The latest innovation from INSTABOOM® is a unique GS6 over height warning and asset protection system for highways and railways that physically closes a work lane as a breach is detected. GS6 INSTABOOM® was developed with the Kier Highways M20 team after they received the coveted Blue Star Award for safety implementation using the standard anti-incursion INSTABOOM product.
An 18KVA overhead power line spanned both carriageways and the active work areas. Kier Highways wanted to see a raising the bar of the safety and protection over a standard GS6 pole and cone layout. Within weeks of the first discussion, the INSTABOOM team deployed a patented prototype detection systems using an IP68 laser detector mounted on a standard GS6 pole. The sensor was connected to an INSTABOOM barrier, some 40m down the work lane. As the set height restriction is breached, the laser triggers the INSTABOOM to come down, barring further access to the work zone and preventing a cable or over head obstacle strike. An emergency number notice allows the stopped vehicle to request assistance and the site manager to assess if the detected over height vehicle has been reduced and is safe to proceed.
John Quarless, Health and Safety Manager for the M20 Smart Motorway Upgrade says "Working with Solar Gates UK on the development of the GS6 INSTABOOM has been an inspiration. Height protection and therefore health and safety with standard GS6 height restriction methods still had room for error and oversights could happen. We wanted to surpass the standards outlined in the Highways England Safety Hub, Raising the Bar 7 document. With the GS6 INSTABOOM we know that no construction type vehicles that could potentially come into contact or not fall within the safety clearance zone of overhead services which would breach the height restriction point. The product allows us to make sure our work zone is compliant with health safety regulations whilst saving money and can be instantly deployed.”
In October 2019, GS6 INSTABOOM was awarded Highways England Safety Initiative of the Year 2019 for the M20 project with Kier. INSTABOOM runs on solar power, so it can be deployed and moved in minutes. Even in poor light conditions, the unit will operate for up to 3 weeks before a 110V top up charge. The product is an unprecedented success, making sure Kier Highways are protecting the lives of network users and highways staff. Since the initial roll out on the M20, other Kier sites have deployed the GS6 INSTABOOM to protect the public and their work force on their M6 and M23 SMART motorway projects.
John concludes “This new, simple, but extremely effective solution took the Solar Gates UK team an incredible 2 weeks from concept to delivery. The GS6 INSTABOOM is a game changer to over height protection on our highways sites ”