Why You Need to Protect your Equipment with Guardrail

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accidents do happen

Damage to modular building panel from run in with fork truck tine

Regardless of how much training you’ve had, or how careful you are, accidents can happen.  Even your best fork truck driver can make a mistake. I recently had a customer contact me with just such a situation.

Last year the customer had put in a quality assurance lab and office using our A-wall modular building system.  Unfortunately, their best fork truck driver slipped up and ran into the wall. They were lucky: no one was injured, and he was able to stop before he caused any significant structural damage.  It did however knock a knock a 2”x4” hole on the one side of the wall panel and a larger hole on the inside where it pushed through. Since the damage was localized to a couple small holes in a single panel and there was no structural damage to any of the other components, the customer contacted a local drywall contractor to repair the damage to the panel, and we were able to provide him with a sheet of vinyl to cover the patches with.

use industrial guardrail to protect your equipment and personnel in areas with fork traffic

Industrial guardrail protects your equipment from fork traffic

This all could have been avoided if the customer put up a line of industrial guardrail around the perimeter.  Our industrial guardrail is available in single and double rail configurations, and our standard non-liftout system is designed for a 10,000 lb at 4 mph breakthrough.  It’s bolt together design is easy to install and comes with all required hardware, including the concrete anchors. We offer a wide variety of lengths and off-center welded baseplates to configure a layout that will best fit your facility’s layout.  We can even provide you with a heavy duty gate system that can stop a 13,500 lb fork truck moving at 6.5 mph, yet fold out of the wall to allow passage. Next time you’re thinking about putting in a structure in an area with fork traffic, don’t forget about adding guardrail to protect your workers and your equipment.  You might not be as lucky as this customer was.

Vinyl Bollard Covers Keep Your Bollards Looking New

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old weathered bollards

These rusty bollards could use some sprucing up

Winter is beginning to subside. The snow and ice are melting away and all sorts of things are being unearthed — some terrifying. I’m talking about your bollards of course. And they look horrible. Everyone has been out and about enjoying the warmth, but they are also seeing some really nasty weather stricken bollards. Sure you are thinking, “Well I’ll just get someone out to paint that again,” just like every other year. But the fact of the matter is, between now and then, your business is looking shabby, and you are continually paying for product and labor just to keep up. I’m sure we have all heard the saying “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.” This statement stands true for a lot more than just our personal appearance. I’m far more likely to feel confident about a bank handling my money that looks well maintained than one that has peeling paint and layers of rust. Sunlight and moisture can cause serious damage to bollards, and quickly. The more nicked and flaky they look, the less and less professional the establishment looks, leaving people less likely to trust the service you are providing them.

 

color chart for vinyl bollard covers and sleeves

Available in 10 standard colors, our vinyl bollard covers will help your bollards stand out in a good way.

There are so many benefits to a good bollard cover that I find it difficult understanding why I ever see them without one. Not only does it quickly (and I mean quickly as it often takes about a minute for installation) enhance the aesthetic of your business, but it can also keep your company’s name looking good. Vinyl bollard covers are some of my favorite for the simple reason that they are durable. If one of your trucks comes into contact with a bollard, it easily results in scratches, and even dents. A vinyl cover adds surprisingly effective impact protection. No longer are your vehicles getting an unwanted makeover by a solid metal pole; instead, they now have a sturdy bit of cushion that can far better absorb blunt force impacts. No more scraped rusty bollards, and no more scraped rusty trucks.

In the time that it takes you to tie your shoes, you can easily have eliminated years of maintenance, all while helping cement your place in your customer’s confidence. Your rusted bollards look horrible; it’s time to cover them up.

-Reese @ Floormatstore.com