APPENDIX 4.3 – ASSESSMENT OF CONDITION OF TRAFFIC SIGNS
INTRODUCTION
A4.3.1 It is important that all items of equipment used for temporary traffic management fulfil their intended legal and informative function throughout the period they are in position. This applies to all signs, delineators, markings, traffic signal equipment and warning lights. For instance, with age the retroreflective properties of signs degrade and the sign face colours will fade. Even in normal use, temporary traffic management signs and delineators are subject to forms of damage not experienced by permanent signs. This damage occurs during storage, delivery, installation and removal, causing deterioration in appearance and effectiveness.
A4.3.2 However, it is not practicable to specify new signs and delineators for each project. Therefore guidance is needed to facilitate the assessment of the condition of temporary traffic management equipment. To help to achieve this objective, illustrations of sample signs of different quality are included in paragraph A4.3.27.
A4.3.3 Signs with defects which affect recognition and legibility are unacceptable. Temporary traffic management equipment which appears acceptable in daylight in good weather conditions may at other times, e.g. in the dark in heavy rain, not be adequate and so present a potential safety hazard. This should be considered when assessing the condition of the equipment.
A4.3.4 Assessment of the condition of equipment should be made at several stages: prior to storage, during assembly for delivery to site, and at regular intervals throughout deployment (see Section O3.7). A record of the assessment made and any corresponding action taken should be made and should be available for inspection when required. In many works contracts, this inspection and assessment is mandatory when the equipment is erected and while it is deployed.
CONDITION CLASSIFICATION
A4.3.1
The condition of each item of temporary traffic management equipment should be classified as follows:
- "acceptable"
- "marginal"
- "unacceptable"
A4.3.6 "Acceptable" – equipment which falls within this classification is appropriate for initial deployment and continued deployment on the highway. At the time of the initial set up all equipment shall be in the "acceptable" category.
A4.3.7 "Marginal" – equipment which falls within this classification is reaching the lower end of acceptability and should not be delivered to site. During a project, following an assessment of condition any equipment classified as "marginal",
- should be replaced within 24 hours if it is not repeated
- if the item is repeated, it may remain in place until:
- it is assessed as unacceptable; or
- marginal items exceed 20 percent of the group (e.g. a set of repeater signs); or
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