What’s worse than improper chemical storage causing a hazmat fire that threatens the lives of firefighters? How about a tornado ripping simultaneously ripping through that same area? Well, this perfect storm of fire and wind became a chilling reality in Wadena, Minnesota last week. Just as authorities arrived on the scene of a surging blaze at a large industrial building, their chain-of-command ordered crews to retreat to safety as news broke of an approaching tornado. In what must of felt like a moment of sheer futility, the brave firefighters, who adopted a never back-down-mentality, were forced to do just that or further jeopardize their lives. By almost a complete stroke of luck, the tornado missed the raging inferno and firefighters returned to the scene to finish the job off. Just like the old saying goes, if something can go wrong, it most certainly will. If you allow the mechanisms of fate to swing into full effect, you will invariably find yourself at the losing end of probability’s unyielding leverage. As it turns out, the owners of the damaged chemical facility made two crucial mistakes. For one, they didn’t secure proper storage for a volatile stockpile of flammable chemicals. And secondly, they completely ignored steel rated tornado protection.
With Storm Clouds on the Horizon, Don’t Settle for Second Rate
Industrial facilities are full of common everyday threats. Not only do you have an array of heavy machinery and the whizzing rush of assembly line equipment buzzing about, but you also have to contend with the domino effect of catastrophe. One misplaced item or overstep in safety can have a ripple effect on the entire facility and culminate with a calamitous finality. Take routine maintenance as a prime example. Powerful factory machinery requires heavy duty degreasers to keep gears turning freely with no friction. Well what if a distracted maintenance worker forgets the flammable cleaning product on the factory floor and an errant spark from a nearby machine catches wind of the vapors? A sudden flash over fire could very easily consume your facility, destroying the factory and threatening the lives of all your employees. Now if you’re playing the numbers, chances are, this type of reverberating destruction is a rarity, but that doesn’t mean you’ve completely escaped danger, or hefty civil penalties from OSHA. Even if the exposed chemicals didn’t start a fire, powerful vapors of direct contact to skin could very easily injure unsuspecting employees, who their day-to-day routine at your plant, hadn’t come into the habit of anticipating run-ins with such dangerous chemicals.
Steel Rated Tornado Protection Can Shore-Up Potential Safety Pitfalls
No matter what some of the big box stores or roadside hawkers might tell you, there’s simply not one suitable structure that completely protect from all of life’s threats, but our steel rated storage lockers come pretty close. In addition to offering a vaunted line of fire-rated and non fire-rated chemical storage options for almost any industrial setting, we also provide top-tier steel rated tornado protection. Our mobile storm shelters are designed for rapid deployment with various anchoring options, depending on your onsite conditions. The tornado shelter structure has been tested and certified by the Texas Tech National Wind Institute and rated for F5 Tornado / 250 MPH ground-speed impact.
Common Applications and Industries
- Schools
- Churches
- Civic Centers
- Transport Centers
- Stadiums and Sporting Events
- Theme Parks
- Malls
