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Safely defusing icy time bombs

ZARGES explains what you need to take note of when de-icing commercial vehicles

Weilheim, Germany, December 2019 – With the cold season setting in, ice and snow will once again be a constant feature on the roads of Germany. Besides icy roads, there is another hazard lurking on the tarpaulin cover, body and roof of vehicles: if they are not removed before the start of a journey, ice slabs and chunks of snow accumulated on a vehicle may turn into projectiles that can endanger the traffic behind. Truck and bus drivers are legally required to ensure that their vehicles are free of ice and snow. ZARGES has summarised a list of things that hauliers, road fleet operators, motorway services, truck petrol stations and motorway maintenance authorities have to pay special attention to.

To minimise risks when de-icing a vehicle, the task should be performed at an appropriate working height. Work platforms specifically designed for such purposes not only help make performing these tasks more comfortable, but also contribute significantly to improving work safety. The ZARGES de-icing platform, for example, is fitted with a staircase with a 45 degree incline and supports a working height of 4.80 to 5.00 metres. Its all-round guardrails ensure the highest level of safety while working at height. The platform is also made of a material that is frost-resistant down to -30°C, allowing the platform to be used for outdoor work. The modular design means that the six-metre-long base module can be extended by another two or six metres, depending on the extension module selected.

Exceptional qualities that enhance safety
Besides sturdy construction, quality and ease of use are two essential factors to consider when selecting the right work platform. The ZARGES platform stands out with its high degree of pre-assembly, which in turn makes it easier to set up on site. Furthermore, its steps and platform are covered with open-grid steel flooring, which allows for liquid drainage and has high anti-slip performance (R12), to ensure the user can maintain secure footing. Using the right tools also has a significant influence on the amount of effort required. Ergonomically shaped ice and snow scrapers can deliver excellent results with less effort. ZARGES' patented telescoping PVC scraper is approximately 2.90 metres long when extended and adapts perfectly to a vehicle's surface contour for optimal removal of snow and ice.

"The focus is on ensuring the safety of all road users, even during a sudden onset of winter. With our de-icing platform, which can be delivered promptly, we want to help prevent any possible hazards and to focus on efficiency, time- and cost-savings coupled with occupational safety," says ZARGES Head of Marketing and Product Management Joost Knapen.

The de-icing platform is available now directly from ZARGES, a ZARGES specialist retailer or the ZARGES Catalogue 2020.

You can find more information and an informative product video at: www.zarges.com/en/zarges-de-icing-platform/.