Attaching Guardrail Sections
At 5:36 in
A GIFT FROM THE GOVERNMENT = NO MORE CARS IN THE FARM POND!!
What happens here
After the posts are driven, crew members manually lift the long metal guardrail sections off the trailer and position them onto the posts. The sections are then loosely bolted to the posts using large bolts and nuts. The design of these new guardrails includes a loose bolt connection and a plastic spacer behind the rail, allowing for a slight movement of the rail when impacted, reducing the severity of collision. The presenter emphasizes that, unlike older designs where posts were rigidly placed behind every joint, the new system avoids this, preventing vehicles from hitting a 'brick wall' and being redirected back into traffic.
Goal: Secure the metal guardrail sections to the newly driven posts.
Tools and materials
- Guardrail Sections — Forming the primary barrier of the guardrail system
- Hard Plastic Spacer Blocks — Providing a cushion between the rail and the post
- Impact Wrench — Tightening the bolts on the guardrail sections
- Large Bolts and Nuts — Securing the guardrail sections to the posts
- Safety Gloves — Protecting workers' hands