Water Damage Restoration Hazard And Risk Assessments
The first line of defense in helping to prevent injury, unnecessary damage, and health risks inherent to a water damage mitigation project is safety/hazards awareness. A hazardous inspection checks for any work site situation that potentially poses danger to life or property. Water damage restoration professionals must then perform a risk assessment on all potential hazards found on the mitigation work site. The assessment evaluates the risk or likelihood a particular hazard will cause harm. Due to the unsafe nature of most water damaged dwellings, hazard inspections and risk assessments are essential for protecting workers.
The initial hazard inspection of a water damage restoration project involves three important aspects. The first step is to identify hazards that could give reason not to enter the building, such as wet electrical panels and collapsing ceilings. The second step is to identify the presence of regulated building materials such as asbestos, lead, or PCB’s (polychlorinated biphenyls). Government-regulated substances required testing or inspection services from specialized third-party experts to assess health and safety issues. Finally, competent water damage mitigation contractor conducts a risk assessment and implements the necessary hazard controls for any identified hazards.
Water Removal Mitigation Hazard Controls
Hazard controls are implemented to protect against injury or other safety incidents. Within the water damage mitigation industry, controls are organized into a hierarchy. Those controls considered to be more effective at protecting workers and occupants are categorized higher on the list. For example, the most effective control measures either eliminate the hazard or substitute a safer situation for mitigation to proceed. Where water damage restoration hazards cannot be eliminated or replaced, industry mitigation safety plans implement controls lower in the hierarchy:
-
Engineering Controls- These are water damage restoration safety controls which are designed to deal with hazards before mitigation professionals encounter the hazard. These controls isolate workers from an identified danger.
-
Administrative Controls- These water damage mitigation controls are lower in the hierarchy and occur between the source of the hazard and mitigation professional. They include “safer work practices”.
-
Personal Protective Equipment- Water damage restoration Personal protective equipment (PPE) consists of controls placed on the mitigation professional. PPE is the lowest form of hazard control because protective equipment devices do nothing to eliminate the hazard directly.
Water Damage Restoration PPE
Water damage restoration professionals cannot always eliminate every health and safety concern on a water damage project, so PPE is a necessary part of the safety program. Selecting a proper level of protection is important when considering PPE for a water damage mitigation project. One step of the initial risk assessment is to closely evaluate the potential risks and determine which type of PPE is most appropriate. To help protect water damage mitigation technicians from the many hazards associated with contaminated water losses, restorers need to have ready access to several safety items. These items protect from all potential exposures to the body and include:
-
Chemical-Resistant Gloves
-
Goggles
-
Respirator
-
Hard Hat
-
Rubber Boots
-
Protective Suit
Masters Of Mitigation
Water Damage Restoration Safety “Immunizations”
The great majority of water damage restoration projects involve direct contact with a range of infectious organisms. As a minimum medical requirement, mitigation professionals performing water damage restoration services need medical consultation with a Primary Health Care Physician for appropriate immunizations. Immunizations required may vary depending on the scope of work, previous immunization history, previous exposure and current availability of treatments.
Water Removal Safety Standards And Organizations
Water damage restoration professionals must be familiar with all applicable safety standards and laws which affect their business. This list below includes some of relevant organizations and standards water damage mitigation professionals need to be familiar with.
1 OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration
a. 29 CFR 1910
b. 29 CFR 1926
2 ANSI (American National Standards Institute)
a. ANSI Z117.1-1989
3 EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)
a. FIFRA- Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act
4 IICRC (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification
a. S500- Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Water Damage Restoration
b. S520- Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Mold Remediation
This list should be evaluated for its application through varying state, provincial and other government laws and regulations. It is also necessary to check with each of these sources frequently in order to stay current with changes to standards, codes and regulations.
Water Damage Restoration Federal Regulations
Two codes are particularly relative to the work done by water damage restoration contractors. These documents can be assessed online. In order to ensure compliance water damage mitigation contractors must thoroughly read and understand these two CFR’s:
29 CFR 1910- General Industry Standards
29 CFR 1926- Construction Industry Standards
-
Increasing air flow across wet surfaces.
-
Controlling temperature of air and surfaces.
-
Using outside air when possible.
-
Creating a drying chamber.
-
Decreasing humidity in the affected area.
Items covered significant to water damage mitigation include:
-
OSHA General Duty Clause
-
Emergency Action and Fire Prevention Plans
-
Personal Protective Equipment
-
Respiratory Protection Plans
-
Asbestos and Lead
-
Heat Conditions
-
Confined Spaces
-
Hazard Plans
-
Fall Protection
-
Noise Exposure Limits
Insurance Accepted, financing Available
Water Damage Restoration And Documentation
Several areas of health and safety require documentation during a water mitigation project. For example, employers who assign mitigation technicians to use respiratory protection are required to have a written respiratory protection plan. Likewise, whenever hazardous chemicals are present on a water mitigation work site, employers must document their company’s HAZCOM program.
Water Removal And Bloodborne Pathogens
Workers in many different occupations are at risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens. First aid team members, housekeeping personnel in some settings, water damage restoration contractors and nurses are examples of workers who are at risk of exposure. In 1991, OSHA issued the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard to protect workers from this risk.
Bloodborne pathogens are microorganisms present in the blood which can cause disease in humans. Water damage mitigation contractors could possibly come into contact with bloodborne pathogens during day-to-day mitigation activities, primarily through the remediation of sewer backups.
