To what extent are groundscare professionals already equipped for winter? A variety of de-icing methodologies exist to keep footpaths and amenities clear and safe in the event of extreme temperatures. What processes can be followed to better protect surrounding landscapes? John Saint, Epoke product manager at Scarab investigates.
The icy temperatures of last winter left many parts of the UK landscape blanketed with snow. The country may have looked like a perfect picture postcard but the prolonged cold snap rendered many areas difficult to navigate, by vehicle or on foot.
As we prepare to enter the coldest months of the year, it is therefore crucial that amenities professionals are aware of the different ways to keep their grounds clear and safe.
As with most areas of business, a proactive and preparatory approach is certainly beneficial. It is also important to note that a ‘one size fits all’ attitude is rarely suffice. Groundscare professionals, with the help of specialist experts, should consider factors such as the positioning of the amenities being treated, any localised weather conditions and the size of the land being maintained, in order to devise the best-fit winter maintenance solution for a given site.
Marooned – Paw thing
Keeping external pathways clear may not sound a particularly complex task. However, there is more to effective winter maintenance than just dry salt and a shovel, even for very small jobs.
A miniature hand-pushed salt spreader for instance, offers a more ergonomic and environmentally friendly alternative. This piece of kit – which looks very much like a wheelbarrow and is manoeuvred in the same way – ensures a simple, accurate and homogenous distribution of salt along the width of the spreader. Not only is this better for the operative, but the surrounding landscape is also protected because the salt is not dispersed haphazardly. Instead, the groundscare professional has control over where the treatment takes place.
Of course this manual approach may be too physically intensive for larger areas, but amenities managers may understandably fear the cost of alternative motorised machinery. What many do not realise however, is that existing plant and fleet can be utilised to ensure expenditure remains manageable. This is especially important, given the solution is only required for a limited number of weeks per year.
Organisations are therefore encouraged to look at the assets they already have, to determine what modes of transport could be used as the ‘host’ vehicle for winter maintenance equipment. A parkland quad bike, golf course buggy, tractor, JCB, pick-up truck, 4×4 or transit van could all be used to pull a towed spreader, for instance.
It is not just the spreading equipment that deserves some consideration. For larger projects, groundscare professionals may also wish to think about the use of pre-wetted techniques where salt adheres to the ground and enters into the solution more quickly, meaning the thawing action can begin sooner and reduced salt usage is commonly reported. This method can prove additionally
beneficial for sites located in coastal areas or in the typically colder parts of the Northern UK, where faster action is needed.
For a more preventative approach, liquid brine could be applied before the snow and ice hits. Using even less salt then the aforementioned techniques, this treatment does not require any activation from traffic to become effective, making it perfect for slippery footpaths and cycleways, as well as car parks and roads.
The key thing to remember with modern winter maintenance technologies, is that equipment ranges are often extensive and flexible. This means there is inevitably a solution for even the most complex of sites. And sometimes, after considering all of the above, the best approach for a particular amenity may be determined according to purely non-technical factors. In areas with large traffic volumes or significant pedestrian footfall for example, a liquid or white salt may be the preferred solution simply because it does not leave the same dirty marks as brown salt.
Crucially, it may only be a couple of weeks until ice and snow hits the UK once again. Landscape and amenities professionals therefore need to act now, to devise the best-fit approach that will save them money, is kind to the environment and keeps their grounds clear and safe.
John Saint is the Epoke product manager at Scarab
Tel 01622 831006
www.scarab-epoke.co.uk
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