Product Category: DRAIN SECURITY

The Industrial Drain Protection Range

Ultra-Drain Guard - Stormwater Filter Insert

The Ultra-Drain Guard is a filtration insert for standard kerb and gully drains. It fits inside the drain frame (under the grating) and intercepts sediment, oil, and floating debris before they enter the surface water system. The filter media captures fine particles, hydrocarbons, and organic matter that pass freely through a standard grating.

• Application: permanent installation in car parks, roads, fuel forecourts, bus depots, industrial yards - any paved area where water drains to a standard kerb gully.
• Mechanism: geotextile filter bag intercepts fine sediment; oil-adsorptive media captures dissolved and floating hydrocarbons.
• Maintenance: bags removed and replaced when loaded - typically annually or after significant rainfall/spill events.
• standard size fits most Irish gully drains; custom sizes available.

Polyurethane Drain Seals (Reusable Spill Covers)

Polyurethane drain seals are reusable, chemical-resistant mats that create a temporary watertight seal over a drain inlet. Used during spill response to block the drain while a clean-up is under way, and during maintenance or refuelling operations where there is a foreseeable spill risk.

• Material: polyurethane - resistant to oils, fuels, solvents, and dilute acids.
• Application: place over the drain inlet prior to or during operations near a drain; removes after clean-up or refuelling
• Re-use: rated for multiple cycles; cleaned and returned to the spill kit or tool store.
• Sizes: cover standard 300mm - 600mm square and round drainage inlets; bespoke sizes available.
• Weight: no permanent attachment required - mat weight provides seal in most applications; weighted rim option for uneven surfaces.

Magnetic Drain Covers

Magnetic drain covers use a strong-magnet system to seal cast-iron or steel drain frames. The seal is faster and more secure than a polyurethane mat on ferrous surfaces particularly useful for vehicle workshop floors, fuel storage compounds, and any area with a ferrous grating.

• Application: vehicle workshops, fuelling areas, mechanical workshops - anywhere with iron or steel drain frames.
• Rapid deployment: magnet snaps to frame; no tools or fixings required.
• Appropriate for chemical or fuel spill response where fast sealing is critical

Neoprene and Rubber Drain Seals

Flexible neoprene or rubber drain seals for non-standard or irregular drain openings. Used where polyurethane mats or magnetic covers cannot provide an adequate seal due to drain shape, frame damage, or non-ferrous construction.

Drain Guard - Sediment Sock / Filter Bag

Sediment-filled or geotextile sock drain guards are placed over or at drain inlets to intercept sediment-laden stormwater runoff. Used on construction sites where disturbed ground causes silt-laden water to flow to drains. Inexpensive, disposable (or emptied and refilled), and effective as a first line of defence.

Product Comparison: Industrial Drain Protection

Why Industrial Drain Protection Matters in Ireland

Ireland's surface water drainage system - road gullies, kerb drains, yard drains - connects directly to streams, rivers, and groundwater in most locations. Unlike foul sewers, stormwater drains have no treatment stage. A litre of oil that enters a road gully on a Monday morning can reach a salmonid stream by Monday afternoon.

The cost of an Ultra-Drain Guard installation on a yard drain is a fraction of the cost of one pollution incident.

Who Needs Industrial Drain Protection?

• Construction sites: where disturbed earth, fuel deliveries, and concrete mixing create multiple pollutant risks near surface drains.
• Vehicle maintenance workshops: oil and coolant spills adjacent to workshop floor drains.
• Fuel forecourts and distribution depots: petroleum and diesel near kerb drains and yard gullies.
• Industrial and manufacturing facilities: chemical transfer, cooling water discharge, process spillage.
• Waste management facilities: leachate, vehicle washing, material spillage near stormwater infrastructure.
• Utilities infrastructure: water treatment, electricity substations, transformer compounds.
• Hospitality and car parks: fats, oils, detergents, vehicle fluid leaks near gully drains.

Drain Protection as Part of a Spill Response Plan

Drain seals and guards are most effective when they are integrated into the site spill response plan not stored in a workshop 200 metres from the nearest drain. For sites with multiple drain inlets at risk, SSI recommends:

1. Map all drain inlets on the site - identify which drain to which watercourse or sewer
2. Position a drain seal at each high-risk inlet - or within 30 - 60 seconds of it.
3. Store drain seals in or adjacent to spill kits at hazardous liquid storage areas.
4. Train first responders to deploy drain seals before dealing with the source of the spill.
5. Install permanent Ultra-Drain Guards where the risk is ongoing - fuelling areas, car parks, vehicle wash areas.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the difference between a drain guard and a drain cover?

  In the Irish market, 'drain cover' typically refers to consumer products - plastic or cast-iron covers for manholes or gullies, including leaf-guards (typically €3–€20 from DIY retailers). A 'drain guard' in a professional/industrial context refers to filtration or sealing products that prevent pollutants from entering the drainage system - used by sites and facilities with spill risk, not by homeowners.
• Are drain seals reusable?

  Yes - polyurethane and neoprene drain seals are rated for multiple uses. They should be cleaned after use (especially if contaminated with oil or chemical) and inspected for damage before returning to the kit. SSI can supply replacement seals when units reach end of reusable life.
• Do I need planning permission to install an Ultra-Drain Guard?

  No. The Ultra-Drain Guard fits inside the existing drain frame - it does not require modification of the drain structure and does not require planning permission.
• What size drain guard do I need?

  Standard SSI drain guards fit the most common Irish kerb gully drain formats. Contact SSI with the internal dimensions of your drain frame for a size confirmation or bespoke order.