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                Safety Eligibility Letter WZ-238
  
  **Hardware Type:**
            Work Zone Devices
                          **Code:**
            WZ-238
                          **Date:**
            06/15/2006
                          **Testing Criteria:**
            NCHRP 350
                          **Manufacturer:**
            Work Area Protection
                          **Device Description:**
            WZS12, WZS12-S, WZX60-SL
                          **View PDF:**
            wz238.pdf (1.09 MB)
    
    
Skip to contentSkip to contentUnited States Department of Transportation - Federal Highway AdministrationDOT logo
U.S. Department of Transportation
**Federal Highway Administration**
400 Seventh St., S.W.
Washington, D.C.  20590**June 15, 2006**
**Refer to: HSA-10/WZ-238**

Mr. Jeffery D. Smith
	Work Area Protection Corporation
	P.O. Box 4087
	2500 Production Drive
	St. Charles, Illinois  60174
	
Dear Mr.  Smith :
Thank you for your letter of  February 17, 2006, requesting the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)  acceptance of your company's WZS12, WZS12-S, and WZX60-SL portable sign sands  as crashworthy traffic control devices for use in work zones on the National  Highway System (NHS). Your letter  included a list of crashworthy signs manufactured by another vendor with whom  you have reached agreement to sell under your name. You requested that we find these devices acceptable for use on  the NHS under the provisions of National Cooperative Highway Research Program  (NCHRP) Report 350 “Recommended Procedures for the Safety Performance  Evaluation of Highway Features.”
**Introduction**
The FHWA guidance on crash testing  of work zone traffic control devices is contained in two memoranda. The first, dated July 25, 1997, titled “INFORMATION:  Identifying Acceptable Highway Safety Features,” established four categories of  work zone devices: Category I devices are those lightweight devices which are  to be self-certified by the vendor, Category II devices are other lightweight  devices which need individual crash testing but with reduced instrumentation,  Category III devices are barriers and other fixed or heavy devices also needing  crash testing with normal instrumentation, and Category IV devices are trailer  mounted lighted signs, arrow panels, etc. for which crash testing requirements  have not yet been established. The  second guidance memorandum was issued on August 28, 1998, and is titled “INFORMATION:  Crash Tested Work Zone Traffic Control Devices.” This later memorandum lists devices that are acceptable under  Categories I, II, and III. Our new  acceptance process was outlined in our memorandum “FHWA Hardware Acceptance Procedures – Category 2 Work Zone  Devices” dated November 11, 2005.
The following sign stand was crash  tested by the Texas Transportation Institute and acknowledged as crashworthy in  the FHWA acceptance letter WZ-67 dated January 26, 2001.
(Tested sign): A portable work  zone sign fabricated with square steel tubing is used to support a 1220 x 1220  mm vinyl roll-up sign panel that is stiffened with 32 mm by 8 mm rectangular  cross section fiberglass straps. The  mast consists of a 1500 mm long, 32 mm square, 2.5 mm thick steel tube with a  150 mm long, 38 mm square, 2.5 mm thick tube section at the top for sign  attachment. Four telescoping legs were  fabricated from 25 mm and 30 mm square tubing. The inner legs were 470 mm long  while the outer legs were 1168 mm long.  The bottom of the roll-up sign was mounted approximately 1.5 m above the  ground level. Details of the roll-up  sign and stand (in English units) are shown in the enclosed drawing.
You  requested acceptance of the**WZS60-SL**, which is a spring-loaded version  of the same stand. You also provided  drawings for the model **WZS12** stand.  This four-legged stand supports a roll-up sign at 305 mm above the  pavement. The metal structure of the  stand rises no higher than that necessary to secure the bottom of the  fiberglass ribs supporting the roll-up sign, as shown on the enclosed  drawings. Your model number **WZS12S** is a spring loaded version of this low stand.
**Findings**
The tested stand contacted the  windshield and caused only minor damage and no penetration of the  windshield. Therefore, your stand model  number WZS60-SL, which is identical to the tested stand except for the use of a  spring mechanism at the base, is acceptable for use.
The WZS12 and WZS12-SL stands are  both “compact” sign stands under our definition, as detailed in the “Questions  and Answers” portion of the FHWA acceptance letter WZ-85, a copy of which is  enclosed for your information and use.  Compact sign stands supporting 
roll-up signs with fiberglass  spreaders as detailed in WZ-85 do not require individual crash testing.
The results of the testing of the  basic model sign stand met the FHWA requirements. As the manufacturer will fabricate them to the same  specifications, the devices described above and detailed in the enclosed drawings  are acceptable for use on the NHS under the range of conditions tested, when  proposed by a State.
Please note the following standard  provisions that apply to the FHWA letters of acceptance:
Our       acceptance is limited to the crashworthiness characteristics of the       devices and does not cover their structural features, or conformity with       the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
Any       changes that may adversely influence the crashworthiness of the device       will require a new acceptance letter.
Should       the FHWA discover that the qualification testing was flawed, that       in-service performance reveals unacceptable safety problems, or that the       device being marketed is significantly different from the version that was       crash tested, it reserves the right to modify or revoke its acceptance.You       will be expected to supply potential users with sufficient information on       design and installation requirements to ensure proper performance.
You       will be expected to certify to potential users that the hardware furnished       has essentially the same chemistry, mechanical properties, and geometry as       that submitted for acceptance, and that they will meet the crashworthiness       requirements of the FHWA and the NCHRP Report 350.
To       prevent misunderstanding by others, this letter of acceptance, designated       as number WZ-238 shall not be reproduced except in full. This letter, and the test documentation       upon which this letter is based, is public information. All such letters and documentation may       be reviewed at our office upon request.
The       subject portable sign stands are patented devices and considered       "proprietary." The use       of proprietary work zone traffic control devices in Federal-aid projects       is generally of a temporary nature.       They are *selected by the contractor* for use as needed and       removed upon completion of the project.       Under such conditions they can be presumed to meet requirement       "a" given below for the use of proprietary products on       Federal-aid projects. On the other       hand, if proprietary devices are *specified by a highway agency* for       use on Federal-aid projects: (a) they must be supplied through competitive       bidding with equally suitable unpatented items; (b) the highway agency       must certify that they are essential for synchronization with existing       highway facilities or that no equally suitable alternative exists; or (c)       they must be used for research or for a distinctive type of construction       on relatively short sections of road for experimental purposes. Our regulations concerning proprietary       products are contained in Title 23, Code of Federal Regulations, Section       635.411, a copy of which is enclosed.
This       acceptance letter shall not be construed as authorization or consent by       the FHWA to use, manufacture, or sell any patented device for which the       applicant is not the patent holder.       The acceptance letter is limited to the crashworthiness       characteristics of the candidate device, and the FHWA is neither prepared       nor required to become involved in issues concerning patent law. Patent issues, if any, are to be       resolved by the applicant.Sincerely yours,

		
		**/Original Signed by/**

John R. Baxter, P.E.
						Director, Office of Safety Design 
						Office of Safety

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