Latest PS Industries® Incorporated News

Until Hurricane Sandy, decision makers in the city of New York had differing opinions on the importance of flood protection. The devastating flooding that resulted from the tropical cyclone in 2012 left no unbelievers, however. The only question on everyone’s mind was “How can we prevent this from happening again?” For the leadership at Glen Cove High School on Long Island – a facility housing grades 9–12 set on 50 acres of land – long-term plans started to include serious flood protection.

PS Industries, a leading provider of products that protect people and property, including flood protection solutions since 1974, is excited to announce the acquisition of Flood Barrier, a well-established leader in flood protection based in Florida. This strategic acquisition will further strengthen PS Industries’ highly regarded PS Flood Barriers™ division, bringing together two companies with decades of expertise that share a proven commitment to safeguarding people and property from the devastating effects of flooding.

Not all floods are created equal. Every flood features water, of course, but where that water comes from can be very different for each situation. In addition, the accumulation of floodwater can happen at different rates and can be accompanied by strong winds, powerful currents, troublesome debris and a host of other factors. It stands to reason, then, that each combination of characteristics that make a flood unique also requires flooding solutions that are distinctly developed to address them. Treating all floods the same can lead to breakdowns in flood protection, but fortunately, proper planning can secure virtually any business or building against the destructive power of floodwaters.

Flooding can impact any facility in any industry, but healthcare can be especially problematic. Not only are hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities and other structures part of critical infrastructure – caring for and sometimes housing the most vulnerable members of our communities – they present special challenges due to their features and architecture.

The heart of almost every busy distribution center or warehouse / fulfillment center is its pick line. Essentially the pick line is the area or process (the phrase is often used to describe one or the other or both) in which workers or machines select or “pick” products or items for an order or for shipment. The success of any pick line, then, relies on how quickly and efficiently this system works. However, speed cannot be the only consideration, since this complex dance of people, products and machines must work in harmony to be productive and – most importantly – safe.

For a safety gate to be effective, it needs to prevent an accident. In most cases, that means the gate must be closed when not in use, serving as a barrier against whatever risks are on the other side of it. One of the primary features that sets a safety gate apart from a regular gate in this regard is that a safety gate closes on its own after someone goes through it. This self-closing action happens thanks to heavy-duty springs, and if those springs aren’t doing their jobs properly, the safety gate’s protection is compromised and its lifespan is diminished.

There is a lot to consider when you’re planning flood protection for your building / facility. When choosing the best flow barrier, for example, one must consider more than just the size and structure of the opening, the means of deployment (active vs passive) and the water pressure. It’s also critical not to forget that the current within floodwaters often carries debris with it.

As manufacturing machines become larger and more automated and facilities become more productive and faster paced, the job of keeping workers safe has evolved as well. It’s no longer enough to rely on signage to remind employees that they must keep a safe distance from equipment or floor tape to steer foot traffic onto safe pathways. Even products like cones can be easily overlooked, creating a need for more tangible, more effective protection for workers.

Some of the most important parts of manufacturing and production processes happen in places that are hard to get to and difficult to see. This might be because part of the system needs to be enclosed for operational or safety reasons, or it might be because some elements of the process simply don’t need to be out in the open. Whatever the reason, eventually maintenance and repair teams need to be able to inspect (and perhaps access) all parts of a manufacturing process.

It can be easy to take air for granted. After all, it’s invisible and intangible, a component of most industrial processes that goes unnoticed until poor ventilation becomes an issue – something all too common for many facilities. Not only is proper ventilation required for the operation of machines and technology, regulatory agencies like OSHA have developed standards for it as well, directing companies to provide healthy atmospheric conditions for their workers.