Dry It

There is a CSA Standard for Emergency Response called the Z731. In this Standard it states that in every emergency there is an initial state of confusion and disbelief. When an emergency strikes there may be a time where responders are overwhelmed and cannot deal adequately with the emergency. Through proper preparation and planning the risk, loss and damage can be minimized.
Preparation of an emergency response plan for an apartment building can be divided into three categories: organizational objectives, hazard vulnerabilities and identifying resources.
First off we must be able to organize what the objectives are in an emergency. The objectives usually are preventing injuries or fatalities, preventing damage to property and a return to normal activities.
The plan must identify who is to be called first. The initial responder must have the authority to make decisions, this is especially important over the Christmas Holidays when the ability to contact senior management may not be possible. A list of potentially hazardous situations should be compiled. They usually fall into one of three categories- natural hazards, manmade hazards and technological hazards. For the purposes of this article we will focus on the manmade/natural hazards of water damage and fire and smoke damage. Then a series of safe operating practices should be devised for each one of the potential hazards that may be encountered.
After having compiled your list of potential emergency situations it is fairly evident that the first thing to do in most situations is to call 911. This is what makes water damage so different as an emergency because 911 will not respond to such a call. You must have a list of internal resources who are able to respond such as the phone number of the caretaker/superintendant to turn off the water. These responders must know where the water shut off valves are. Having the number for a plumber familiar with your building also helps. Call the plumbing company you use and see if you can obtain the emergency after hour’s number for the person on call and a secondary number just in case there is no answer. It is Christmas time we are preparing for here, the more numbers the better. Make sure you have the number for a disaster restoration company who offers 24/7 service and be sure its a company you already know responds quickly. When it comes to water damage the faster the response the less damage that will be caused. Have the number for your building’s electrician. Remind people that electricity and water are a potentially fatal mix. Electricians can be extremely difficult people to reach after hours. Have numbers for a second and even third alternative company just in case there are several other buildings being affected by the same situation.
The numbers for all internal and external resources should be readily available to all security personnel. If the building has no on site security then an emergency number should be posted on the call board. It is extremely effective to have these numbers on stickers or magnets and posted in places that they cannot be missed. In Southwestern Ontario you can contact www.dryit.ca.
Once you know who to call and when to call them it is important to devise a list of do’s and don’ts in your buildings.

• In particular identify where the shut off valves are, if there are certain valves that should not be touched mark them as such.
• If there are energy sources that may require locking out then have them identified
• Be sure on site personnel has an idea where the electrical and plumbing conduits are in the building
• Never allow fire stops to be compromised
• Never touch any power sources while you are wet
• Never enter wet electrical rooms
• Be aware of water lines that may have additives that are unsafe to the sanitary sewer system such as roof top heating systems and rust inhibitors in sprinkler systems
• Evaluate the source of the water and if it is potentially pathogenic ensure appropriate engineering controls, safe work practices and personal protective equipment are employed
• Clearly define what mitigating your water damage means in your facility
• Make sure the necessary building blueprints are available to emergency personnel
• Make it clear when an evacuation of the building is required and how the evacuation is to be conducted

The main purpose of this article is to identify the areas of concern during a flood that people who are not normally under the chain of command of the building may be required to make decisions on.
Always remember that the longer it takes to make a decision in a water damage situation the more the water runs, the further it will go and the more damage it will cause.
James (Lee) Senter is the owner of Dryit. Lee is an IICRC Approved Water Damage Remediation Instructor teaching classes across Canada. Lee is an IICRC Master Water Restorer, Master Fire and Smoke Restorer and the Chair of the IICRC Canadian Health and Safety Technician committee. Dryit is a disaster restoration company specializing in dealing with condominiums and office buildings in Southern Ontario. Dryit guarantees one hour response time in regular traffic flow hours. Dryit offers water damage remediation, smoke and fire remediation and mould remediation. Our website is http://www.dryit.ca.

The idea of a water break in a condominium building usually sends shivers down a property manager’s back. Floods should be part of a building’s emergency response plan. There should be a 911 mentality. What to do in the event of such an emergency should be clearly outlined with security, management, maintenance staff and unit owners.

There are two constants with water, it moves away from its source and it always takes the path of least resistance. This usually means that the water is finding a way to move down wards. In a condo high rise this can mean that given enough time even the smallest water intrusion can affect many units.

Quick response is of paramount importance. Migrating water must be contained at its source. It must be extracted before it soaks into the permeable building materials, flooring and unit’s contents.

When picking a company for disaster restoration, response time should be one of the most important factors. The company should be able to respond in one hour or less. The company should have solid systems and procedures. The technicians of the company should at minimum be certified in water damage restoration and aware of the standards of the industry and legislation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Building staff should know how to turn off the water if it is required. It is quite remarkable how often building staff will be unable to turn off the water for over an hour and of course the water continues to run and migrates down. Management should be able to immediately determine whether or not the pipe that broke contains contaminants. Many pipes have additives in the water such as glycol ethers and rust inhibitors.

Glycol ethers are commonly used in roof top heating systems to prevent them from freezing in the winter. This additive is considered to be a water pollutant. Should a pipe with such additives break, none of the additive can enter the sewer system. The contaminated water cannot even enter the sanitary sewer system. The water must be collected and a Generator’s License must be obtained from the Ministry of the Environment and all the contaminated water must be disposed of by a hazardous materials expert.

The professional water restorer should be able to review an MSDS of the water additive upon arriving at the scene. The restorer should also be able to review the building’s survey so that a proper designated substance hazard assessment can be properly completed before removal of any water damaged building materials can commence.

The Standard for Water Damage restoration is the IICRC S500 Standard for Water Damage Remediation 3^rd Edition. This Standard divides water losses into three categories of water type. Category 1 which is commonly called Clean Water, Category 2 which is referred to as Gray Water and Category 3 otherwise known as Black Water.

Category 1 water poses no risk to humans and can be cleaned up easily. However as Cat 1 water travels over floorcoverings and through building materials the classification of the water may change to Cat 2 or Cat 3.

Category 2 water is contaminated water that can cause significant discomfort to humans. Water from aquariums, toilet water (not beyond the trap), waterbeds, washing machines and dishwashers are all good examples of Cat 2 water.

Category 3 water is considered grossly contaminated and poses significant harm to humans. The presence of pathogenic bacteria and viruses is common is such water. Any groundwater or water from sewers, drains etc from beyond the trap is considered Cat 3.

When Cat 2 water comes into contact with porous and permeable items consideration should be given to disposing of these items. Any such item that comes in contact with cat 3 water must be disposed of.

As an industry instructor I am always asked the proper way of performing water damage and preventing any possibility of mould. Well the prevention of mould is quite simple. Get everything dry. I don’t mean dry to the hand, I mean dry to the moisture meter.

The primary concern for any professional water damage restorer is to get the walls, ceilings and floors dry. People with no experience in water damage are usually focussed on the floor coverings being dry. However the biggest cause of mould in water damage is walls constructed of drywall not being dried properly. Air movers and specialty wall drying systems must be put in place immediately and left running otherwise mould will grow. There are many interesting systems available to dry structural components. Take a look at some of the tools we use at www.dryit.ca.

Unit owners and property mangers will always find a water damage a bit chaotic. However as long as the these two basics are followed—extract the water and dry the structure immediately, secondary damage will be kept to a minimum.

James (Lee) Senter is the owner of Dryit.ca. Lee is an IICRC Approved Water Damage Remediation Instructor teaching classes across Canada. Lee is an IICRC Master Water Restorer, Master Fire and Smoke Restorer and the Chair of the IICRC Canadian Health and Safety Technician committee. Dryit.ca is a disaster restoration company specializing in dealing with condominiums and office buildings in Southern Ontario. Dryit guarantees one hour response time in regular traffic flow hours. Dryit.ca offers water damage remediation, smoke and fire remediation and mould remediation. Our website is http://www.dryit.ca.