Grit bins are a key part of the winter preparedness strategy for businesses, schools, councils and other organisations all around the country. Choosing the right one for your site can be tricky though, with some many different options available in the marketplace. That is why we have come up with this handy guide to help you select the right grit bin for your environment.
What is a grit bin?
Grit bins are the large (usually) yellow containers you can see in car parks, streets and outside public spaces like parks. Commercial grit bins are used to store grit or de-icing salt to combat icy and snowy weather, and keep it ready for speedy deployment when the weather turns cold. Grit bins are popular in all public buildings such as schools, offices and large shops. They are necessary for any business that has a large amount of footpaths which need to be kept clear.
Considerations
Capacity
Capacity is the key consideration for when you are selecting your grit bin. It will be informed by a couple of other decisions, such as how many bins you want and if you want them to be located around your property, so you’ll need to take all of these aspects into a account. The larger the capacity of your bin(s), the more grit and salt you can keep on site, and therefore the larger space you can cover
Bins are readily available ranging from 30 litre up to 350 litre capacities – the smaller version is more suited to car parks and larger outdoor areas.
Position
For ease of grit distribution, it is logical to keep your grit bin close to the higher traffic areas. For larger areas this can mean having a bin at each end of the space, or several dotted about, meaning that the really large bins might not actually be the ideal choice – you might be better off with a couple of medium bins, or a handful of small units. Think about the actual act of gritting – how will you or your personnel be spreading the grit? If you are using a purpose-built grit spreader (a kind of hopper on wheels) then you won’t need the bins spaced out. If you are simply shovelling the grit to spread it, it makes more sense to have them dotted about.
Wherever you decide to place your grit bins, they need to be easily accessible and fairly visible. If people cannot see the grit bin, or it is difficult to get to (bear in mind that you’ll probably need to access the bin when the ground is treacherous and icy) then it is unlikely to be used to its greatest effect.
Frequency
How often will you be gritting? For most sites, a generous spreading first thing in the morning and again last thing at night is sufficient – but for particularly high-traffic spots or if the temperature remains very cold throughout the day, you might need to supplement this with more spreadings. Obviously, the more grit you spread the more storage space you need for that grit.
