Whenever we talk about the high performance of our HMV systems – from our bollards to our security planters, from our guardrails to our manual rise and fall kerbs – we talk about their IWA-14 or PAS 68 rating.
So what do we mean by this – and why is it important?
The short answer is that these are the standards which outline the criteria through which HVM products are put through their paces when carrying out impact testing, and that any HVM product which bears these standards has met all of the requirements expected of them.
These include the speed at which the vehicle was travelling prior to the impact, the weight and type of vehicle and the accepted performance parameters of the product in action.
Different products have different specific ratings, but you can rest assured that any product with a PAS 68 rating (PAS means publicly available specification) or IWA-14 rating has achieved the gold performance standard in the UK.
So what’s the difference?
The short answer is, not much! You will still find many products proudly displaying their PAS 68 credentials today, but PAS was replaced in 2013 with the introduction of IWA 14 rating, with IWA standing for International Workshop Agreement.
Drawn up by the International Organisation for Standardisation, IWA-14 ratings made the criteria for testing HVM products the same world over following consultation with leading figures in our industry, along with the Centre for Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) and British Standards Institute (BSI).
Like PAS 68, each IWA-14 rating contains information explaining the type or vehicle and the nature of the test carried out and, again as with PAS 68, an IWA-14 rating indicates that the product is proven to be the best and safest available.
It takes tens of thousands of pounds to achieve an IWA-14 rating but it’s worth every penny to ensure that our products perform to the highest possible standards and are capable of saving lives and protecting property.
