Making My Backroom More Functional

Why Your Facility Needs Traction Sand, Even If You Never See Ice Or Snow

by Phil Lawrence

When your facility needs to cut its supply budget, those items that are rarely needed are often the first to go. For facilities in warmer climates that don't get ice and snow in the winter, things like traction sand may be cut off the list of supplies you can buy. Do this only if you already have traction sand on hand; if you don't have the sand, keep that item on your supply list because the sand can save you a lot of trouble in circumstances that can surprise you.

Don't Let a Rare Freeze Stop You

Even warmer regions get overnight freezes and frosts that make surfaces slippery. Rather than lose productive time to let things thaw out, facilities that are open overnight can set down traction sand that allows people to drive and walk around the property. That keeps your workers safer and prevents major delays in your production and shipping schedules. While people may still have some frostiness to deal with outside the property, people onsite should be OK.

Your Landscaping Will Thank You

If your property has non-paved pathways cutting through landscaping, people may not necessarily avoid those when those frosts and freezes happen. In fact, they may try to walk on the landscaping even more, thinking the dirt and grass will provide more traction, which isn't always the case. But you don't want to place deicing salts on landscaping. Sand is perfect, and all you need is a thin layer that can quickly blend in with the soil when the frost is gone.

Spills Won't Get Very Far

One more reason to keep a supply of traction sand around is that spills can happen at any time of the year and in any weather – and that traction sand can help absorb the spill and reduce the slipperiness of the area where the spill was. You do have to be careful not to put too much sand down as that might create muddy conditions, which would be just as bad as the spill. But a thin layer helps make the ground a little rougher and easier for shoe treads to grasp. If whatever spilled is a chemical that you need to clean up quickly, the sand can stop the spill from spreading and make it easier to clean up by providing a solid medium that can absorb the spill.

Traction sand is easily available and doesn't have to be expensive. This is one item that, even if you rarely need it, is something you definitely need to keep on hand.

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