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Tänavapuhastuse AS uses Ficon anti-slip equipment

Anti-slip equipment

Tänavapuhastuse AS uses Ficon anti-slip equipment

Kaspar Rohu is a shift leader of the Tänavapuhastuse AS in Tartu. Kaspar knows what both unexpected snow and incorrect weather forecast mean and respects the snow removal technology that can help to work quickly and efficiently. He agreed to share with us his exciting remarks and experience about his work and anti-slip technology.

How does your working day look like?

During the winter, I have to check the condition of light traffic roads, sidewalks and major roadways on a daily basis and if necessary, send out street cleaning machines. I also have some light traffic roads and route where, if necessary, I push snow with a snowplow mounted on an SUV and apply anti-slip. If there is a lot of snow I push my route once a day and I do not put granite gravel on the ground. If the weather is changeable and it melts during the day and freezes at night, I use the center blade under the SUV to roughen the slippery ground and sprinkle granite gravel or salt on the road from the spreader.

When my own section of road is ready, I drive to the city to see how the situation is elsewhere. We share SUVs and shifts with three colleagues, and one shift lasts from 9 a.m. to the next morning. If it snows, I watch all night and I push the snow. If the weather is calm, I can rest during the night.

What difficulties may occur in your work?

The main concern is still related to technology or people who are suddenly ill. If something happens to the technology or the machine fails unexpectedly, you need to react quickly. The durability and reliability of the technology is paramount to our operational work. Unfortunately, if the snow starts to fall, it is not possible to postpone this work and the machines must be in working order and immediadely available for use.

This year we saw that the weather forecast should not always be trusted. According to the forecast, the snow did not have to fall, but instead came double. We did well because people are on guard all the time during the winter and if they need to get out, they will.

How is pushing snow with Ficon different?

The difference with Ficon comes from its fully hydraulic solution. The plows are light and the pressure on the plow is significantly lower when the plow is lowered against the ground by electricity. With the Ficon plow, the front of the car does not rise and the road gets better cleared of snow.

Ficon is also equipped with a center blade placed under the bottom of the car. It can be used to roughen icy roads and sprinkle granite gravel or salt on ground from spreader mounted on car.

Ficon has a slightly different control panel and it still requires a little practice, but I believe that new techniques will be in hand and the work will go smoothly soon.

Why did you choose Ficon anti-slip equipment?

We decided to choose Ficon primarily because of the fully hydraulic solution. Productivity is important in our work and the Ficon plow can push snow better. As the plow works on the hydro, the plow is pressed harder against the ground and the road is better cleared of snow. I clear light traffic roads where both pedestrians and cyclists travel. When pushing snow, I have to take into account the people who uses the road and the benches that are by the road. Care must be taken not to block the exits and to make it comfortable for pedestrians to walk.

What recommendations do you give to those who are going to choose anti-snow and anti-slip equipment for their SUV?

It all depends on the work, but from my experience I recommend choosing a fully hydraulic solution if possible. Precisely because if you have to push the streets out of the snow or apply anti-slip every day, the fully hydraulic solution ensures efficiency. The streets can be cleaned with better quality, because the plow is pressed harder against the ground and thus the street becomes cleaner from the snow.

Ask for more information:

Holger Kullus
Area Sales Manager (Tartu office)
Rein Unn
Product Manager of Municipal Technology

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January 14, 2022