Complete Composite Systems (CCS)
TouchSAFE – A Robust Barrier for Enclosing Electrical Equipment
This article first appeared in the Railway-News magazine, Issue 4 2022 Track & Infrastructure Edition.
Discover how TouchSAFE composite palisade fencing from CCS saves time and money for rail industry customers needing a robust barrier to safely enclose electrical equipment.
There are significant cost savings to be made from choosing TouchSAFE composite palisade fencing over metallic fencing because no earth bonding is required during installation.
Traditional metal fencing needs to be bonded to the main earthing system – often at several points every few metres – when being installed in close proximity to electrical installations to prevent electric shocks. An essential safety measure, this physical and time-consuming process can present a significant cost in terms of both materials and installation, which involves the encapsulation of earth rods in materials such as Marconite.
With TouchSAFE composite palisade fencing, there is no need to carry out earth bonding due to the FRP (fibreglass-reinforced polymer) construction of the panels that carry zero metal parts, meaning they don’t conduct electricity – ideal for protecting the likes of railway substations, LOC suites & OLE masts.
TouchSAFE is manufactured and assembled from FRP pultruded profiles conforming to EN 13706 grade E23. The polyester resin matrix is UV inhibited, corrosion resistant and fire retardant, providing protection against harmful sunlight as well as durability in all weathers.
Engineered glass-reinforced polypropylene dowel fixings hold the interlocked pales and cross rails in place to create a structurally robust panel that provides strong resistance against potential vandalism. TouchSAFE fencing is also 75% lighter than steel alternatives and is supplied in fully assembled panels, enabling large expanses of fencing to be installed quickly and easily. Adjustable embankment panels are available.
TouchSAFE composite palisade fencing offers a 40-year lifespan, and throughout that time there is no need to carry out any maintenance on the product. It is manufactured in our ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 18001 facility, with pre-assembled panels available in three standard heights of 1800mm, 2400mm and 3000mm.
