Heroes come in all shapes and sizes. While the caped variety that grace the silver screen have very obvious super powers, the hard work and dedication of our NHS doctors and nurses represents true heroism for many. Both these varieties of hero have one thing in common – they are lifesavers; a quality that is also shared by one of Highway Care’s hero products, the #Ermes crash cushion and end terminal from SMA.
So, what makes Ermes such a hero amongst crash cushions and end terminals? Here are our top eight reasons why Ermes stands out from the crowd.
1. Top of the list is that this innovative product delivers both systems in one. Providing crash cushion performance at an end terminal price point, Ermes offers a go-to, consistent specification for both end terminal and crash cushion requirements with 50km/h (P1), 80km/h (P2) and 110km/h (P4) models available to enable correct and compliant product selection for all road types and speed restriction levels.
2. Ermes has enviable test credentials. The system has successfully passed crash tests to ENV 1317-3, 1317-4 and prEN 1317-7, D1.1 & Z1 performance classes. It has also been successfully crash tested with a 2000kg pick-up and it is CE marked. This means that specifiers can select Ermes with complete confidence of exceptional performance and compliance for robust safety performance in any environment.
3. Short system lengths mean the Ermes fits into locations where other terminals cannot. The P4 system, for example, is just under 6m.
4. The secret to Ermes’s superior safety performance is the device’s innovative energy absorption system, provided by a collapsible beam which controls the extent to which the product is deformed following a vehicle impact. The beam is made up of a set of patented ‘crashbox’ profiles, which enable gradual energy absorption of frontal, angled, and lateral vehicle impacts, minimising the risk of injury to vehicle occupants and the potential for the vehicle to leave the road.
5. Just like any super hero, Ermes is super-fast. Delivered to site preassembled, it is fast and easy to fit, with a variety of anchoring options to enable ease of fitting in any location or configuration.
6. Unlike most end terminals, which have to be replaced following a vehicle impact, Ermes is repairable. Damaged components can be replaced while the rest of the structure is retained. This not only reduces lifetime costs, it also means that protection for vehicles and drivers can be reinstated more quickly AND provides a more sustainable solution by extending the service life of the product and preventing unnecessary waste.
7. Another characteristic that Ermes shares with many popular super heroes is the device’s ability to be a master of disguise! While, in most environments, high visibility with a conventional yellow finish is preferred to alert drivers to a potential hazard, in some locations, both the barrier and end terminal/crash cushion need to blend into their surroundings to minimise the visual impact of safety features. To accommodate the need to disguise Ermes, the system can be powder coated to resemble timber and it is perfect for country roads, national parks and areas of natural beauty when installed in combination with our Tertu TimberRail timber barrier system.
8. Last, but by no means least in our top eight countdown, is compatibility. Not only does Ermes provide the versatility to perform as either an end terminal or a crash cushion, it also offers compatibility with any barrier. That means that Ermes can be specified for virtually any installation – whether it’s a new road construction or as a retrofit replacement onto existing barrier.
As the actor Dean Cain – an erstwhile TV Superman – famously said, not all superheroes wear capes. Superman is a fictional ‘man of steel’, whereas Ermes is a real world safety system made of steel. Both have one purpose – saving lives.
