Water-filled barriers are a popular temporary barricading option. Their quick and easy installation, transportation and handling make them every contractor’s first choice for temporary use. But are these water-filled plastic barriers crash-tested?
The answer is both yes and no. Some water-filled barriers carry crash-test certification, while others don’t. It depends on the design, manufacturer, and intended use. Next, we’ll break down the differences and explain when to use non-crash-tested versus crash-tested barriers.
Are water-filled barriers crash-tested?
Not all water-filled plastic barriers are crash tested.
“Water-filled barriers serve as a temporary solution for multiple applications. You can use them to guide pedestrians, secure event perimeters, or manage temporary traffic. While pedestrian and event setups don’t require crash-tested barriers, road traffic control demands certified crash-tested barricades to ensure safety.
A water-filled barrier may or may not be crash-tested, depending on its intended use. Manufacturers rate crash-tested barriers according to MASH standards, and Austroads approves them for compliance and safety.
Crash-tested water-filled barriers
Crash-tested water-filled barriers go through a rigorous testing process designed to simulate real-world impact conditions. During this process, the barrier is struck by vehicles of different weights at varying speeds and angles to evaluate how well it absorbs and redirects the energy of a crash. According to the results, the barrier is given a rating as per the MASH standards.
Learn more about MASH ratings and how barriers are tested and rated to ensure road safety.
Application
Crash-tested water-filled barriers are a temporary solution to traffic control and management in case of repair and maintenance work. Engineers design these barriers for high-traffic environments, ensuring they provide strong protection while remaining easy to install and remove for temporary use. They build them to withstand high-risk, high-impact collisions, keeping both vehicles and pedestrians safe.
Check out how water-filled barriers are installed and removed, and how crash-rated water-filled barriers work.
Example of a crash-rated water-filled barrier
Legend Hire’s Lo-Ro water-filled barrier is a MASH-rated barrier for high-traffic roads. This barrier achieves MASH TL-1 and TL-2 ratings (rated up to 70 km/h under TL-2), offers low deflection and complies with the AS/NZS 3845 standard.
Its sturdy, freestanding design means no anchoring is needed, making it highly suitable for roadworks where high-speed vehicle containment is required.
Non-crash-tested water-filled barriers
Non-crash-tested barriers haven’t undergone these evaluations. While they might look similar in design, they’re not approved for use in high-speed or high-risk areas.
Unlike crash-tested systems, these barriers are not made to absorb or redirect vehicle energy during a collision. Instead, they act as a physical and visual deterrent, helping drivers and pedestrians identify restricted areas or safe pathways.
Application
Crews use non-crash-rated water barriers in low-speed zones and for crowd control, where impact risks are minimal, such as:
- Construction sites: To block off work zones or machinery areas.
- Parking lots: For lane management or perimeter marking.
- Events and festivals: For crowd control, pedestrian flow, or queuing areas.
- Low-speed areas: Such as internal roads or warehouse sites where vehicle movement is limited.
Their main function is to barricade, guide, define no-go zones, facilitate pathways and manage the pedestrian, workers and vehicle flow.
Example of a non-crash-rated water-filled barrier
Leged Hire’s Trafix 2000 water-filled pedestrian barrier is a non-crash-rated barrier for low-impact environments. It weighs 18 kg when empty and 220 kg when filled with water, balancing mobility with protection required for crowd control and work sites. Manufacturers use high-quality polyethylene material to build the barrier, ensuring it meets AS/NZS 4766 standards for material strength.
Water-filled barriers for hire
For temporary traffic management or low-risk zone control, hiring water-filled barriers is a practical and cost-effective solution. Filling and emptying on-site allows easy transportation and setup, making them ideal for short-term projects or events. They ensure your site is safe, compliant where necessary, and adaptable to changing conditions.
Legend Hire provides high-quality, maintained, and inspected water-filled barriers ready for immediate deployment. Our team also offers guidance and support to help you choose the right solution for your project. Contact Legend Hire today to hire water-filled barriers and keep your site safe and efficient.
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