The B/509/3 committee on road traffic signs is in the process of determining whether there is a business case to amend/revise BS 8442 – the standard for temporary signs – as well as other elements of road furniture not otherwise covered elsewhere (so bollards, beacons, temporary traffic signs, etc) – Please share your thoughts with BSI by completing this questionnaire (below)
We are contacting users and specifiers of the products within BS 8442 to ensure that there is a full understanding of the requirements and the value of the standard. A Questionnaire is included (below), your answers will be extremely appreciated. The answers will be used internally by Gavin Jones, Standards Development Manager, BSI, when presenting the case to senior management at BSI.
The members of B/509/3 are sure that the standard is of value, not least of all that it is specifically drawn on in the Street Works Code of Practice, but also it is generally out of date and in some cases has errors.
Scope of the standard
This British Standard specifies requirements and tests (see Note) for rigid and flexible portable signs, barriers, self-supporting portable signs, “Stop/Go” and “Stop/Works” signs, school crossing patrol signs, flat traffic delineators, flap signs, pedestrian crossing and refuge beacons, internally illuminated posts, twin amber flashing light units, non-retroreflecting road studs and retroreflective self-righting bollards.
Non-retroreflecting road studs incorporating an active light source are not covered by this standard.
NOTE The tests given in this standard are suitable for both initial type testing and production testing.
Purpose of the revision
Before CEN began developing harmonised standards, road circulation fixtures were specified in BS 873. There were several parts to that standard covering a selection of devices. CEN chose to harmonise only a few of these devices (resulting is BS EN 12899 and BS EN 13422). The government and BSI then decided to develop BS 8442 to handle and update specifications for all the other devices not being dealt with in CEN standards.
The requested revision to the currently published version of BS 8442 is intended to correct an omission of colour requirements for yellow prismatic retroreflective sheeting, as well as other key updates to correct the standard in accordance with the UK regulations. The omission in terms of colour requirements limits the choice of retroreflective materials from which temporary retroreflective road signs can be constructed.
Retroreflectivity enables safety-critical road signs identifying changes and dangers at road works to be visible to drivers at night. This type of reflection is achieved via controlling the direction of light returning to drivers.
This standard is intended to set out performance requirements for each of the retroreflective coloured areas used on these signs. Thus there needs to be both colorimetric requirements and retroreflectivity requirements. But in the case of yellow prismatic sheetings there are only retroreflectivity requirements within BS 8442.
This omission limits the choice of materials that can be used by industry to construct compliant temporary road signs. The Department for Transport allows prismatic yellow to be used on temporary road signs. However, if a sign is made using prismatic yellow it is not in the fullest sense compliant with BS 8442. It is for this reason that the unintended omission be corrected.
Who are the intended users? (Please give job roles and industry sectors)
- public sector highway authorities
- owners of private infrastructure
- local authority and consultant asset managers
- consulting engineers
- materials engineers
- test houses
- test equipment manufacturers
- specialist highway contractors
- Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT)
- Association of Consultancy and Engineering (ACE)
Questionnaire
Please provide responses by the 4th August and if you have any questions please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Gavin Jones , Standards Development Manager, T: +44 20 8996 7392, gavin.jones@bsigroup.com
BSI, 389 Chiswick High Road, London, W4 4AL, UK, bsigroup.com | Twitter | LinkedIn
1) Do you agree that a standard revision on this subject is feasible?
Please give reasons for your answers above:
2) Would you or your organisation use the standard?
3) Would you or your organization be prepared to participate in the development of the standard or to comment on the draft when it is available?
4) Are you aware of any regulation, existing standards and other good practice information in this area in the UK (e.g. Industry codes of practice; company specifications, international or European Standards)?
5) Would the development of a standard(s) in this area have a particular impact/relevance to SME, consumer, environmental or societal interests?
6) Are you aware of any other organizations to which this proposal may be relevant? If so please provide details below.
7) Additional comments on the scope or proposal:
Although BSI will not usually enter into correspondence regarding individual comments or suggestions we may wish to contact you to seek further clarification. Please indicate whether this will be acceptable:
Please send your completed questionnaire to Gavin Jones, Standards Development Manager, T: +44 20 8996 7392, gavin.jones@bsigroup.com
BSI, 389 Chiswick High Road, London, W4 4AL, UK, bsigroup.com | Twitter | LinkedIn
Published 22/07/20