Working very closely with our client and regulators, we used our innovative processes to perform the explosive decontamination of equipment and buildings quicker and safer.
The client, U.S. Army Tank Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM), wanted to clean up and remove the hazards associated with the explosives contaminated buildings and equipment remaining at this former munitions manufacturing plant. The execution of this project was to be a precursor effort to allow for the transfer of various parcels in accordance with legislation which directs redevelopment. One of their larger areas of contamination included the Black Powder Plan and Powder Prep Area at Indiana AAP. To resolve the contamination issue with the buildings and equipment, TACOM needed a complete decontamination and demolition operation for this site.
TACOM hired us to perform the on-site activities necessary to meet the goals of the project’s scope, which included: explosive decontamination; “safe” certification and demolition of buildings; “safe” certification of equipment; disposal of hazardous materials; disposal of building debris and equipment certified as “safe”; foundation sampling; sewer investigation and testing; delineation and remediation of flash rack; and preparation of final report. To accomplish these goals, we had to develop complete Work Plans (including safety plans and activity hazard analyses) and schedules, as well as implement the appropriate and effective use of our personnel and technologies.
Other tasks for this project included the building hazard analysis, removal of hazardous items of environmental concerns (i.e. mercury switches, ballasts, etc.), asbestos abatement, desensitization of floor drains, explosive disassembly of piping and equipment, building demolition, foundation sampling, flashing of metal using Thermal Convection System (TCS), site restoration as well as the delineation/remediation of the Flash Rack Area. From our on-site project office, our team managed subcontractors and produced reports and updates directly to the client and stakeholders.
A small amount of the scrap metal from the demolition of the Black Powder Plant buildings was also set aside to be flashed using our TCS. We initially vented and inspected this scrap metal during the explosive decontamination operations thereby reducing or eliminating any significant ignition during this process. Using our TCS, we safely accomplished the flashing and desensitization of the scrap by generating a clean, regulated heat source that utilized liquid propane and introducing the heat into an insulated Car Bottom Chamber assembled on site.
We sent approximately 857 gross tons of scrap metal to the recycling facility from the Black Powder and Powder Prep Areas throughout the performance of this successful D&D.
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