Three letters, one acronym and an entire industry re-organized around it. MASH has been popping up all over spec sheets, permit applications and rental quotes, but many people who book a TMA aren’t able to tell you what it is or why it’s more important than the older standard it’s taking the place of. When you’re leasing equipment that is supposed to absorb a real collision that’s an understanding that should be ironed out before you sign a lease.

This guide explains what the MASH designation is, why it’s even more important today than a few years ago, and what to look out for before booking a MASH certified truck mounted attenuator rental for your project.

The Acronym MASH Is Actually an Acronym For Truck Mounted Attenuator Rental

MASH is short for the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware. A series of crash-testing requirements that are used to test roadside safety equipment, such as truck mounted attenuators, guardrails and crash cushions in actual crash conditions. MASH testing is conducted through controlled physical testing of an engineered device at specific speeds and angles of impact, and analyzes the exact way in which the device dissipates that energy and what impact the collision has on the risk of the occupants.

MASH superseded a previous guideline named the National Cooperative Highway Research Program Report 350 (NCHRP 350). The industry had been using NCHRP 350 for years, and as fleet average weight rose, testing methods improved, and as the industry evolved, MASH became more accurate and more up-to-date.

The Justification for the Change from NCHRP 350 to MASH Matters

Today’s vehicles are larger and have different designs than those that helped create the older test standards decades ago. The change is incorporated into MASH testing, which employs newer vehicle profiles and more representative impact scenarios, thus providing a realistic representation of what such equipment will do when it is used in actual traffic situations. In general, equipment built after January 1, 2023, must meet MASH 2016 criteria, and units built before January 1, 2023, may be used for a specific transition period, depending on the region and its transition criteria.

That’s a real world concern, because the provider of TMA rental equipment that is still using older, non-MASH equipment is not necessarily failing to do something right during a legal transition period, but it does indicate that the equipment is operating under a previous testing standard. It’s better to find out which one you’re renting and that it meets the needs of your project than to assume either way.

The Concept of Using Test Levels Within a MASH Is Understood

The MASH certification is not one overall rating. Different test levels are used to test and rate equipment, ranging from different speeds to different levels of impact that the equipment is able to safely handle. TL-3 is the most relevant of all the tests for Dubai’s higher speed roads as it is based on the impact speeds representative of the highway. Lower test levels are used for less fast and less rural traffic, but if a lower-rated unit is used on a high-speed corridor, then the point of having a crash-tested unit there in the first place is negated.

This is a common pitfall for people. A MASH certified unit could be the correct unit for the road but the test level may not be the one that is allowed on the road. The starting filter is MASH certified. What is the true requirement is being MASH certified for the road at the appropriate test level.

The Relevance of This to Dubai Projects Is as Follows

The Roads and Transport Authority of Dubai (RTA) makes this condition an integral part of road works permits’ approval. According to traffic diversion drawing guidelines from RTA, the TMA units on a traffic management drawing should be certified for either MASH or NCHRP 350 Test Level 3; and for roads with a speed limit of 80 km/h and higher the unit should be certified to TL-3. This applies to most of Dubai’s main arterial roads, such as Sheikh Zayed Road and Emirates Road, and is not a recommendation that’s just the word of a man, it’s a fact that your project must meet before any work is started to satisfy the specifications set out by Dubai Police. It applies to most of Dubai’s main arterial roads, including Sheikh Zayed Road and Emirates Road; it’s not a choice people make, it’s a requirement your project must meet, and Dubai Police has documented.

If you are told that you won’t receive a permit until you hire from a provider who doesn’t know what the standard is, or can’t verify which one their fleet is up to, you’re just risking your permit approval before you even begin your project.

To Ensure That a Unit Is Truly MASH Certified, Follow the Guidelines Below

When checking if a unit is MASH certified, don’t take its word for it. Ask the manufacturer to provide the certification documentation directly, including the specific certification standard (MASH 2016 or otherwise) and the test level the unit is rated at. If your rental provider has an inventory that is organised correctly, they will be able to generate this without hassle, as this is also the paperwork that you will need when submitting your RTA permit.

It’s also a good idea to ask for the manufacture date, as that also indicates which testing framework it was built and certified under, as well as if it is covered by any transition periods if it was built before the newest MASH requirement.

What Will Happen If You Rent an Uncertified or Mismatched Unit

There are 2 serious risks when booking a TMA without confirmation that it has been MASHed or when you rent a TMA at the incorrect test level for your road. Booking an un-MASHed TMA or renting a TMA that is MASHed at the wrong test level on your road are 2 real risks.

The risk from an administrator is simple: Your RTA permit may be denied, delaying your project as you scramble to find compliant equipment at the last minute. The much greater threat is the operational one. If collision actually does happen and the attenuator has not been tested for that impact speed, it can behave differently than the equipment was intended to, resulting in a higher level of risk to you and your crew than the equipment was supposed to protect.

These risks are too high for the small savings that may be achieved by selecting the cheapest and most readily available unit.

Before Renting, Consider the Following Questions

When confirming a MASH certified truck mounted attenuator rental have a few direct questions with your rental provider.

• Specify the standard (MASH or NCHRP 350) and ask for documentation in writing, not a verbal commitment.
• Specify the actual test level – most Dubai roads require TL-3.
• Inquire about the date of the unit’s manufacture and last inspection.
• Check if the provider has experience in assisting with RTA permits as this is an indicator they know the process inside and out as much as the equipment.

Any provider who can respond to these questions promptly and can present actual documentation will be the provider to trust with a safety critical rental as opposed to a less forthright provider with a comparable price tag.

MASH Certification Is Not the End Goal

Having the right certification is crucial, but it is not the whole solution. During mobile operations a trained operator is required to be on the truck to maintain correct positioning and following distances, there must be amber warning lights visible from all angles around the truck and a working LED arrow board and reflective chevron markings to RTA specification must be fitted. Certification guarantees that the products you are dealing with have been subjected to crash testing. This is where the rest of the package comes into play, making the hardware effectively useful in a live work zone.

Selecting the Appropriate Type for Your Project

Don’t certify or test at the cheapest or quickest level available – do it on the road you’re on, not the one that’s cheap or fast to book. Any project in Dubai that involves the major highways should be TL-3 MASH certified, and a quieter road might be able to be considered with a lower test level. When in doubt about what rating your project needs, ask your provider directly and if he/she doesn’t know he/she is probably not the best company to work with.

The Bottom Line on Truck Mounted Attenuator Rental

Only a MASH certified truck mounted attenuator rental that is certified to meet the criteria of your road will actually provide protection. Knowing what MASH is, why it superseded NCHRP 350 and how the test levels relate to Dubai’s speed classification will help you make the best choice for equipment and provider. Request documentation, verify the test level is appropriate for your road, and certification is your first stop in every rental choice that you make for a TMA.