Positioning assets and utilities on higher locations

By positioning vulnerable products and assets that are vital or capital-intensive (such as utilities) on higher positions on shelves or legs, you can stop them being damaged during floods.

• Applicable to utilities, products, goods, factories and installations;
• Spatial adaptation and crisis management;
• Permanent and temporary measure;
• Small investment;
• Prevents economic and environmental damage;
• Applicable at flood depth up to approx. 100 cm.

Electrical, telecommunications and IT systems are vulnerable to contact with water. Any outage of these systems can interfere with processes or lead to an uncontrolled shutdown. The outage of communications networks can complicate evacuation and communications during emergencies.

Positioning utilities on higher locations can be cost-effective for systems such as control panels, switch boxes, railway control cabinets, transformer cabinets, monitoring and control stations, telecommunications assets and pumping stations. Telecommunications assets can often be positioned straightforwardly on top of other infrastructure that is kept dry.

By installing product pipes and lines on scaffolding above the platform instead of below the platform or alongside it, you reduce the probability of them being covered by the water. That can cause corrosion. You should position products in high locations using platforms, racks or shelves.