As I write there is total silence says Chris Dobson. I look across hedges and fields and nothing moves. Yet the day before we faced Storm Boeio, an amazing storm which closed schools, damaged property, caused death and injury and left tens of thousands of homes without power thanks to its 85mph speed.

How did this deadly storm impact on industry? For comment I turned to Hart Door Systems which has doors installed across the World, on every continent indeed.

As a market leader how would its highspeed doors, shutters and screens stand up to such a brutal storm?

“There is no doubt about the violence of the storm and yet we have not been contacted by any clients which is what I would expect. ” says Hart’s chairman, Doug Hart.

Pointing to a very recent contract Mr Hart uses Hart’s Typhoon door as a timely example.  Delivered for a contract in the Hebrides the Typhoon is rated up to 4Kpa (4,000 pascals) wind resistance clearly more than plenty to withstand the likes of Storm Boeio

Mr Hart continues. “Extreme wind pressure in a storm is one issue in areas naturally exposed directly to the sea, estuaries, hillsides. However, pressure can be increased by factors due to local topography and adjacent walls and or buildings.

“This can be a result of funnelling of the wind, opening of other doors in buildings and so on bringing an unforeseen pressure risk. The density of the air is another factor that needs to be considered at specification stage.

“Storm Boeio shows, that while a rare phenomenon, doors in locations where storms can be anticipated have to be of the right quality and specification and must comply with relevant safety standards and will efficiently deliver performance for many years to come.”

Chris Dobson is a journalist and a member of the Society of Editors and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

www.hartdoors.com