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When promoting Polywater's PedFloor™ Structural Foam Sealant Barrier to communication or CATV companies, the primary hot button to push is rodent infestation in pedestals, and specifically back-up power supplies. The field problem is that back-up power supply units generate heat, which attracts rodents. Once rodents burrow up into the pedestal, they chew on everything. Rodents chew instinctively because their teeth grow continuously and must be in constant grinding motion to keep them short, just like beavers. This chewing can cause expensive damage. Cold-blooded snakes also slither through the ground into back-up power supplies, seeking the warmth in winter and the cool shade in summer. They're quite fond of rodents as a food source, which is another reason they're likely attracted to these units. The top photo at left shows live snakes in a power supply (click on the photos for larger images). The presence of shedded snake skins and plenty of rodent droppings is proof of a chronic problem in this unit. Unfortunately, snakes and mice are not appreciated by the crews that must access the pedestals for maintenance--and to repair damage often caused by those very same critters. The concerns are well founded. Aside from the potential for nasty and sometimes venomous bites, a major concern is hantavirus. Humans may be infected with hantaviruses through urine, saliva or contact with rodent waste products. Some hantaviruses cause potentially fatal diseases in humans, such as hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome--a safety coordinator's worst nightmare. The solution, of course, is the installation of the PedFloor Sealant Barrier (see example in bottom photo). With PedFloor in place, rodents and snakes can burrow all they want, but they can't come in. Pedestals and power supplies can be kept vermin free for years, extending equipment life, reducing service calls, improving worker safety, and lowering costs overall. |
