No one wants to think about a flood, but they are a very real part of the phenomenon that is nature. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, flooding is the nation’s most common natural disaster. During the early weeks of spring, as the temperatures start to warm up and the snow starts to melt, the ground may still be frozen in spots, while other ground surfaces become saturated. Along with the snow melts, drenching rains and ground saturation, streams and rivers become swollen and spill over onto roadways, and into cities and towns. In other areas, burst dams, hurricanes and storm surges can cause catastrophic flooding.

Flooding can have serious consequences to buildings and what’s inside them, causing structural damage; affecting electrical wiring, as well as heating and cooling systems; saturating walls and floors, leading to mold growth and contamination; and damaging and contaminating furnishing and equipment.

No matter where your school is located, be prepared for flooding. This is particularly critical if your school is in a low-lying or coastal area, near water, or downstream from a dam – areas that can be in the pathway for raging floodwaters.

Mitigate Damages After A Flood

You may not be able to stay out of the path of those waters, but you can prepare your school facility for the aftermath and mitigate long-term cleanup

According to the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities, the following measures may help mitigate the impact of a flood on your school building:

  • Improve site drainage
  • Provide sump pump back-up power
  • Maintain or replace check valves in sewer lines
  • Provide off-site computer backup
  • Elevate or flood-proof mechanical and electrical equipment
  • Consider locating library facilities on a second story or higher level if possible

Select Furnishings Materials Carefully

In addition to these recommendations, to avoid damage to furnishings, consider selecting materials that are impervious to water and that can easily be cleaned and decontaminated.

School lockers, for example, can become a total loss to the school or require extensive repair and maintenance if they are not made of a strong, durable water resistant material. Currently, the only school hallway locker material that is not affected by water damage is Scranton Products high performance HDPE lockers.

Fully-fire rated for use in school hallways, Scranton Products Duralife Lockers® are manufactured from solid core high performance HDPE (high density polyethylene) and are impermeable to moisture. The solid core construction and non-porous surface means that no mold or mildew will grow inside or outside the lockers, and the lockers will never rust, corrode or delaminate. When cleanup is required, Duralife Lockers® are fully power-washable and steam-cleanable. In addition, Duralife Lockers® are GREENGUARD Gold Certified for use in school facilities, and are manufactured using recycled materials and are 100% recyclable, supporting a healthier environment both inside and outside of your school facility.

For more information on how Scranton Products Duralife Lockers® can help mitigate your school’s response to a serious flooding event, contact us today. To learn more about the sustainable and bacteria resistant properties of HDPE, click here to view our Continuing Education Center.

Lets talk about janitors, you know, those guys and gals, who are always there, on the ready with a sponge, broom or mop, just when you need them. They are in our schools all year long, available for any size clean up, taking care of the spills our kids make in the lunchroom, classroom and hallways. They go about their business undetected, coming out when needed. But do you know one of the ways they spend their summer (that coveted time of the year when your kids are home with you)? We do – they clean what they couldn’t clean during the year, the student’s lockers!

Making The Move Away From Metal

While we are spending our 3 months of summer relaxing at the beach, and eating ice cream, the school janitorial staff is cleaning up from the previous 9 months while school was in session. Schools with metal lockers have a regularly scheduled task associated with those lockers during the summer months, debridement of rust, dent repairs, chemical cleaning of graffiti and surface repainting. Lockers take a beating during the school year, with books being banged around, food deposits and spills, and not to mention, the dreaded odors of smelly, sweaty gym clothes. The labor-intensive cleanup task is costly to the school district, in several areas including labor, materials, and air & surface quality. As you can see, traditional metal lockers require extensive care and maintenance, and still don’t meet the needs of the busy school environment. But, we have a solution, Duralife Lockers® made with HDPE (High Density Polyethylene).

Duralife Lockers® are specifically designed to meet the durability and environmental demands of today’s busy schools. Made with solid-core HDPE, these lockers are impact, scratch and dent resistant, and hold up to the toughest student use. Graffiti readily wipes off the non-porous surface, and because they are impervious to moisture, Duralife Lockers® will never rust, corrode or delaminate. In addition, the HDPE surface does not harbor mold, mildew or bacterial growth, and the lockers can be fully power-washed or steam-cleaned. In short, with Duralife Lockers® you can say goodbye to rust, mold, graffiti, scratches, dents, and worrisome bacteria, and say hello to years of worry-free, low maintenance.

 

Robert Gannon, High School Facilities Director, on the benefits of HDPE lockers.

*Testing conducted by SiTU Biosciences LLC by the ISO 22196 methods

 

Sleek Modern Design For The School Hallways Of Tomorrow

When it comes to design, the modern sleek, simple lines of the Duralife® Locker line, make them a polished and aesthetically pleasing addition to any school hallway. They can really kick it up with their color options that bring high style to any atmosphere. The sustainability and durability stand up over time, making them a smart investment for today and tomorrow.

So Show Your Janitors Some Love This Summer – Invest In The Smart Choice – Duralife Lockers®

Download our brochure and see for yourself how HDPE Duralife Lockers® compare to traditional metal lockers – and Show Your Janitor Some Love This Summer!

When you’re choosing the lockers for your school or facility, there are a variety of factors at play that you need to consider, not just for the immediate future, but for the long term. Choosing the right material for your lockers is crucial if you want to have functional storage compartments, but you’ll also want durable lockers that’ll last the years so you can get the most out of them without having to ensure a costly replacement years down the line. Making the right decision can end up saving you the costs for replacements and even maintenance. Learn more about the lifecycle cost of your lockers and the difference in cost between metal and HDPE lockers over time.

Choosing the Right Materials

Metal lockers have been the standard for a long time due to their durability, but they’ve received some criticism over the years because of the constant upkeep and maintenance that they require. Lately, some facility managers have been gravitating toward HDPE (high-density polyethylene) lockers because of the low-cost maintenance, durability, and their longevity. But in order to make the decision, you need to learn the benefits of both materials.

Metal Lockers vs HDPE Lockers

Both metal and HDPE lockers provide a strong construct that can last a long time and perform effectively for years. However, as most facility managers have learned, metal lockers are actually susceptible to a variety of factors and issues that can result in costly and recurring maintenance. HDPE requires very little maintenance over the years, resulting in less costs and a longer lasting material.

Metal lockers are susceptible to mold growth. Whether it’s in the locker room, or a lengthy corridor, moisture and humidity will cling to the metal. Over time, unsightly mildew will begin to sprout, resulting in a foul smell and a drop in air quality. Ridding the lockers of mold and mildew can be a costly and repetitive endeavor.

HDPE materials, on the other hand, are made of solid plastic. Mold can’t penetrate its thick construction, and its exterior is impervious to humidity and moisture. HDPE lockers are also resistant to impacts, scratches, and dents, and even graffiti can be eradicated with a simple wipe.

Benefits of HDPE Lockers

There are numerous benefits to choosing HDPE lockers over metal ones. The most obvious is cost. Metal lockers require a lot of maintenance and upkeep over the years, whereas HDPE lockers don’t require extensive repairs of cleaning. In a study conducted over 20 years, HDPE has been proven to not only last longer, but require less maintenance. Within two years, HDPE lockers are less expensive than metal lockers.

Because of the low cost of maintenance with HDPE lockers, you don’t have to repaint them. This has the added benefit of keeping VOCs (volatile organic compounds) emissions out of your facility’s air. HDPE lockers are also less noisy than metal lockers, without the loud clanging whenever the lockers are shut. If you’re looking for low-maintenance, cost-effective, and long-lasting lockers, then HDPE is one of your best options.

 

Want to learn more about the benefits of HDPE lockers? Read The Ultimate Guide to HDPE Plastic Lockers, courtesy of Scranton Products.

Thievery is a problem that occurs in every school, regardless of location. If you’re managing an educational facility, you’re surely aware of the reports of theft from lockers and locker rooms in your school. There are various ways that you can reduce theft in your school and locker rooms, but choosing the most effective route is important to reduce the risk of students or faculty losing personal belongings or valuables to an unknown perpetrator.

Beefing Up Security Can Reduce Theft in Your School

Many schools that need an action plan to reduce theft in their school and locker rooms tend to upgrade their security systems. This mainly includes cameras, strategically positioned in locker corridors. This can have two beneficial outcomes. The first being that the perpetrator will be caught in the act on camera. The other benefit is that it can actually ward off anyone from breaking into the locker because there are eyes watching. However, utilizing security cameras can be ineffective when it comes to theft in locker rooms.

There’s no legal way that security cameras can be placed in locker rooms because it would be an unlawful invasion of privacy. As a result, due to the lack of surveillance, the locker room turns into an open market where a person could get away with stealing personal belongings without getting caught. But, there are effective ways to reduce theft in locker rooms through innovative lockers.

Reducing Locker Room Theft Through Updating Lockers

While the security camera scenario does indeed have its pros and cons, there’s a better option available. If your school has the traditional metal lockers, it may be time for an upgrade. Metal lockers are susceptible to moisture, and when in use for many years, will begin to rust, and the integrity of the locker’s security can be compromised. Students will even use various methods to discover the weakness in the locker, which then provides easy access for theft.

Some schools have taken action against the weakness of their original lockers, and have replaced them with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) school lockers. HDPE is a solid plastic that’s proven to be highly durable, as it’s resistant to scratches, dents, and even graffiti. These HDPE lockers are a big step in combating theft in your schools.

HDPE Lockers: Secure & Durable

HDPE lockers have numerous benefits. Their highly durable construction prevents them from cracking, denting, and scratching. A thief would have a difficult time trying to break into the locker due to the solid construction and the built-in locks, and would probably deem the task unworthy of the effort.

Another major benefit of these lockers is that they can be used in locker rooms. They’re resistant to moisture and humidity, which is abundant in locker rooms. Mold won’t sprout on the lockers, resulting in higher air quality in your school. The moisture won’t affect the integrity of the lockers, so you can rest assured knowing your locker room has great security without compromising the privacy of the students.

 

Would you like to learn more about how HDPE lockers can benefit you and your school? Check out our Duralife Lockers Product Kit to learn more about how these durable lockers can help reduce theft in your school.

Lockers are meant to store valuable and extra materials, but whenever the actual lock isn’t functioning properly, these materials are left undefended against thievery. As a facility manager, you need to take the necessary steps to ensure that the lockers in your school can perform their function. It all depends on choosing the right lock and locker for your school to reduce theft while providing the right storage security for students and faculty.

Identifying Weaknesses in Your Lockers

When you’re assessing the weak points with your lockers, take notice of any prior damage that could make it easier for a thief to gain easy access. This could include any dents that can weaken the structural integrity of the locker. Another common weak point with lockers is the lock itself. Depending on which type of lock you choose, you may be making it easier for people to gain entry.

Any motivated thief will find a way in. They can utilize paper clips as a lock pick that’ll allow them to fiddle with the inner mechanisms of the lock until it snaps open. Even a persistent perpetrator will go to lengths of further damaging the locker if they feel the prize inside is worth the effort. But, while choosing the right lock is important, choosing the right locker could actually make more of a difference.

Benefits of Choosing HDPE Lockers

Metal lockers seem like the obvious choice of storage, but they’re not as durable as you might expect. They can be damaged, and even dented to the point of intrusion. Some schools have begun implementing HDPE (high-density polyethylene) plastic lockers like Duralife and Tufftec, which has yielded positive results. The solid plastic construction provides a durability that surpasses metal. It’s impervious to graffiti, scratches, dents, and any type of damage that would render it useless as a locking mechanism.

Duralife & Tufftec Lock Options

Both Duralife and Tufftec Lockers come with a variety of locking options to choose from. Duralife Lockers offer two types of locking mechanisms. The inset combination lock is secure and only students with the specific combination can gain entry. Duralife Lockers also offer the option of hasps. The benefit is that the student can choose a lock of their choice, whether a combination lock or a key.

Tufftec Lockers, on the other hand, offer a number of different locking options. You can choose the standard padlock, a key, or a coin key. The Tufftec Lockers also feature numerous in-set options like the in-door combination lock, a digilock keypad, or the digilock RFID (radio frequency identification). The RFID lock provides easy access without the need for a key or a combination. The RFID lock uses a proximity card for the locker owner to gain entry, and it’ll only open with the exact proximity card, adding an extra sense of security when leaving valuables inside.

 

Would you like to learn more about how to take the necessary steps to ensure that your lockers are up to snuff? Check out these free eBooks: Locker Replacement Checklistand The Ultimate Guide to HDPE Plastic Lockers, courtesy of Scranton Products.

Today’s consumers have extremely stressful busy lifestyles, and work hard to make a living. It certainly stands to reason that with all that hard-work they put out on a daily basis, they need an effective outlet to destress. Many find that outlet at the local gym or sports arena, where they can play just as hard as they work. While using the facilities, a safe and germ free storage option is a concern, and expectations are high when it comes to that equipment. The workout environment is prime breeding ground for bacteria, so finding a product that addresses all of those areas can be a challenge. Fitness centers across the country know they can rely on us to deliver a product that holds up to the traffic, Specialty Tufftec Lockers.

 

 

Reliability Of The Fittest – Solid Construction HDPE

Built from solid core, color-throughout HDPE, Tufftec Lockers® were developed to provide various industries with a better solution, while withstanding the harshest environments. From those hot and humid gyms and fitness centers, to applications in the coldest ski resorts – Tufftec lockers will never rust or delaminate. Add to that the fact that they are also impact, dent and graffiti resistant.

When you add in the options that the specialty athletic lockers provide; the additional room, and optional door front configuration, the lockers really deliver results. The surface is impervious to moisture helping them stand up to the challenge of providing that germ-resistant surface that fitness enthusiast’s demand. But wait – we don’t want to leave out the low maintenance that comes with these lockers, saving time and money, now that’s something to cause every gym janitorial crew to high-five all day long.

Function Meet Form – No Need To Sacrifice Looks

Tufftec lockers may be designed to endure the wear and tear of athletic, and expansive recreational environments, but there is no need for a tradeoff when it comes to looks. With the various color options offered in our athletic lockers, you’re sure to match your style and décor with our color visualizer.

 

 

The perfect combination of flexibility and form, these lockers come in a multitude of styles, configurations and interchangeable options so you can create a customized locker that can meet any of your design challenges.

Ready to go head-to-head with our lockers – then contact our sales team today or download our Tufftec product kit to get more information.

Today, locker decorating has taken on a new meaning. What was once completed with the hanging of a small mirror and a magazine cutout of the current teen heartthrob has escalated to include shag rugs, chandeliers, wallpaper, and more. These completely customized lockers are an excellent way for students to express themselves, but they could be inadvertently damaging the lockers with their renovations.

In this post, we discuss some basic locker decoration rules and guidelines so you can avoid damage to lockers in your school while still allowing students to have fun.

Locker Decoration Rules

Locker Decoration Rules & Guidelines

At the beginning of the school year, most institutions distribute a code of conduct that specifies the school’s many rules and regulations. This is a great opportunity to let new and returning students know about any locker decoration rules or guidelines.

Below are some suggested guidelines that you might want to include in your code of conduct booklet.

NO Harsh Adhesives

Stickers, glue, and adhesive mounting strips can be great for securing locker decorations in place, but they’re also likely to damage the locker when attempting to remove those decorations. Magnets or painter’s tape should be used instead.

NO Decorating with Markers or Pens

Marking the inside or the outside of the locker with pens or markers should be strongly discouraged for obvious reasons. These marks will be virtually impossible to remove and may likely result in a need to repaint the lockers.

NO Painting

Students shouldn’t be allowed to paint any section of their lockers. Not only can paint fumes be harmful when inhaled, a haphazard painting job could damage nearby lockers or the locking mechanism.

NO Strong Magnets near the Locking Mechanism

Metal locks can easily be affected by nearby magnets, making them difficult or impossible to open. For that reason, places magnets near the locking mechanism should be avoided.

 

Promoting Non-Destructive Locker Decorating

One of the easiest ways to make sure that the lockers in your school aren’t damaged by annual decorating is to have lockers that are resistant to those items that can damage them. For example, if you consider a traditional metal locker, it can be damaged by use of magnets, harsh adhesives, markers, and so on. However, a locker made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) is difficult to damage by these means.

For one, it’s impossible to use magnets in this plastic locker. So you don’t have to worry about the locking mechanism being damaged. HDPE is also resistant to graffiti, making it more difficult for students to mark the locker with pens or markers.

Not only that, but HDPE lockers are also resistant to dents, scratches, and rust—all threats that metal lockers face.

To learn more about HDPE locker, download our FREE Ultimate Guide to HDPE Plastic Lockers. This helpful eBook covers the many benefits of HDPE lockers, how they compare to metal lockers, and explains how they provide a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative.

Giving your employees a safe place to store their belongings while at work not only improves the security of your facility but can also help to keep your business running more efficiently. Below, we take a closer look at some industries that would benefit from employee lockers as well as a two additional industries that could use lockers for their guests.

Employee Lockers for the Retail Industry

Retail workers often bring a number of their personal belongings to work, including cell phones, cosmetics, handbags, backpacks, and portable gaming devices. Although its handy to have these items before work or while on break, they can quickly clutter the break room, stock room, or even the sales floor.

Lockers give employees a safe and secure place to store their personal items while they’re at work. As a result, they’ll feel less inclined to have the items nearby throughout their shift where they could cause major distraction.

As an added bonus, employees will know their belongings are safe. This peace of mind is especially appreciated when working with a large staff or during the holiday season when numerous seasonal employees are hired for support.

Lockers in Healthcare Facilities

Studies have shown that scrubs can carry large amounts of bacteria. So it’s a good idea to provide healthcare workers with an area where they can change in and out of their scrubs before and after their shifts. Lockers provide the perfect place for storing street clothes during their shift as well as any other personal belongings they may not want to carry with them.

When choosing the right lockers for your facility, consider using high-density polyethylene (HDPE) lockers, which have been proven to reduce the growth of bacteria and germs.

locker replacement checklist

Using Lockers in Other Industries

One of the first things people think of when they think of lockers is a school. The education industry has been using lockers for years as a way to keep jackets, book bags, and other personal effects from clogging up classrooms. However, lockers can also be used for faculty.

Consider placing lockers in the faculty lounge or another communal space away from the student population.

Another common application that people think of when thinking of lockers is at the gym. Fitness centers across the globe offer lockers for their guests to store wallets, purses, keys, and more while they’re exercising. However, given the moist and humid nature of most locker rooms, metal lockers are highly susceptible to rust. Instead, consider using HDPE lockers which are 100% resistant to rust.

Learn More About HDPE Lockers

No matter what industry you’re in, it’s likely that your facility could benefit from employee lockers as well as lockers for your guests. To learn more about the benefits of lockers made from HDPE, download our free Ultimate Guide to HDPE Plastic Lockers. This helpful resource will teach you about HDPE plastic, how HDPE lockers outperform metal lockers, and more.

Mold inside the shower or locker rooms of your facility can be a big problem. Not only does it discolor grout and weaken wood, but it’s also potentially hazardous to your health and the health of those using your facility. So to make sure that your locker rooms and showers are safe and mold-free, it’s important to remove any signs of mold or mildew once they appear.

In this guide, we’ll tell you how to remove mold properly as well as how you can prevent mold from coming back.

locker replacement checklist

What You Need for Mold Removal

Having the proper supplies is an important part of mold removal. After all, if the mold isn’t removed properly, there’s a good chance it will come back and spread to other areas of your facility. Not only that, but without the right gear, your cleaning team could get sick when trying to clean the infected areas.

Here’s what you need:

1.      Old clothes or a jumpsuit: You want to launder or dispose of any clothes you wear when cleaning the mold-infected area. Otherwise, you could unintentionally spread mold to other rooms or experience an adverse reaction to the mold spores.

2.      Rubber gloves: These are important to protect your hands from coming in contact with mold or the cleaning chemicals used during removal.

3.      N-95 or P-100 respirator: These respirators are specially made to block out mold spores, which can be as small as 3 microns. For reference, a strand of human hair is about 125 microns.

4.      Safety goggles: These will protect your eyes from any mold spores that might be floating in the air as well as any harmful vapors from the cleaning chemicals.

5.      Spray bottle: You can use a simple spray bottle filled with water to gently wet any visible mold before you start cleaning to limit the number of spores released into the air.

6.      Box fan: It’s vital to keep the room well ventilated. If there’s a window or door leading outside, use a large box fan to remove any mold spores. Be sure to cover any part of the window or door with a plastic drop cloth or cardboard so the spores can’t accidently blow back into the room. DO NOT use fans if blowing into another room in the facility – only use if there’s a direct path outside.

7.      Bleach: Use bleach and water to treat mold-infected areas.

8.      Bucket for cleaning

9.      Scrub brush

10.  Flathead screwdriver for grout lines

How to Remove Mold

After you’ve put on your protective clothing and set up any appropriate ventilation, it’s time to start treating the mold-infected areas. If you can’t ventilate the room properly, seal it off from the rest of the facility until cleaning is complete. Be sure to cover any air vents or turn off the ventilation system.

When you’re ready to start, use the spray bottle to gently wet the mold. This will help to prevent spores from flying into the air as you clean. Then use a 1:8 bleach/water mixture to clean the infected areas. Scrub using a tough cleaning brush or use a flathead screwdriver to gently scrape mold from grout lines. Consider adding some detergent to your cleaning mixture to make it easier to lift the mold.

Rinse surfaces well. Wipe down the walls, floors, and any other treated surface and launder or dispose of the used towels. Place them in a large trash bag to try to keep any of the mold from escaping.

Preventing Mold from Returning

Treating mold can be a relatively quick and inexpensive process, but it’s even easier to prevent mold and mildew from occurring in the first place. One of the best ways is to reduce the amount of moisture in the room. However, this is difficult to do in locker rooms and showers.

So the next option for preventing mold is to use materials in your facility that are naturally resistant to mold and mildew. Materials like high-density polyethylene, or HDPE, are known for their high resistance to mold. Not only that, but HDPE is also resistant to bacteria and rust.

We’re all familiar with the traditional locker room design: one long bench for every row of tall lockers and maybe a community shower area. The only privacy you have is behind a towel or in the bathroom stall, assumingthe locker room actually has a bathroom.

But with the recent debate over LGBTQ rights and gender-neutral bathrooms, privacy has become a major topic of conversation. It also has many building designers wondering if dressing compartments will soon be the norm in public locker rooms.

3 Benefits of Dressing Compartments in Public Locker Rooms

Individual dressing compartments actually make a lot of sense for use in public locker rooms. For one, they provide more privacy to guests than the traditional open floor plans for obvious reasons. It’s also likely that if guests feel more comfortable using your facility, they’ll be likely to return and refer their family and friends.

Another benefit of dressing compartments is that they’re easy to install. They can even be ceiling mounted, which leaves the floor completely clear. This makes it incredibly easy for the cleaning team to wash the floors effectively while also protecting the mounting gear from rust or corrosion.

Speaking of rust and corrosion, materials like high-density polyethylene (HDPE) can be used for dressing compartments that are perfect in locker rooms. This tough plastic resists rust, mold, graffiti, and bacteria. With HDPE dressing compartments, you can add more privacy to locker rooms while at the same time creating a healthier environment.

locker replacement checklist

Are There Limitations to Dressing Compartments in Locker Rooms?

Although the benefits of adding dressing compartments to any locker room are obvious, they don’t come without certain drawbacks that need to be considered. For example, if you plan to add dressing compartments to an existing locker room, you’ll need to find room for them first. While some locker room designs may have an unused area that’s perfect for adding a few dressing compartments, others may need a slight floorplan redesign.

Meanwhile, franchise organizations like national fitness centers with multiple locations may face another obstacle: widespread implementation. While adding dressing compartments to one locker room may take some planning, it’s certainly a larger task to execute this update for multiple rooftops that may have unique floorplans. However, that’s not to say that adding dressing compartments shouldn’t be considered?

Will Dressing Compartments Be Mandatory in Locker Rooms?

As more people express support for federal legislation that would require gender-neutral bathrooms in all commercial buildings, it’s possible that a similar movement could focus on privacy issues within modern locker rooms. But will dressing compartments become a mandatory design feature for all locker rooms? It may be too soon to say.

However, legal mandates aside, the benefits that dressing compartments can have on a locker room and a facility are undeniable.

Want to learn more about HDPE dressing compartments? Check our free dressing compartments product kit.