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7.0) Water (drying):
(page
1 of 5)
7.1) Objective: The objective when performing
emergency mitigation services after a water loss would be to stop the water
source, contain water damage, dry the structure and contents, and prevent
secondary damages.
Personnel should identify whether hazardous substances listed by the
ATSDR are present, as further
described in Section 7.5.
7.2) Water Loss - Site Assessment: Before drying
services begin, the loss site should be evaluated, and the following, at
minimum, should be determined:
- Water source (identify)
- Is water source stopped?
- Affected rooms (total count)
- Approximate time loss happened
- Identify possible hazardous substances
- Square foot and cubic feet of affected rooms
- Temperature, humidity and dew point readings
- Is cause of loss due to product or service error? (subrogation)
After the aforementioned information is gathered, the p1m.com
Critical Recovery Flow
Chart - water losses, which provides a chronological order of mitigation events
based on the four principles of drying; What Is Wet? - How Wet Is It? - Are
We Drying? - Is It Dry? --- should be used as a guide during the loss site
assessment, and the overall drying process.
7.2.a) Basic Drying Procedures: Water
damage whether direct or incidental, could require the use of professional
drying equipment when the interior atmospheric humidity exceeds 40%.
Or when the moisture content of building components or content items exceed
the moisture levels found in
Table 7-B.
When equilibrium between the interior and exterior humidity exists, a
closed drying process should be performed.
The following procedures should apply when drying a structure:
Electrical power
should be turned off before persons attempt to remove electrical appliances
or equipment in standing or runoff water.
Standing and runoff water should be
extracted,
mopped or drained.
Contents should be moved to a dry location or placed on foam blocks
or protector pads.
Slippery when wet signs should be
posted.
Loose plaster and drywall on ceilings should be secured or posted as
dangers.
Access holes as described in
Section 7.24
could be made to relieve water or access hidden damages.
High moisture (humidity) areas should be
isolated from
the balance of the structure to prevent secondary damages and reduce drying
time.
Extracted wastewater should be disposed per local, regional and
national ordnances.
Drying equipment left for extended (overnight) period of time should be
inspected at
least once in a 24-hour period.
Temperature, humidity, and dew point readings should be taken, and every
effort should be made to prevent secondary damages.
7.3) Work Authorization: Before the emergency
mitigation process begins, contractors should have an
emergency work
authorization signed by the property owner or policy
owner. The emergency work authorization should not include permission
to perform restoration or reconstruction procedures. The processes of
restoration or reconstruction should be awarded under a separate contract.
7.4) Safety: Contractors should have a safety
program in place, highlighting and pertaining to water loss mishaps and
mold as described in
Section 3.0.
MSDS sheets for
all chemicals and materials should be on-site at all times.
7.4.a) Safety Equipment: The
equipment described in
Section 3.2 and
Section 4.5 should apply when performing water loss mitigation services.
7.4.b) Electrical Hazard: To prevent
electrical shock or electrocution,
electrical power should be turned off at the
breaker panel or
fuse box before persons attempt to remove electrical equipment, appliances,
etc. in standing or runoff water.
Equipment should be plugged into
GFCI
breakers. When equipment and extension cords are equipped with a
three-prong plug and the ground prong is missing, they should not be
used.
Lockout and tagging procedures for electrical power should conform to
OSHA
regulations.
7.5) Health: Water loss sites should be
considered a health hazard until the water source, category or situation
has been determined and classified. (ref. Sections 7.8 and 7.9)
The ATSDR Emergency
Response Department should be contacted when water has been
exposed to the hazardous substances listed in the
Finalized Toxicological
Profile developed by the
Agency for Toxic
Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
When mold (fungi) formation is discovered, the mold formation or room that
contains the mold formation should be isolated from the balance of the
structure to prevent cross contamination as described in Section 7.5.d.
7.5.a) Food: Food, when exposed to water
hazards should not be consumed. This should include foods that have
been exposed through HVAC
infiltration and cross contamination.
When food items are contaminated, they should be inventoried before
discarding.
7.5.b) Equipment Decontamination: Equipment
and tooling used after water mitigation, mold remediation or sewage
clean-ups should be decontaminated before being put-back in storage or
re-used. (ref.
3.18)
7.5.c) Cross-Contamination: Every effort
should be made to prevent cross-contamination during mitigation or
remediation.
Already cleaned, disinfected and sanitized areas should be posted as
cleaned and sanitized.
The prevention of cross-contamination should include persons (foot
traffic), clothing, equipment, tooling, chemical, material packaging and
air infiltration through HVAC systems.
7.5.d) Containment: When working in
contaminated areas, the contaminated area should be closed (sealed) off by
means of vapor barrier to limit the possibility of airborne
contamination. HVAC systems should be closed off or shut down from
the balance of the structure until the mitigation or remediation process is
completed.
7.5.e) Immunization: Persons working in
water loss environments should be
immunized
against water related hazards as described in Section 3.1.
7.5.f) Skin Exposure: Persons with open
cuts and sores should not be exposed to contaminated water or
equipment. Preferably, persons with open cuts and sores should not
mitigate #3 Black Water or sewage losses until cuts and sores have healed.
7.5.g) Respiratory Exposure: Children, elderly and persons with
respiratory complications should be warned of possible airborne
contamination (hypersensitive lung disease) from
Category #3 Black Water, or when mold
(fungi) formation is discovered. (ref. 7.8, 7.8.c)
7.6) Time is of the Essence: Time is the
enemy when handling water losses. Like fire and smoke perils,
surfaces will change from bad to worse over time. However unlike fire
and smoke losses, the cause (water) can transform into a biological
nightmare if not treated in an expedient, proper and systematic fashion.
Within:
24 to 48 hours: Clean (potable) water could grow mold (fungi)
and bacteria. And porous materials will absorb moisture.
48 to 72 hours: Mold (fungi) could start feeding off organic
materials. Based on the temperature, molds can form and germinate,
while porous materials could reach full absorption and secondary damages
could occur.
72 to ? hours: Clean (potable) water could saturate and destroy
building components and contents, while mold its associated musty odor
could accelerate into all areas of the structure.
The aforementioned time frames are based on clean (potable) water. In
situations containing # 2 Gray Water or # 3 Black Water, the damages could
intensify within the above time frames.
-
Extracted from the Loss Recovery Guide with
Standards (LRGS)
© Copyright
1998-2008 William Yobe
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7.7) Chemicals: The water
category, surface types and post-condition of the structure and contents
would determine the type and the quantity of chemicals needed. (ref. Sections 4.8, 4.8.a & 4.8.b)
Chemicals, paints, etc. should be secured or removed from the premises at
the close of business daily as described in
Section 3.8.
.
7.7.a) Disinfectants and Sanitizers: Disinfectants
are only effective after a surface has been thoroughly cleaned, and are
best applied and most effective when sprayed. Fine misting is not as
affective as a thorough soaking, especially on porous surfaces.
Organic soils could neutralize disinfectants and jeopardize their
productions; thus, the mop and bucket method of applying disinfectants
should be avoided due to possible pre and post cross-contamination.
(ref.
Sections 4.8, 4.8.a & 4.8.b)
Approved disinfectant should be applied to affected areas after a thorough
cleaning, while an application of an approved disinfectant could be applied
before cleanup begins to lower volatile
organic compounds (VOC's) and
curtail
microbial growth. Pre-disinfecting will not reduce contaminates to
safe levels and all safety precautions should apply.
When using bleach as
a disinfectant, bleaches should be diluted using clean water to achieve
their highest pH reading possible.
When cleaning with a pre-mix
cleaner/disinfectant, a second application of the pre-mix
cleaner/disinfectant could be required to produce positive results.
Disinfectants should be allowed adequate time to infiltrate and destroy
contaminates as described on their product label, while 10 minutes is the
minimum recommended period for some disinfectants to react. Moreover,
when disinfecting surfaces, disinfectants should be applied at levels
acceptable to public or private health officials.
When using disinfectants, the manufacturers’ mixing, use practices, safety
precautions, and disposal recommendations should be followed.
When handling, transporting and applying disinfectants, all compliance and
safety precautions set forth by the
Federal Insecticide,
Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) should apply.
7.8) Water Source Category: Water losses should be categorized into three
categories:
- Category # 1 Clean Water
- Category # 2 Gray Water
- Category # 3 Black Water
7.8.a) Category # 1 Clean Water: Category #1
Clean Water would be from a broken water (pipe) line, appliance water line,
sink or tub overflow, broken toilet tank, rain water, etc.
As clean water pass through or over building materials, its condition could
change to a category #2 Gray Water or category #3 Black Water.
(Clean potable water poses no direct threat to humans)
7.8.b) Category # 2 Gray Water: Category #2 Gray Water would be from an
aquarium,
appliance waste
line,
waterbed,
toilet bowl,
etc.
Category #2 Gray Water can contain chemicals, contaminates or biopollutants
such as;
fungi,
bacteria, viral
and
algae.
Category #2 Gray Water should be treated as a contaminate since
microorganisms can cause sickness and disease, while Category #2 Gray Water
can turn into a Category #3 Black Water if not treated in a timely manner.
(Unsanitary, consumption can cause illness to humans)
7.8.c) Category # 3 Black Water: Category
#3 Black Water would be from
rainwater that
has passed over a contaminate, sewage
backup or floodwaters and can contain sewage, chemicals, algae, protein,
etc.
Category #3 Black Water is highly
unsanitary and can cause serious illness or death to humans. When a category
#3 Black Water contains sewage waste, it should be broken down into three
classifying situations, as outlined in
Section 7.9.
(Highly unsanitary, consumption can cause serious illness or death
to humans)
7.9) Sewage Back-Flow by Situation
Classification: Sewage is
threatening to human health as illustrated in the Disease-Causing Organisms in Sewage chart and
Section 3.26, moreover,
health complications can develop through transmissions; Inhalation, hand to
mouth, open cuts, sores, etc.
All water losses involving sewage should be of a serious concern to all
involved and/or exposed.
The amount of sewage, whether or not the affected area is confined, and the
types of materials affected would determine the situation classification.
Situation #1: Would be from of a bathroom overflow that is
confined (limited) to the bathroom, and the following should apply:
- Short (lapsed time) exposure period
- Affected structural components, would be solid
(non-porous) surface
- Exhausting (fan) system is operable and the HVAC
ventilating system has positive pressure
Situation #2: Would be from of a bathroom overflow containing sewage
that went beyond the confines of the bathroom and affected an adjoining
room, and the following should apply:
- Short (lapsed time) exposure period
- Affected structural components and contents would be both,
solid (non-porous) surfaces and absorbent (porous) surfaces
- HVAC ventilating system is operating as positive and negative,
possibly allowing some airborne contaminates to expose
other areas of the structure
Situation # 3: Would be a sewage main (line) backup or
overflow, that penetrated the indoor environment of a structure, saturating
its components and contents, and the following should apply:
- Short (lapsed time) to moderate exposure
- Affected structural components and contents would be of
both, solid (non porous) surfaces, and absorbent
(porous) surfaces, and is widely spread
- HVAC ventilating system is operating as positive and
negative, possibly allowing some airborne contaminates
to expose other areas of the structure, and/or infiltrated
with solid contaminates.
When performing remediation after a sewage back-flow, the
EPA
working document --- "Suggested
Guidelines for Remediation of Damage from Sewage Backflow into Buildings" should
be followed.
7.10) Psychrometrics: Water loss sites have an extensive amount of
variables and
unknowns, and although it may be impossible to formulate an absolute
perfect drying equation, a proper loss site assessment and psychrometric
principals, when combined with drying experience, constant monitoring and
changes as needed, will produce positive drying results.
Psychrometric principals are structured principals and are the relationship
between - air, moisture, pressure and temperature:
Air: The mixture of an invisible, odorless, tasteless gases,
containing; nitrogen, oxygen and other elements as measured in volume and
weight.
Moisture: A liquid, diffused in smaller quantities, humidity,
as measured in grains per pound.
Temperature: A degree of coldness or hotness, as measured on a
definite scale. (ref
7.11.a)
Pressure: Vapor pressure is measured in pounds per square inch
of mercury, while vapor pressure, grains of moisture and specific humidity
are related in that their scales are constant with each other. (ref. 7.11.f)
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