We would like to give a shoutout to a few of our hard-working, long-term employees here at Impact RecoverySM who have recently celebrated important anniversaries with our company. We invite you to read more about these recognitions and what they enjoy most about working at Impact Recovery below.
Northeast Regional Sales Manager Tom Aber celebrated his ten-year anniversary with the company. President, Greg Hannah, congratulated Tom by presenting him with a ten-year plaque at our 2023 Annual Sales Meeting in San Antonio, Texas.
Tom shares that what he has enjoyed most about working at Impact Recovery is working with the amazing customers, “I’ve never dreaded getting up and going to work.” One of his favorite memories working at Impact Recovery was when we hosted the Inaugural Sporting Clays at ATSSA, “It has become a huge event since then.”
In addition, Director of Business Development Tim Lang recently celebrated his five-year anniversary. Tim also mentioned that he has enjoyed working with the team, “We have a great group of people who work hard to get the job done.” Tim’s favorite thing about being a part of the team is the ability to participate in different committees in the traffic industry, including ATSSA, ARTBA, National Committee, and NTPEP. He says, “Each of these committees plays an important role in our industry and I am honored to be able to participate on behalf of our company.”
We would also like to recognize Project Engineer, Patrick Boyle, and congratulate him on celebrating his five-year anniversary with the company. Patrick has enjoyed the “constant opportunity for learning and growing” that working at Impact Recovery has provided him these past five years. The most memorable part of working here for Patrick is, “Designing products and applications in the warehouse for the traffic safety world to meet specific criteria and high-performance requirements. “He also shares that he is appreciative of his coworkers saying, “They continue to inspire me to develop and improve my knowledge and skills.”
Congratulations on achieving these milestones and thank you sincerely for being a part of our team.
Impact Recovery Systems, Inc.® is currently hiring for assembly positions. We offer paid training and direct hire jobs for anyone looking to work in a fun, friendly, and family-like environment.
Our positions offer a starting pay of $15 an hour with a work schedule of Monday-Friday, 7am-3:30pm/4:30pm with some overtime/mandatory Saturday hours.
Applying is easy, and on the spot interviews are available in most instances. We accept applications Monday – Friday: 8am-2pm. Visit our offices and apply in person at 4955 Stout Drive, San Antonio, TX 78219.
Road crews and public safety officials use many kinds of traffic panels in today’s world. Some of the major types include:
Conclusion
Traffic panels serve a vital role in today’s rapidly changing infrastructure environment. Their importance will only increase in years to come.
Customer
Beverage Distributors, Inc. Clarksburg, West Virginia
Situation
Beverage Distributors, Inc. recently purchased two new in-ground lifts to improve productivity. These lifts make it possible to load and unload box trucks while larger trucks use the loading docks. The addition of the new lifts created the ability to load more trucks in a timely manner. However, it also created more traffic within the warehouse. A solution to help control the flow of traffic around the lifts as well as protect the costly investment was needed.
Solution
SlowStop® was able to control foot traffic between the lift with a two-rail horseshoe bollard. Hydraulic pumps are stationed in between the lifts. The horseshoe bollard serves two purposes; one protects the pumps from trucks and the other to eliminate foot traffic between the lifts. Flexrail guardrail protects the exterior of the lifts and from employees while in operation. All guarding is able to withstand impacts from the truck while leaving the lifts completely unharmed.
Customer
National Retailer Distribution Center
Situation
When building a new distribution facility there are many things to consider. One of those is how to best protect costly equipment within the facility. They knew that the costly investment of new conveyor systems and forklift charging stations would need to be protected. One impact from a forklift could cost not only thousands of dollars in damage, but also loss of productivity.
Solution
Having seen SlowStop bollards at work in other facilities, and liking the clean look and superior protection, they decided to install SlowStop throughout the new facility. Using a combination of different sized SlowStop bollards and Guardrail, they were able to completely customize the level of protection needed at each location throughout the facility. They are incredibly pleased with the uniform look and unrivaled protection of using SlowStop throughout.
Millions of people all around the world utilize commuter trains everyday as a means of transportation. While this increasingly popular transportation method may seem safe for most of the population, there are those whose safety is being compromised each time the train is at the loading platform. When this situation turned deadly for one passenger, Impact Recovery Systems, Inc. – manufacturer of high impact traffic barriers and pedestrian safety equipment in San Antonio, TX – was called into action to devise a solution to keep train passengers better protected while on the train platform.
Protecting passengers when a commuter train pulls up to the loading platform there is an open and exposed area between the train cars, large enough for a grown person to fall onto the tracks below. This area can prove very dangerous for vulnerable passengers, for example small children, distracted passengers, and the visually impaired. The Federal Transit Administration’s Title 49, Part 38, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibility Specifications for Transportation Vehicles, states: “Where vehicles operate in a high-platform, level-boarding mode, devices or systems shall be provided to prevent, deter or warn individuals from inadvertently stepping off the platform between cars.” With this directive in mind, many trains now come equipped with chains guarding the opening between the trains. However, chains are not always effective in preventing a person from falling between the cars. According to a 2009 report in the L.A. Times, a visually impaired man attempting to board a commuter train in Los Angeles, CA walked off the platform into what he believed was a train door but was in fact, a gap between train cars, causing him to fall onto the tracks below. Passengers were not able to notify the train’s operator in time to stop it from leaving the station. In an effort to offer protection to their passengers, LA Metropolitan Transportation Authority ordered the immediate installation of platform mounted barriers that would deter passengers from walking between the cars and falling onto the tracks below. LA Metro enlisted Impact Recovery Systems to design and manufacture a custom barrier system for this project. While the endeavor may have appeared simple, multiple design criteria had to be taken into consideration when developing the proper system for LA Metro and other transit authorities, which included fire retardancy, weatherability, chemical and mechanical resistance, ease of maintenance, high visibility for sighted and visually impaired riders, compliance with current ADA standards, and minimal platform connection points. Accommodations also needed to be made to address the possibility of errant docking events.
Extensive testing after extensive testing to confirm compliance with the high-performance standards of LA Metro, the final product, which was named the Sentinel Between-Car-Barrier®, was produced and approved for its ability to maintain fire and chemical retardancy, sustain extended exposure to weathering elements, and have minimum connection points to the platform – ensuring limited risk to conductivity and electrical concerns within the platform. Each Sentinel Between-Car- Barrier curb section is 36” in length and contains four 26” upright posts, spaced at 9” on Centre, each containing a reactive spring device with tension settings low enough that in the event of errant docking, passengers, including those in wheelchairs would be able to traverse the curbing and uprights and not be trapped in the rail car. All Sentinel components were created in safety yellow coloration to ensure high visibility for all passengers. Sentinel’s light weight, easy to install, snap together design also permitted custom length curbing installations. Following the approval of California’s Public Utilities Commission Office of Public Safety, the LA Fire Department, as well as the Federal Access Board, LA Metro has installed the Sentinel Between Car-Barrier Systems on all the Gold, Green, Blue and Red Lines within their system. It is their intention to embark on a plan to install Sentinel on all future lines and extensions of lines in their transit system. Thanks to the quick and cohesive efforts of LA Metro and Impact Recovery Systems, the time span between initial contact to the installation of the materials was a mere 120 days.
Chevron panels are a type of traffic marking system, one that has been used for over a century to warn drivers about impending hazards. The MUTCD specifies a wide array of signage designs for use across the United States. While they vary in their exact details, they are united by common features that enable them to fulfill their purpose.
These include:
Visibility. Chevron panels and other traffic markers should be conspicuous to drivers of all age groups and at a sufficient distance to allow them to react to the message conveyed. In general, contrasting color choices and bright tones serve this purpose best, which is why chevron panels typically have a black-and-yellow layout.
Singular functionality. To fulfill their purpose, each type of traffic sign must be distinct from all other types. Otherwise, the driver may be unsure about the information being communicated. To accomplish this, designers make signage in different shapes and with varying logos, text colors, sizes, etc.
Frequency. A sign that drivers almost never see is unlikely to be remembered, which is why the MUTCD allows only a limited number of designs. The idea is for chevron panels and other traffic markers to remain familiar to the driver’s mind without being so commonplace that they lose their impact.
Standardization. Traffic markers must be simple enough in design for manufacturers to replicate them with ease. This is one reason why logos are preferable to text when it comes to traffic signs. A graphic image contains no letters that can be misread by approaching drivers. In a few cases, limited use of text is allowed, as in the ever-familiar stop sign.
Chevron panels are effective because they conform to the above guidelines. Understanding the principles that guide sign design and selection can help public safety officials, highway engineers, and others to appreciate the care and time that goes into creating all types of traffic markers.
We are excited to announce that Irina Nutten has joined Impact Recovery Systems, Inc.® as the European sales director. Irina is a motivated, accomplished business and management director with more than 20 years of experience in European industrial markets. She has worked with companies based in the EU and the UK, such as James Walker Townson Ltd and FAFNIR GmbH. Irina obtained her master’s degree in International Business and Management from ISCID in Dunkirk, France.
With a strong background in sales and business development, management, and strategic planning, Irina has successfully managed different teams by bringing forward fresh ideas that leverage new technologies and strategies. She has achieved remarkable business and area sales growth through her strategies. Irina is also skilled in multilingual communication, speaking English, French, Russian, and some Dutch and German.
Irina comments, “I’m excited to work for Impact Recovery Systems® for several reasons. I’m genuinely impressed by the company’s products, culture, and team members. The products are exceptional in terms of quality, and the company’s culture is a great fit with my ideal work environment.”
Irina’s expansive background and experience with be a great asset to Impact Recovery Systems® as we position ourselves to grow our European market.