Eliminate inefficiencies
Whilst those cities that continue with "business as usual", struggle to cope with the growing workloads, growing costs and growing risks others have eliminated hundreds of the common problems, making this job surpisingly simple |
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With literally hundreds of potential problems it's little wonder around 90% of projects go over budget. Scroll down to view solutions to all of these problems and risks of cost overruns
IT STARTS WITH DIAL BEFORE YOU DIG Even before you start you must dial before you dig. These requirements will continue to increase and failure to meet these requirements places workers at risk Smart Sustainable Foundations totally eradicate the need for digging & heavy labour
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TEMPORARY SIGNS Temporary signs are not only difficult to install, they are unreliable, costly to maintain and easy prey for vandals (especailly in windy conditions)
In less time than it takes to install temporary signage - you can install the item greatly improving safety and efficiency
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INSTALLATIONS CAN TAKE WEEKS Instead of spending weeks digging up newly laid foundations to install infrastructure, (destroying the integrity of the foundations and causing irreparable damage) You can install sockets when pouring the footings, preserving the integrity of the foundations, and install the infrastructure for an entire development in a single day
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UNSIGHTLY INSTALLS This is the finished product of an installation by main Roads who have retrofitted the post resulting in very unsightly footings from day 1 Now you can install sockets when pouring concrete footings (or retrofit) creating a perfect finish
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TEMPORARY MEASURES - METAL PINS Inserting a metal pin to realign a post is becoming common practice (this work was performed by MRWA maintenance staff) and is unsafe and unsatisfactory We urgently need to improve standards and pride in our roads
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DEEP FOOTINGS MRWA specify posts should be installed 650 mm deep in paved areas. This is hard work, interferes with underground services, is expensive and causes major damage when signs are impacted. Signs can be installed from as shallow as 150 mm in solid concrete and 350 mm in paved areas and remain undamaged for decades
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CONSTANT STATE OF DECLINE Repeated replacements further damage the paving, leaving our cties in a constant state of decline and as populations grow so will the resulting damage and delays By making them sustainable footpaths and traffic islands remain in pristine condition impact after impact and unlike metal devices- they continue working effectively for the life of a development (100 years, or more)
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UNSIGHTLY FOUNDATIONS We have been buying, disposing and replacing foundations for centuries which has resulted in a band-aid mentality and lack of pride in the job. The result is that our cities are in a state of constant decline growing increasingly unsafe and unsightly with repeated replacements. Smart Sustainable Foundations remain in pristine condition for decades
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UNSAFE INSTALLATIONS As many RHS posts are installed using rapid set concrete or poly pipe, they not only look unsightly, they can be easily removed from paving creating additional damage and workload, creating litigation risks, unnecessary costs and landfill Smart posts cannot be removed without the Smart ergonomic tool
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RHS POSTSEASILY VANDALISED RHS posts can be easily bent by hand, making them highly vulnerable to vandalism, causing unnecessarry maintenance and dangerous litigation risks. CHS posts up to 3.6 mm wall thickness are considered by MRWA to be frangible but even a 2.3 CHS post cannot be bent by hand, substantially reducing the workload and improving the safety of our roads. CHS posts approved for use on the State Road network cannot be bent by hand |
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RHS POSTS REMOVED BY VANDALS Using methods such as this, the entire base can be ripped from ground or easily removed from metal ground sockets or upon impact from a vehicle with posts, grab-rails and bollards becoming dangerous projectiles. Smart Sustainable Foundations ensure items remain safe and secure year after year and can only be removed using tools provided
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UNSAFE METAL DEVICES A major problem when using metal fixing devices that can be damaged upon the first impact (as shown here bolts ripped from paving) Items are installed on Smart Sustainable Foundations using friction, which ensures they remain perfectly aligned, safe and secure year after year
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CONSTANT DAMAGE As a result of the constant battering entire traffic islands become an unsightly mess, creating litigation risks, unnecessary waste and costing road authorities millions every year Smart Sustainable Foundations protect footpaths and traffic islands from damage, preserving them for decades
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REPLACING TRAFFIC ISLANDS The repeated damage to signposts, grabrails, bollards and traffic light columns substantially increases the need for total replacement of islands and footpaths You can greatly improve the potential lifespan of traffic islands and pavements
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INCREASING DISTURBANCE Repeated replacements result in an ever increasing amount of disturbance to traffic and ultimately angry drivers- and with rapid urbanisation this problem will only get worse. Using sustainable foundations, there is no disturbance to traffic or pedestrians for maintenance and minimal for installs
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REPLACEMENTS REDUCE INTEGRITY Repeated replacements provide no future benefit, with each replacement further reducing the integrity of the footpath or traffic island, leaving our cties in a constant state of decline You can now substantially increase the lfiespan ad safety of footpaths and traffic islands
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DANGEROUS DELAYS Delays to repairing vital traffic signage, traffic lights, barriers or bollards can cause serious injury and can be fatal With our fast growing urban populations and more cars on our roads, this problem will increase dramatically The requirements to improve turnaround times will only increase and failure to meet the deadlines will incur heavy penalties It's time to put an end to costly delays! You can now ensure all work is completed on time, without disturbance. Damaged items can be replaced in literally seconds.
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WARNING TAPE - A WASTE OF TIME Delays fixing traffic lights are a major problem (possibly life threatening) and with fast growing populations will only get worse In the same time it takes to place tape over a damaged signal-you can replace the column greatly improving safety and efficiency
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UNSAFE TEMPORARY MEASURES Current maintenance methods are time consuming and so delays are inevitable, creating dangerous litigation risks (here, the bollard that was damaged 6 times in one year is missing from a school crosswalk!) In the same time it takes to place a traffic cone over the problem - you can replace the item greatly improving safety and efficiency
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POSTS AND BASE REMOVED A major problem around schools is vandalism- signs are often ripped form the ground with Gympie council having to repeatedly replace damaged signs every Monday When signs are installed on Smart Sustainable Foundations they cannot be removed by vandals and the footing can be made large enought to ensure it cannot be dislodged (as it's permanent)
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VANDALISM A major problem is vandalismas the entire sign and concrete footing must be removed, disposed of and replaced If installed on Smart Sustainable Foundations this sign could be quickly removed (reducing the incentive for valdals) cleaned and replaced.
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CORROSION Steel posts installed directly in concrete rust out quickly and become dangerous litigation risks with cheap imports exacerbating the problem. As the post is protected from the concrete and moisture by the self-healing ground socket, you eradicate this risk and also make posts removable, reusable and 100% recyclable. We also have Smart posts that don't rust.
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FADED SIGNS You often see signs that have faded and yet not replaced. This can cause problems with parking or worse, still major injury in the case of a STOP sign. When installed on Sustsinable Foundations it can be replaced in seconds
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CARBON WASTE FROM STEEL Items installed directly in concrete are not recyclable, with both the item and concrete becoming carbon waste. Smart posts and grab-rails become recyclable, and bollards even become re-usable impact after impact, relocatable and recyclable |
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TIPPING FEES The cost of disposing carbon waste is rising, becoming a major problem for maintenance operators (especailly in urban regions) and is creating an even bigger problem for future generations ZERO tipping fees, and you make money from recycling the steel
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TRAVEL TO TIP Travel to dispose of waste is becoming increasingly costly and time consuming as waste facilities must be relocated further and further outside the Central Business District and fuel costs continue to rise By using Smart Sustainable Foundations there will be no travel to the tip as recycling companies will often come to you and PAY YOU for your steel (if you don't re-use it) |
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ON-GOING PAVING SUPPLIES On-going consumption of paving supplies is costly and causing major delays, and with depleting resources this maddness cannot go on
We need to stop buying, dumping and re-purchasing these valuable finite resources which are becoming increasingly costly Sustainable Foundations preserve paving impact after impact; No expensive repairs; No ongoing consumption of carbon resoucres; no waste. (I absolutely hate seeing this sort of waste and you will too now you know there's a solution!)
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RE-INSTATING PAVING Re-instating paving is a nightmare and never looks quite the same, (substantially reducing the integrity and the lifespan of the footpath or traffic island). Delays such as this and piles of bricks also pose a growing litigation risk No repairs required.
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FADED ITEMS When items grow old and need repainting or revamping- instead of sending out two men plus two traffic management crew and a traffic control vehicle and variable message sign, placing the entire crew at risk of injury for hours whilst re-painting these grab rails. they could simply pop them out and replace them in seconds - taking the tired ones back for a quick touch up! For bollards, we have bollard covers.
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TRIP FACTORS Unstable paving and trip factors create major litigation risks and devices such as these which allow the post to shear above ground level leave dangerous metal protrusions that create an even greater litigation risk. This is really asking for trouble in this day and age Smart Sustainable ground sockets are installed flush with the surface and capped when item is removed (cap has no trip factors)
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BOLLARDS ARE NOT IMPACT RESISTANT Flexible plastic bollards or spring-loaded bollards provide no protection and quickly wear out Every-day steel and stainless steel bollards can be made re-usable impact after impact, reducing damage to vehicles and eradicating damage to footings.
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CHEAP BOLLARDS CAN COST A MINT This is a good example of why we need to apply whole of life cost analysis to purchases Buy a cheap bollard, (say $20.00) may be cheap to purchase, but this bollard is on a busy corner and often impacted- requiring two people, digging, concreting, and brick-paving along with expensive traffic management (notice variables message sign mounted on vehicle in the background and two traffic management staff) every time it is impacted Let's say it costs one thousand dollars per replacement and being replaced around 4-5 times a year it would cost around 5000 x 100 years = Which equates to half a million dollars over the life of a development.
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STUPID SURFACE MOUNT BOLLARDS! This is a newly installed bollard is not made to withstand impact (traditional surface mount bollards are only for looks), yet this company put hundreds throughout a carpark! A nightmare for the poor maintenance manager as almost every bollard in the carpark was out of alignment within weeks, the bases bent and even caps had been knocked off. We have developed an impact resistant surface mount bollard, unlike anything you've seen before. Both the base plate and bollard are re-usable impact after impact.
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DISABLED BAY BOLLARDS Highly vulnerable to impact disabled bay bollards are causing a major problem as cars are driving into the bay before realising there's a bollard! We developed a sustainable solution. A bollard that remains rigid but when impacted by a vehicle the bollard absorbs the initial impact force and slowly self-recovers. Even when badly impacted the bollard is re-usable and extremely low cost to replace
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DAMAGE TO VEHICLES When a vehicle impacts a solid steel bollard it is likely to result in scratches, dents and costly repairs. Poly bollards provide a soft surface (can be installed over a staninrd bolalrd or Impact Recovery Bollard) reducing the risk of dents, scratches or damage to vehicles
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UNSTABLE ITEMS Pose a serious litigation risk as signs become unreadable or loose in the footing. This cost Sydney Road authorities millions in just one case when sign fell on someone's head causing brain damage. Posts, bollards, and infrastructure secured using Smart Sustainable Foundations will not become loose or unstable, remaining safe and secure, perfectly aligned impact after impact, year after year
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UNSTABLE POSTS A big problem around schoool zones You can afford a slightly larger footing to ensure this never happens again- solving the problem once and for all, saving resources and money |
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DISLODGED FOOTINGS A footing like this is just wasting concrete as it is easily dislodged, reducing safety and creating potential litigation risks Better to make it sustainable, improving safety and preserving the concrete for 100 years, or more |
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SHEARED OFF POSTS Removing a sheared off post means having to jackhammer out the concrete and this is costly - so many remain the concrete creating major litigation risks Sheared off posts are removed from the Smart Sustainable ground socket (from a standing position) using the sheared post removal tool
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ITEMS REMOVED BY VANDALS This is a major problem around school zones and is costing councils and road authorities millions (with one Queensland council replacing 16 signs almost every weekend due to vandalism). Items secured on Smart Sustainable Foundations remain perfectly aligned, safe and secure year after year and cannot be removed without Smart tools
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ITEMS DIFFICULT TO REMOVE Posts and items of roadside infrastructure embedded in concrete are difficult to remove so items no longer in use are often left in the concrete footing If a Smart item is no longer in use, you simply remove the item and cap off the ground socket. No trip factors
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HEAVY EQUIPMENT Items embedded in concrete or in areas with a limestone base, require jackhammers and heavy equipment to perform repairs this is not only hard work it is disruptive and costly. Working with concrete dust is also very dangerous as it can cause infertility, respiratory problems and cancer Smart tools are sold at cost and all work is performed effortlessly from standing position
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DELAYS DUE TO RAIN As concrete will not set in the rain, delays in the winter (when quickly replacing vital road-side items, is even more important) are common and pose a serious litigation risk (and when a jackhammer or cement mixer is required it is even more dangerous as using electrical equipment in the rain is, well, just asking for trouble) If sockets were installed when pouring foundations, items can be installed in the rain and maintenance can be performed in the rain
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UNSTABLE TEMPORARY SIGNAGE Temporary signage is costly to erect, extremely unreliable (costly to erect and maintain) and dangerous, greatly increasing your risk of litigation Smart ground sockets can be installed when pouring concrete and items are installed in less time than it currently takes to erect temporary signage
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FADED AND UNSAFE ITEMS When inserted directly into concrete it is difficult to replace an item so old, faded items become less of a priority than damaged items, consequently our roads become unsightly and unsafe. With the influx of cheap imports this problem is being exacerbated. Using Smart Foundations items can be quickly removed, and replaced and old items instead of being thrown away, can be revamped for re-use or recycled. We also have Smart FRP posts that are resistant to UV outlasting powdercoating (RHS and CHS).
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BOLLARDS REQUIRE LARGE CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS Without any shock absorbing mechanism, bollards need to be installed in massive footings to protect from being dislodged when impacted by a vehicle. This is problematic as you run into underground services, and when a bollard is impacted, because bollards are rigid, the impact force is directed to the expensive footing, which is then dislodged and you need to replace both the bollard and expensive footing impact after impact. By making bollards impact resistant you require less intensive foundations and foundations become re-usable impact after impact
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ITEMS RIPPED FROM GROUND Metal brackets are extremely unreliable (shown here is a new install already dislodged) and are growing increasingly expensive, often damaging the surrounding paving if dislodged and are expensive to replace. Even when galvanised are not rust or impact resistant - are not sustainable and every single one will need replacing several times over the lifespan of a development Smart Sustainable Foundations cost less to buy, cost less to install, ensure items remain perfectly aligned, do not rust or corrode and keep working for the entire lifespan of a development
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METAL RUSTS Metal devices even if galvanised will rust and corrode within around ten eyars and as metal is not impact resistant it is not suitable for this application causing litigation risks and creating a major clean-up job for future generations Smart Foundations will not rust or corrode and continue working impact after impact
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DELAYS FIXING TRAFFIC LIGHTS Current methods of installing and maintaining traffic lights are time consuming (taking hours- even weeks on some locations) causing unnecessary disturbance, risking lives and costing millions. Yet all this work provides no future benefit so as populations grow, delays will only increase Smart traffic light columns are replaced quickly and efficiently, without disturbance or waste
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DAMAGED METAL DEVICES /POSTS As metal posts and fixing devices inserted directly in concrete are not impact resistant, they can be damaged upon the very first impact and create dangerous protrusions Smart Sustainable Foundations are impact resistant, will not rust or corrode - lasting decades with no trip factors
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DISLODGED BASES Because many road-workers consider concrete to be disposable (and until now- it was) they install posts in bases that are easily dislodged- simply creating more work and waste and posing further litigation risks. As Smart foundations are re-usable it is cost effective to use a little more concrete which ensures the entire concrete base is re-usable impact after impact, year after year and cannot be dislodged
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SPECIFICATION CHANGES Items embedded in concrete become immovable and unable to quickly adapt to changing requirements. Specification changes, events, disasters, or roadworks require temporary measures Smart Signposts can be replaced in seconds, removed, replaced or relocated and the socket capped. Smart electronic signage also available controlled from base
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ONE BOLLARD COSTING THOUSANDS As a result of the constant battering this one bollard was replaced six times (and by the end of the year the entire island had to be replaced) imagine the carbon waste and what it is going to cost over the next 50 - 100 years! Smart sustainable Foundations protect the bollard and traffic island from damage impact after impact - Zero ongoing costs for decades
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BARRIERS EXTREMELY VULNERABLE Grab-rails, bike racks and barriers are vulnerable to damage and extremely costly to maintain Smart sustainable Foundations ensure rails remain perfectly aligned, safe and secure, and are replaced quickly and efficiently keeping our roads safe. |
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METAL POSTS STUCK IN CONCRETE This creates dangerous litigation risks, creates a lot of unnecessary work, carbon waste of both the metal and concrete and reduces the lifespan of the footpath, creating more downstream costs and waste Smart items are removed and replaced quickly and efficiently. Zero waste and posts become recyclable
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RHS POSTS DANGEROUS RHS posts are light walled, so are easily bent by vandals. When bent create dangerous litigation risks, as the edge is like tin can and rusts very easily (as you can see they are very dangerous) CHS posts cannot be bent by hand and when impacted they have no dangerous protrusions
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CRUDE TEMPORARY FOUNDATIONS Because foundations are replaced on a regular basis the concrete footing is regarded as disposable and consequently standards are often crude, reducing the aesthetics and safety of a development Smart footings create a perfect finish, remaining in pristine condition for decades
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WAITING FOR CONCRETE TO CURE Concrete takes time to cure adding time on location (especially necessary when installing large signs, heavy items or in windy conditions) - and in rainy conditions it is impossible so delays are inevitable. Reducing time on location is critical to improving the safety and sustainability of future roadworks
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CLEAN-UP It takes longer to remove the broken paving and concrete, sweep up the mess, and remove the traffic management, than it takes to remove and replace a Smart item. No mess, no waste Reducing time on location is critical to improving the safety and sustainability of future roadworks
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LACK OF PRIDE Repeatedly replacing the same footings prvides no future beneft, therefore no pride in your work. Instead of repeatedly replacing footings workers can now have pride in healing and transforming their city.
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DELAYS REPLACING TRAFFIC LIGHTS Delays to repairing vital traffic light columns can cause serious injury or death. The requirements to improve turn around times will increase and using current methods if the damage increases (which it will) authorities using these methods will struggle to cope You can now secure traffic light columns on sustainable foundations and replace columns less time than it takes to wrap a traffic light column in warning tape
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BOLLARDS TO STOP A VEHICLE Until now the only way to stop a vehicle was to install a steel bollard in a concrete foundation at least 1 metre deep and fill it with concrete. This is expensive and despite all this hard work- either the bollard or the foundation is going to give way when impacted- costing hundreds of thousands over the life of a development We have developed a means of making bollards impact resistant and a bollard that will stop a passenger vehicle, whilst also preserving the foundations
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BENT BOLLARDS When a bollard installed directly in concrete is impacted either the bollard bends or foundations are damaged, there is no good outcome - something's got to give! Anyone recognise the building? Using the Impact Recovery Syste, you can make every-day bollards self-recover from impact saving hundreds of thousands over the life of a development, substantially improving safety and aesthetics
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SURFACE MOUNT BOLLARDS When a surface mount bollard is impacted either the bollard bends, the base plate bends or foundations are ripped up - either way both the bollard and foundations need replacing every time one is impacted. Smart Surface Mount bollards become re-usable impact after impact
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TIRED UNSIGHTLY BOLLARDS Instead of digging up the bollard and entire concrete footing when a bollard is old and unsightly (but the foundations are still good) - you can save money by covering them with bollard covers. Smart Bollard covers are available in poly (stone look) rusted finish laser-cut or stainless steel
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UNSAFE BARRIERS & TEMPORARY ITEMS Temporary items for events (bins, bollards, barriers, signage, seating, tables) are often unstable and unsafe especially barriers, creating costly maintenance during events and creating dangerous litigation risks. Now you can install all of these items on Smart Sustainable Foundations so they remain safe, secure and easily removable, replaceable and relocatable by authorised persons
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UNSAFE UNSTABLE BINS Bins can be brought in for events but are easily tipped over Now you can secure bins using sustainable foundations and a post with locking bars to hold wheelie bins |
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UNSIGHTLY LANE MARKERS Flimsy plastic lane markers offer no protection; are not UV resistant so quickly fade, crack and look unsightly. We have developed an impact resistant, fade resistant, removable, relocatable Lane Marker secured on Sustainable Foundations. |
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UNSTABLE TABLES tables can be unstable on paved areas, abd can be moved outside boundaries in busy shopping centres or city streets, causing dangerous litigtion risks or fines from council. Tables secured using Sustainable Foundations remain stable and secure year after year (easily removable and socket can be capped) |
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CONSTANT DAMAGE TO BOLLARDS City of Perth had a major problem with bollards in the city centre. They were replacing not only the foundations but also the bollards on a daily basis, costing hundreds of thousands a year We developed a means of securing both in-ground and surface mount bollards making both the bollard and the foundations re-usable impact after impact (no springs)
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DANGEROUS BIKE PATH BOLLARDS Solid steel bollards have no place on a bike path and create dangerous litigation risks. Even worse are unstable removable bollards that leave dangerous trip factors when removed. Along the coast this is a major problem as rust causes metal sockets to become extremely unreliable. MRWA came to us for a solution. The Smart Low Impact Bollard (no dangerous springs) remains rigid but absorbs impact reducing risk of injury and is secured on Sustainable Foundations - no risk of rust or corrosion and no trip factors when bollards are removed
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DISASTERS The latest problem – clean up after cyclones, events and floods is time consuming and becoming a more regular occurrence as our weather is changing Emergency signage can be installed for flood zones or barriers to block entry to an area following an accident, event or disaster, and the infrastructure for an entire development can be installed and replaced up in a single day! Greatly simplifying events and clean-up following disasters
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CHANGES AND UPGRADES Changes to specifications and infrastructure upgrades are time consuming and costly, creating unnecessary disturbance, unnecessary waste and unnecessary delays. Smart Sustainable Foundations make changes to specifications and future upgrades, a breeze! An entire development can be upgraded in a single day! (concrete bases can also be made relocatable)
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ALTERNATE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR EVENTS At last a simple way to make better use of infrastructure and space as items become removable, replaceable, relocatable and even interchangeable for events or if needs change throughout the day, week, from season to season, or even from decade to decade. Instead of being static environments subject to constant damage they become Smart dynamic environments that quickly change to meet changing needs
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Take this complex job and make it crazy simple!
"Efficiency in infrastructure investment must form a central focus for Australia’s governments, as they seek to close the infrastructure gap. After all, each dollar saved by eliminating cost overruns and inefficiencies can be invested in new, productive infrastructure.”
OPTIONS FOR REFORM REPORT