Sand Spreader

Loaders In some congested areas, plows pile snow too high to see around at intersections, and the pile has to be removed. A wheeled loader is best-suited for this job. Care must be taken when moving snow piles with a loader. Fireplugs, electrical and telephone boxes, and other utilities may be buried in the snow. If you are not sure what is under to check the base move the pile. Sand Spreader a pile of snow, ask your crew leader utilities plan before you attempt to Most snowplows are equipped with a sand spreader, commonly called a sander. Sand spreaders can be truck-mounted (fig. 14-42) or towed (fig. 14-43). Spreading hot sand over ice with conventional sand spreading equipment (fig. 14-43) is considered to be one of the most effective ways of producing traction on iced Figure 14-43.—Towed sand spreader. Figure 14-42.—Truck-mounted sand spreader. surfaces. In this operation, the particles of hot sand embed themselves in the surface and thus resist removal by traffic and wind. For best results, the heated sand should be applied to the iced surface as quickly as possible. Loose sand, applied with the sand spreader, is also used to produce traction on iced surfaces. This method is generally satisfactory, but because the sand is not firmly bonded to the ice, it is blown off the surface by wind and traffic. This method is more effective when applied to surfaces that are wet and when freezing temperatures are expected. 14-35