Shopping malls and stores across the USA are now relying on a highly versatile alternative sandbag to save them a fortune in water damage while enhancing health and safety in store.
FloodSax can be transformed into instant sandbags in minutes to keep floodwater out of the premises, potentially saving hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage and lost stock.
In their dry state FloodSax are ideal to soak up drips, leaks, spills and floods inside and many supermarkets – including some of the biggest names in the sector - are using them this way all the time.
When dry, FloodSax have a large surface but are ultra-thin so can be slipped under refrigeration units and other hard-to-reach places to soak up water.
If left unchecked, the danger is the water could not only damage the units and their electrics, but leak across the floor causing an obvious health and safety risk which could see customers and staff slipping and hurting themselves.
FloodSax are manufactured by Environmental Defence Systems (EDS) and almost 3 million have been sold worldwide. They are largely biodegradable so are a far more environmentally friendly option than traditional sandbags.
Lucy Bailey from EDS said: “Supermarkets, along with other public buildings such as hospitals, are now relying on FloodSax as they are so versatile and inexpensive. Hundreds, if not thousands, of supermarkets across the country are at risk of flooding from rivers, streams, culverts and drains. Many supermarket car parks are built on inclines which means water from flash floods flows straight across the tarmac and into the store.
“All need some flood protection so they can react quickly in an emergency. Supermarkets also tend to have flat roofs which makes them very vulnerable to flooding and we often see FloodSax in action on shop floors soaking water up, especially after torrential rain has caused water to seep in through leaky roofs.
“Facilities management companies understand the importance of supermarkets, similar large businesses and public buildings having flood alleviation products in place to deal with floods and escapes of water both inside and out. Water wrecks everything it touches and as every minute of a flood emergency passes the damage quickly starts to run into many thousands of pounds.
“Mops tend to just move the water around but FloodSax have a gelling polymer inside which absorbs the water into the FloodSax and then retains it.”
To transform the FloodSax into an instant sandless sandbag simply immerse it fully in water which the FloodSax quickly absorbs and retains, transforming it into a 20kg alternative sandbag.
They can then be used outside to build into temporary barriers to keep floodwater out or divert it away from doors and into drains.
This means FloodSax are multi-purpose with incredible flood-stopping flexibility while sandbags are just a one-dimensional barrier which are heavy and cumbersome to shift, take up lots of space to store and often deteriorate and break open when they come into contact with floodwater, spilling sand into drains and blocking them which causes yet more flooding.
FloodSax are vacuum-packed in bags of five so are very space-saving to store – 20 are in one easy-to-carry box - yet are quick and easy to deploy in an emergency. If they are needed to soak water up indoors, simply open the packaging, take the FloodSax out and it can be in action immediately.
Lucy added: “FloodSax are an incredibly cost-effective way to have instant flood protection 24 hours a day 365 days a year. It’s best that any supermarket, business or public building that needs FloodSax stocks up now so they are ready for any emergency, day, night or weekend.”
To find out more about FloodSax in the US email us at info@floodsaxus.com, phone us on 800 255 4208 ext 121 or visit our website at https://www.floodsaxus.com/