FACS Helps Expedite Repairs and Upgrades Along the California Aqueduct System
FACS provides onsite worker and environmental exposure assessment monitoring and industrial hygiene oversight for projects involving the disturbance of hazardous coatings and materials. In this case, FACS assists Jeffco Painting and Coating, Inc., a certified industrial paint contractor, in their work on industrial facilities along the California Aqueduct system.
In this highly risk-averse and safety-conscious environment, the work is often carried out under adverse physical and environmental conditions as well as rigid time constraints. FACS’ presence helps workers concentrate on the task at hand and assures the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) of the contractor’s compliance with pertinent regulations.
Key Results
FACS works assists the contractor with any time-sensitive course corrections that may be necessary to expedite the work.
FACS monitors the projects from start to finish, adding another set of eyes to monitor worker and environmental safety.
FACS’ relationship with both the client and the governing agency supports ongoing review and quick remedies for any presenting issues that may compromise compliance and safety.
About the Client
The client is an industrial painting and coating contractor certified in the application and removal of complex coatings systems. In addition to their contracted duties on this state-supervised project, the client provides professional services for work on bridges, tanks, water treatment plants, pipelines, storage facilities, refineries, and other industrial-scale structures – both public and commercial.
The Problem
DWR protocol requires Jeffco to provide industrial hygiene oversight and monitoring during the disturbance of environmental hazards. That work is usually beyond the scope of industrial paint application and removal experts and typically requires third-party consulting and support.
This project is comprised of a complex system of water movement and power generation. The equipment necessary to accomplish work within the system is massive. Aqueducts the water flows through average 40 feet in diameter and move about 30 feet of water at up to 15,450 cubic feet per second.
Maintenance tasks assigned to the contractor are typically difficult, time-sensitive, and subject to stringent regulatory requirements. Follow-up documents must show the work was performed in strict compliance with those regulations and according to industry standard best practices. Third-party oversight helps assure the State that those obligations are met. The industrial hygiene components of the proof presented must be scientifically collected and defensible in court.
The FACS Solution
The project covered in this study moves water collected in the northern and central parts of California through a series of collection points along a path that covers over 450 linear miles. Along the way, the water flow passes through pumping stations and generating plants to create hydroelectric power for the region.
The client relies on FACS personnel to monitor jobs from start to finish. FACS experts not only help protect the safety of workers and collect defensible proof of compliance with regulations, but they assist workers in crafting quick remedies to issues that arise. FACS industrial hygienists help keep the work on target to meet the demands of internal planning and scheduling goals.
FACS project specialists don’t direct the work. Instead, they share the benefits of their experience on similar jobs to assist the contractor with getting the job done safely, on time, and in line with exacting standards. Once the project is completed, FACS specialists prepare final reports to document compliance with the requirements and get the project area back in service quickly.