Blueprints are a critical part of any construction job, whether the job is large or small. In all cases, the ubiquitous blueprint is always in danger of breaking, getting damaged, stained, or just plain worn out.
Contractors typically carry blueprints as rolled documents that are referred to repeatedly during a workday on the construction site. Potential hazards to blueprints include general wear and tear, weather, coffee spills, cigarette ash burns, and dirt and grime. The contractor often travels from site to site with the rolled up plans casually dumped on the truck. If you have ever been to a construction site, you know that it is a chaotic and dirty place; this makes plan protection on a construction site a full-time job. Therefore, the life of a plane in construction is short.
Fortunately, there are now new options in the form of blueprint storage in plastic covers. These covers are proving to be a good method of protecting files from coffee spills, weather or dirt. They can also protect documents from cigarette ashes. Plastic covers can provide good protection for plans that need to be moved from one site to another; in effect, the blueprints become more durable and longer lasting.
Transporting blueprints on carriers is becoming a popular option as blueprints can be transported neatly, safely and conveniently. Conveyor systems eliminate the “curvature” that makes it difficult to handle rolled documents. Conveyors are designed with durable and strong materials, designed to withstand harsh weather conditions and construction environments. Some of the carrying systems come with additional pockets and zipper closures, while others are compatible with all office filing cabinets.
For the same reason, laminated files are becoming increasingly popular with engineers, construction workers, and architects in the field. Large document lamination is affordable and provides the highest security of a document, even though the weight of the document is more than doubled. Long-term storage of laminated documents can be problematic as they are inflexible and can be permanently wrinkled.
