Asbestos Abatement In Refinery - Case Study
BACKGROUND
Enviro-Vac have developed many long-term relationships with some of the petrochemical industry’s leading decommissioning and demolition companies and have successfully completed numerous industrial projects Canada-wide. We have proven capabilities of delivering often complex, turnkey refinery abatement and decontamination projects on a national scale, on time and on budget without incident.
Hazardous materials abatement in a refinery can be a daunting task as there are various environmental compliance liabilities & regulatory issues that can exist when removing asbestos, cleaning or decontaminating a refinery. There are few places where safety is more important. Enviro-Vac has considerable expertise and experience performing asbestos abatement inside these operating facilities.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
A large refinery in Alberta required asbestos removal, decontamination and abatement service solutions that would encompass a broad range of technical and management capabilities including a comprehensive safety and regulatory compliance second to none. The project requirements ranged from installation of engineered scaffolding and negative pressure, shrink-wrap enclosures for high-risk asbestos abatement and decontamination of boilers, refractory vessels and processing lines to removal of asbestos cladding and firespray.
PROJECT CHELLENGES
A major decommissioning company asked Enviro-Vac to prepare a proposal and quote for the safe abatement and decontamination of asbestos within this refinery.
The multi-million dollar abatement project was made more complex as abatement needed to be accomplished inside the functioning refinery in the harshest of weather conditions beginning in the late Canadian winter and continue for two years, often requiring working at height and over live electrical wires. Safe work plans were needed to protect the Enviro-Vac crew from bitterly cold weather, wind and snow while also safeguarding the client’s personnel.
THE ENVIRO-VAC SOLUTION
The company installed specially designed and engineered scaffolding covered with double-wall, fire-rated, shrink-wrap containments around the areas requiring abatement which were then heated and placed under negative pressure.
Enviro-Vac actively supports a collaborative working relationship with clients and our reputation for excellent service and efficient work methodology throughout the abatement phases did not disappoint our client. Because of the attention to detail and extensive experience that Enviro-Vac brings to the table, the project was completed on-time and on-budget, with zero accidents.
Enviro-Vac strives to be problem solvers and works with clients to reduce potential liability exposure while keeping them safe and in compliance. In today’s ever-changing regulatory environment, we provide safe and efficient abatement and decontamination solutions to the industry’s toughest challenges. Enviro-Vac have removed asbestos from facilities all over Canada including Canada’s sub-arctic to compile an exceptional projects completed history.
SUMMARY
Health and safety are central to everything we do, starting with pre-job planning and continuing through to job execution and debriefing. Enviro-Vac's strict company requirements demands we always strive for the highest performance results and continuous improvement.
Regularly scheduled project meetings are conducted with the clients’ consultants, health and safety department personnel and other stakeholders to communicate safe work procedures, scope changes and progress updates.
Every project undertaken is subject to a detailed risk-assessment and methodology statement containing detailed, safe work procedures that are submitted to regulators through a Notice of Project (NOP) process before work commencement and includes rigorous onsite audit processes.
