By Rusty Latenser
PCMS units often rely on sandbags for wind stability—sometimes 300–400 pounds per sign. But sandbags create more problems than they solve.
Operational Inefficiency
Loading and unloading sandbags takes 5–15 minutes per deployment. Multiply that across hundreds of setups, redeployments, and yard operations, and the wasted man‑hours become enormous.
Transportation Burden
Sandbags eat up valuable space on tow vehicles—space needed for signs and other traffic‑control gear. That “small” inconvenience often forces extra trips or extra vehicles, adding hidden cost.
Improper Placement
Sandbags rarely get placed where they should. Workers toss them wherever convenient—often onto weak points like fenders—creating damage and uneven loading.
Labor Costs
Sandbags are cheap; the labor isn’t. Filling, moving, and maintaining them consumes weekly hours across multiple workers.
Safety Concerns
- Worker Exposure: Every minute spent handling sandbags is another minute on the shoulder near live traffic.
- Collision Hazards: Dislodged sandbags can become dangerous projectiles.
- Injuries: Repeated lifting of 40–80 lb bags leads to back and ankle injuries, higher medical costs, and overtime to cover injured staff.
Durability & Maintenance
Sandbags degrade quickly—waterlogging, freezing, UV breakdown—requiring constant replacement and cleanup.
Alternatives
1. Use an inherently stable platform
The INEX Spyder Base or Spyder Platform is basically square when deployed. Really tough to tip over (87 MPH)
2. Temporary Concrete Blocks
Durable and heavy, but still cumbersome, hard to transfer between vehicles, and share many sandbag drawbacks.
3. Integrated Ballast Systems
Built‑in concrete or metal weights inside the PCMS—stable, durable, and eliminate temporary sandbags entirely.
4. Metal Anchors
Effective in soft soils but difficult in hard ground or when deep installation is required.
5. Rubber/Plastic Weights
Durable and easy to handle, but lower density means more volume is needed for equivalent stability.
