Austroads Safety Hardware Training and Accreditation Scheme (ASHTAS)

The Austroads Safety Hardware Training and Accreditation Scheme (ASHTAS) is a national initiative designed to ensure the correct design, installation, inspection, maintenance, and repair of permanent road safety barriers and end treatments across Australian and New Zealand road networks. Developed to enhance safety and compliance with jurisdictional and supplier specifications, the scheme addresses critical concerns about substandard barrier installations that may compromise safety.

Why is ASHTAS Needed?

There are serious concerns nationwide about substandard barrier installations. Poor installation can compromise a barrier’s safety performance and increase the risk of serious injury or death in a crash. To address this, Austroads members have developed a standardised training and accreditation scheme called ASHTAS. The scheme is designed to ensure the correct installation of all safety barriers, including other road safety hardware eventually, on road networks. ASHTAS provides practitioners with detailed instruction on safety barrier fundamentals, including correct installation, adherence to standards, manufacturer's specifications, and best practices.

What training is required?

All individuals who directly impact the quality of installation, maintenance or repair of permanent road safety barriers and end treatments must attain accreditation by successfully completing the 'Operative Course'.

All individuals who work directly on the installation, maintenance or repair of permanent road safety barriers (excluding concrete at this stage) and end treatments must attain accreditation by successfully completing the 'Installer Course'. Completion of the Operative Course is a prerequisite for this course.

The Installer Course is available in two modules:

• Installer A - Covers generic elements.
• Installer B - Covers W-beam and Thrie-beam barriers, wire rope barriers, and end treatments. (Temporary and concrete barriers will be included in future updates).

This training requirement will extend to all future courses (for example, for Installers- Proprietary, Designers, and so on.) as they are introduced.

Implementation of ASHTAS in Transport and Main Roads

ASHTAS Operative Course requirements have been incorporated into Transport and Main Roads Technical Specification
MRTS14 Road Furniture. These requirements took effect with the release of the document in the July 2024 publication cycle. Contractors, consultants, and departmental employees must comply with the updated standards.
With the recent release of the Installer Course, the department is now in the process of updating the specification to also mandate the Installer Course in the near future.
Please note that contractors and consultants will be responsible for covering their own training costs.

For departmental employees requiring accreditation, the costs will be covered by the respective departmental units or regions.

Training Providers

National and International providers available across Queensland are listed on Lantra's Approved Training Providers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What happens if I cannot book into a training course, as all courses are full?

The department is aware of the limited training sessions available, and the potential for some not able to complete the training for a substantial amount of time, for example, 3 months.

• Scenario 1: If no scheduled courses are available but you have evidence suggesting that all attempts have been made to enrol in the next available course (in writing) provided by the Approved Training Provider.
• Scenario 2: If you are enrolled in a course but it will not be held for a substantial amount of time, for example, 3 months (and you have evidence to provide you are enrolled).

In both scenarios, the department recommends, to the departmental project sponsor or asset owner, that these scenarios constitute valid justifications for granting approval until certification is obtained.

Q2. What if my current contract is based on the March 2022 version of MRTS14 Road Furniture? Do the Operatives need to undergo training now, halfway through the project? This additional cost was not included in our budget.

For any existing contracts and projects, where funding has been secured against the specification that was current at that time, requirements will remain unchanged and applicable. However, the department should, wherever possible, aim to adopt the latest Technical Specifications.

Q3. I am employing labourers for a one-off job. Do they need to be ASHTAS certified?

Labourers should assist the installers with manual tasks rather than work directly on the guard rail installation. As such, they will not make any decisions that may impact the quality of the guardrail installation. Therefore, they are not considered part of the installation team (also referred to as gang or crew) and are not required to undergo Operative certification.
Note: If the labourers carry out any aspects of installing the guardrail, which directly impacts the quality of installation, maintenance, or repair of road safety barriers and end treatments, they must attain accreditation by successfully completing the 'Operative Course'.

Q4. Is the Operative course a prerequisite for the future Designer course?

It is not mandatory for designers to complete the Operative course. However, we highly recommend it, as it provides valuable safety and operational insights.

Q5. Do inspectors or investigators who carry out the barrier inspection need to be certified?

Yes, they are required to be certified as Operative at a minimum if they conduct inspections or investigations and provide professional advice, directly impacting the quality of installation, maintenance or repair.

Q6. If Transport and Main Roads employees (that work with road safety barriers) are required to have ASHTAS accreditation, does this also mean Local Councils (and local consultants) in Queensland will also be required to have an accreditation?

Austroads has recommended that all road jurisdictions, both State and Local, ensure that all individuals who directly impact the quality of installation, maintenance, or repair of permanent road safety barriers and end treatments, obtain national training and ASHTAS accreditation.
The department's Technical Specification MRTS14 Road Furniture has been updated to incorporate this new requirement. If you are working on departmental roads or have adopted the departments Technical Specification within your business, it will necessitate the adoption of the national training scheme. Otherwise, individual road agencies, whether state or local, will need to determine their own position on the adoption of the national scheme and when it will be implemented.

Q7. Who are the QLD Approved Training Providers?

National / International providers accessible across Queensland are listed on Lantra's Approved Training Providers.

Q8. Can I complete the Course online?

Yes, training providers offer the option to complete the course either online or in-person. Further training information is provided on the individual training providers' websites. See Q7.

Q9. Is ASHTAS accreditation required for bridge barrier installation?

ASHTAS accreditation is mandatory exclusively for road barriers that are designed or installed in accordance with AS/NZS 3845 Road safety barrier systems and devices. Bridge barriers or special barriers are generally governed by separate standards, notably AS 5100 Bridge Design.

Q10. I am a Road Safety Barrier Supplier. How can I include my products in the Installer Course?

To have your road safety barriers considered for inclusion in ASHTAS installer courses, you will need to contact Lantra to start the application process.

Q11. My company only installs temporary barriers, am I required to attend the training?

Currently, the ASHTAS course applies only  to permanent barriers (excluding concrete) and terminals.

Q12. Can the installation company gain accreditation for all staff, or does every individual that installs barriers require accreditation?

Accreditation is based on individual competency and will be monitored through a logbook system by Lantra.

Further Information

For more details and a list of training providers, visit:
Austroads - Safety Hardware Training and Accreditation Scheme (ASHTAS)
Lantra - Approved Training Providers
Contact the departments Road Design Unit at Road Design Standards for assistance.