would also require heavy vehicles to transport these products and equipment. The tension of the woven ropes between the galvanised steel posts provides an effective barrier. Every rope consists of high-tensile steel wire with an impressive break load and strong enough to stop a vehicle. Upon impact, the wire ropes and posts absorb the kinetic energy of the impact. The posts progressively give way on impact and the impact energy is thus absorbed along the fence’s length.

In addition to it having a more forgiving nature than a concrete or steel barrier, the fence serves to guide the vehicle along its length. The friction of this movement against the fence helps to reduce the speed of the impacting vehicle until it comes to rest, rather than the vehicle being deflected back into the fast-flowing traffic. The fence system helps to reduce the risk of severe injuries to vehicle occupants, as well as impact damage to the vehicle. With it being such a durable barrier that requires only minor maintenance unless impacted, the system is a very cost-effective median and lane-protection barrier. The galvanised posts are corrosion-resistant, giving them a long service life. The system design furthermore allows for quick repairs of the barrier, since it is not always necessary to replace the ropes after a small impact. With the short time needed for repairs, traffic disruption is kept to a minimum, helping to reduce the risk of accidents during this period.

Our Product Offering including Barrier System

We offer Safence, a Blue Systems product, which we have jointly developed to meet the requirements for road-safety barriers according to the new European CEN Standards with Brdr. Markussens Metalvarefabrik (BMM),. The product also meets the requirements of NCHRP 350TL4. The wire-rope safety fence available from us has been tested to meet the CEN safety requirements in terms of containment level and minimal risk of personal injury. Installations are carried out by our accredited teams in accordance with the specifications of Blue Systems. The slotted posts of this system can be removed or replaced with ease. This helps to ensure quick repairs without compromise to the quality or integrity of the fence. We furthermore provide training to the personnel responsible for the maintenance of a particular part of the freeway where our wire-rope system has been installed. All the fittings of the barrier are made from 316 stainless steel to prevent corrosion and all steel components are galvanised according to the requirements of SANS 121/ISO 1461.

Get in touch for more information and assistance to determine whether the fence is suited to your needs.