Press Release - November 23, 2009
Pole Inspection & Maintenance Notification
All Union Metal Customers,
It has come to Union Metal’s attention that over the past months, there
have been a number of situations in which long-standing sports lighting poles
have collapsed. These poles were manufactured by several different fabricators
and were installed in various locations in the country. In all cases, the poles
had been installed without issue for significant periods of time, some over
30 years. A theme in most cases of failure appears to be the belief by owners
that the poles had an “indefinite” lifespan and required no maintenance
or inspection once installed.
Union Metal Corporation, while not having any direct involvement in any of the
above mentioned incidents, felt the situation warranted a brief notification
to all its customers in order to rectify any misconceptions related to high-mast
poles. As with any steel structure, and more so with any exposed regularly to
the elements or installed outdoors, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
recommends that a regular and periodic system of inspections be performed on
high-mast poles by qualified technicians to ensure at a minimum that bolts are
tight, cracks have not developed, and surface coatings are intact. Regular maintenance
is also required to rectify any deficiencies noted during the inspection process.
It is up to the individual owner to determine the proper inspection and maintenance
protocols for its poles based on factors such as location, age, and intended
use.
While pole structures are extremely safe, have service lives over twenty years
and have exceptionally low failure rates, in the interest of safety Union Metal
wanted to take this opportunity to raise this important issue for pole structures
in all applications. If there is anything we can do to assist you in this matter,
or anything else related to pole design or fabrication, please do not hesitate
to contact your local sales representative.
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