Industrial shelters are buildings or structures that are designed to house and protect instrumentation or personnel. Many types of products are available.

Examples include:

• Attendant booth- Attendant booths protect personnel while working as an attendant.
• Awning- Awnings are horizontal fabrics or fabric covered roof structures, which are mounted on or hand out from the exterior walls of an existing building or structure. The fabric or textile coverings are often mounted or hung from poles or pole structures. Some awnings may employ a rigid metal, wood or plastic roof membrane.
• Barn- Barns are used for housing farm animals or for general storage.
• Billeting / housing- Housing is used for personnel quarters and often has features like climate control windows and doorways.
• Canopy- Canopies are horizontal fabrics or fabric covered roof structures, which are mounted on a free standing frame or structure of poles. Some canopies may employ a rigid plastic, metal or wood roof membrane.
• Carport- Carports are structures that have a roof to cover a spot for a vehicle to park.
• Decontamination shelter- Decontamination shelters provide the necessary equipment to decontaminate personnel or equipment.
• Emergency operations shelter- Shelters provide emergency personnel shelter for command, treatment or recovery.
• Equipment shelter- Equipment shelters are used for communications, power generation, or any other operational equipment.
• Explosive storage building- Explosive storage buildings store and contain explosives.
• Field office- Field offices are for job site engineers or other personnel to work out of.
• Garage- Garages are large structure for general storage of large equipment, materials, or vehicles.
• Greenhouse- Greenhouses are shelters for the use of growing plants.
• Guard / security booth- Security booths protect and shelter security personnel.
• Hanger- Hangers are buildings used to house aircrafts.
• Hazmat storage building- Hazard materials buildings are used to store and contain hazardous materials and chemicals.
• In-plant office- In-plant offices are for use within a building for use as an office.
• Observation tower- Observation tours are raised buildings which allow easy viewing to the surrounding area.
• Shed- Sheds are storage structures.
• Smoking shelter- Smoking shelters give employees or patrons protection from the outdoor weather.
• Telecom shelter (BTS)- Telecom shelters are used in the communications industry and are typically environmentally-controlled to protect electronic equipment.
• Tent- Tents are frames covered by a fabric.
• Ticket booth- Ticket booths are shelters for selling tickets.
• Transit shelter- Transit shelters give transportation patrons protection from the outdoor weather.

Dimensions

Industrial shelters vary in terms of dimensions, applications, and features. Dimensions include height, depth or length, and width or diameter.

Features

In terms of features, some industrial shelters are portable, corrosion resistant, fireproof, insulated, locking, trailer mounted, temperature controlled, or vented. Others are shielded against electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interface (RFI), or provide protection against electrostatic discharge (ESD). Moisture resistant shelters provide some degree of protection from the surrounding environment, but are not necessarily impervious to that environment. Moisture proof products include a barrier that prevents the ingress of moisture or other contaminants.

Materials

Industrial shelters are made of many different materials. Examples include aluminum, concrete, fabric, glass, plastic, and wood. Polypropylene (PP) is a thermoplastic material with excellent cold flow, bi-axial strength, and yield elongation properties. It is similar to polyvinyl chloride (PVC), but can be used in exposed applications because of its resistance to ultraviolet (UV) light, weathering, and ozone. Composite materials such as fiberglass are strong, durable and impervious to many caustics and extreme temperatures. Steel is a commercial iron that contains carbon in any amount up to about 1.7 percent as an essential alloying constituent. It is malleable under suitable conditions and distinguished from cast iron by both its malleability and lower carbon content. Stainless steel is corrosion-resistant and can have relatively high pressure ratings. Industrial shelters made of steel wire are also available.

Standards

ISO containers are used for the intermodal transport of freight. These industrial shelters are manufactured according to specifications from the International Standards Organization (ISO) and are suitable for multiple transportation methods such as truck and rail, or rail and ship.

Application

Some industrial shelters are suitable for general-purpose, material handling, military, or processing applications. Others are designed for the containment or storage of electronic equipment, tools and machinery, hazardous materials, or oils and fuels. Products that are designed to provide primary or additional workspace for employees are also available.

Image credit:

Cincinnati Sub-zero