Providing adequate and properly built or repaired protection in the form of an attenuator truck can be one of the most important things a company does for its workers and the driving public. Royal is the largest certified attenuator distributor, installation and repair facility for the TrafFix Devices Scorpion Attenuator in the United States. We install and repair hundreds of TMAs every year.
According to MUTCD standards, attenuators are to be installed and used in accordance with manufacturer’s specifications and requirements. Any repair or installation of a Scorpion Attenuator must be done by an approved and certified installer to be considered “crash-worthy,” and in compliance with MUTCD for use in the United States.
MASH updates and replaces NCHRP Report 350. This manual is recommended for highway design engineers, bridge engineers, safety engineers, researchers, hardware developers, crash test laboratories, and others concerned with safety features used in the highway environment. Products addressed in MASH include longitudinal barriers, transitions, end terminals, crash cushions, breakaway supports, truck mounted attenuators, and work zone traffic control devices. MASH Approved TMA’s crash performance is judged on structural adequacy, occupant risk, and vehicle trajectory.
The Scorpion attenuator has received its FHWA Eligibility Letter. This letter may be used in all 50 states as proof of passed MASH test requirements and may be presented when applying for federal funding for your highway project. Because each state can mandate their own TMA Truck regulations, many states have additional eligibility requirements. Check with your DOT before purchasing a Non-MASH approved attenuator after December 31st 2019.
For a TMA to be MASH approved, it must be deemed safe not only for the impacting driver but also the driver of the TMA truck. When the collision occurs, both drivers experience a sudden increase in G-Force, or gravitational force, on their bodies due to the force of the impact. If the body experiences too much G-Force, there are several negative outcomes…with the most severe non-fatal response being unconsciousness, also referred to as “G-LOC, aka G-induced loss of consciousness.”
Because of the negative effects of increased G-Force on the body, one of the things MASH tests for is just how much force is delivered to the occupant. In fact, the MASH testing guidelines specify that “Longitudinal & lateral occupant ridedown accelerations (ORA) should fall below the preferred value of 15.0 g, or at least below the maximum allowed value of 20.49 g.”
As a MASH approved attenuator, the Scorpion II TMA has tested below the maximum allowed value for longitudinal & lateral occupant ridedown accelerations, coming in below 20.0 g of force.
The Scorpion II TMA consists of strut and cartridge sections that are linked together on a support frame. This open cartridge design reduces wind resistance and increases fuel efficiency when deployed on the job site and when traveling at highway speeds. Each energy absorbing cushion has an Aluminum honeycomb core that is enclosed by aluminum powder coated box module that provides maximum durability and longevity. The Scorpion II is equipped with omnivolt LED brake, directional, signal and running lights to further enhance advanced warnings to drivers.
When impacted, the Scorpion’s modular design crushes in progressive stages, which reduces the impact forces on the vehicles occupants and results in lower repair costs and easy parts replacement. The curved side rails are made from corrosion resistant aluminum tubes and offer full width impact protection along the entire length of the Scorpion II by safely redirecting the impacting vehicle away from the deadly “coffin corners” at the rear of the truck. Unlike the Scorpion Attenuator, most other manufacturers crash attenuator models have little or no side-angle impact protection.
When fully deployed, the Scorpion II TMA is only 13′ (4 m) in length, compared to other manufacturers units which are over 19′ (5.8 m), thus giving the Scorpion II the shortest overall length of any MASH Eligible Truck Mounted Attenuator on the market. This shorter length reduces incidental impacts and repair costs while still providing the best safety and reliability you have come to expect from the Scorpion line of crash attenuators.
The Scorpion II TMA is MASH tested, passed and eligible; TL-3 tested at 62.5 mph (100 kph); see FHWA Eligibility Letter CC-132 for details.
Additionally, the Scorpion II TMA is compatible with the Doctor Air Brake® automatic braking system that instantly locks the brakes of the host vehicle upon impact, further protecting the driver of the TMA truck, occupants of the impacting vehicle, and any bystanders or workers near the crash.
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