Construction Blog

Fitting a Traffic Arrow Board to Your Full-Size Pickup

Traffic Arrow Boards are an important part of construction site safety, particularly in the case of road and highway construction. Arrow boards come in a variety of styles and sizes to meet the needs of any job. From towable towers to mountable truck units, each can be very useful in the field. If you're considering a truck-mounted unit, you may have some questions about how the board will integrate with your current set up. 

Basically, there are four ways you might mount a board to your current vehicle: Tailgate Mount, Bed Rail Rack, Bed Floor Rack, and Bulk Head Rack. I've posted images of each style below for you to review.

 
  As you can see, each of these mounting options can accommodate a variety of situations. Generally a full-size pickup with a regular, enclosed bed would use either a bed rail rack or bed floor rack system to mount the arrow board properly. Utility, sewer, dump, and other heavy-duty commercial motor vehicles will generally require a tailgate style mount or a bulk head mount. Each of these mounting styles can be purchased in a manual tilt or power tilt option. The power tilt arrow board allows you to control the board's tilt from the cab of your truck. Some applications find this feature very necessary, and others that are price conscious or have a tailgate mounted unit don't find it to be a necessity at all. It generally will come down to preference. However, I would recommend a power tilt unit almost 100% of the time. Keep in mind, any time it's unsafe for an operator to get out of their vehicle to deploy a board roadside, a power tilt becomes very handy. Don't skimp on price early only to regret your decision on the road with cars flying by at 75 mph! 

Because mounting an arrow board can be confusing and would be difficult to do on your own, Trafcon Industries has created several standard kits for full-size pickups. This includes both bed mounting options. The mounting kits included with either bed option, rail or floor, are capable of fitting any full-size pickup. So whether you have a Ford F-250 or a Chevrolet Silverado 2500, you'll be set with the Trafcon units.  If you have any questions about specific models, capabilities, or installation, please leave a comment below.
 

The Importance of Safety Equipment in Construction

Many of us underestimate the importance of safety in our everyday lives because we become complacent in our daily tasks. Whether it be driving, using the lawn mower, or trimming bushes, it's easy to let safety slip your mind. In construction, however, professionals do not have this liberty because the daily tasks they participate in can be far more dangerous. Complacency in the work place could result in serious injury.  That is why it is so vital for construction professionals to operate machinery and equipment in the safest possible manner, as well as use the necessary safety equipment to protect themselves.

Safety equipment can range from hard hats and gloves, to eye protection and first aid kits. No matter the type of construction your job requires, do not overlook your safety equipment needs. The most common types of safety equipment needed on construction sites, or at home, are work gloves and and eye protection or safety glasses. Because these items are so common, many variations exist and you are sure to find the pair of either that best suits your needs. From clear safety glasses and safety sunglasses to safety over-glasses and prescription safety glasses, the options are limitless. Clear safety glasses tend to be the most common style available. These glasses generally don't provide any side or peripheral protection, thus are typically considered to be 'head-on' protection. Don't let style or fit be an excuse for not purchasing safety glasses, there are too many options for those to be legitimate reasons! 

Work gloves tend to be even more important on a wider array of jobs. Protect your hands from abrasive materials, cuts, and blisters. Keeping your hands in top condition will be crucial to the success of your project. There are work gloves designed for just about any application. From knit gloves with rubber dots for increased grip in cold weather, to rubber-coated abrasive resistant gloves for moving abrasive building materials.  Choose the style and size of glove that best suits your needs.

Eye and hand protection tend to be the most common and important protection on light to medium-duty construction sites. However, heavy construction, particularly commercial and industrial building applications often require the use of hard hats and other safety equipment like harnesses and steel-toe boots. Please share your specific experiences and comments regarding safety equipment below. We will be posting more detailed articles about OSHA regulation and safety requirements for various types of construction soon.

 

Features to look for in a Construction Light Tower

Recently, I’ve been asked to help identify the best light tower for a specific job.  I figured it would be good to give a quick run down of the types of light towers available and their best uses.  I hope this helps point you in the right direction when picking out a light tower for your next job.   

Before sifting through the many light towers available online, you should ask yourself three things. 

1. How much area will you need to light?

2. Where will you be using the light tower?

3. Do you have access to power? 

I have separated the towers into 3 groups, small, medium, and large.  They correspond to the lighting needed, the job size, and access to power.

Small Light Towers: Working in residential areas where excessive lighting can cause neighbors to get upset, the quartz light tower is your answer.  Commonly called quartz lighting because of the type of material the bulb is made of, these light towers provide light to areas of 600 to 1,200 sq ft. Quartz flood lights have towers 6 to 8 ft in height with 2 to 4 adjustable lights and are very easy to use. They require little setup, are simple to maintain, cost effective, and only require a 120v power connection, making them perfect for indoor applications too.  As well, they have specialized versions that can be used in paint booths or other fume related applications that could cause explosions.  These are referred to as explosion-proof lighting. 

Medium Light Towers: Jobs that are slightly larger and away from residential areas or to light up small sports fields, selecting a Halide Metal Light towers would be appropriate.  These provide lighting to areas from 10,000 sq ft up to 80,000 sq ft, while still being powered by a standard 120v power source.  The most common type of light tower in this group is sometimes called a cart tower.  A cart light tower has a telescopic tower that expands to 12 ft and reduces to less than a 6ft over-all height and is mounted to a two-wheeled cart to make it easier to move around the work site.  They have 2 to 4 lights that are either fixed or adjustable to provide the most effective lighting.  While these lights are generally manual in operation, they still hold up to most weather conditions are easily transported.   

 Large Light Towers: For the serious job, you’ll need to invest in a diesel powered light tower.  The light towers are commonly mounted to a trailer frame rated for highway driving and tow easily behind your work truck.  Powered by liquid cooled diesel generators, these light towers are built to provide light for roadwork, open mines, and oil/gas drilling fields.  These workhorses provide 40 to 80 hrs of lighting on one tank of diesel fuel and can light 5 to 70 acres, with the use of a 28 to 60 ft telescoping tower.  Built to withstand wind of 65 mph and most weather mother nature will throw its way it is worth the investment. 

Whether your job site is your own home or the freeway corridor, selecting the right light tower for the job will keep you out of the dark.