Disaster Response / Environmental Risk Management

When disaster strikes, panic is contagious. Communication can be difficult due to facilities that have been closed, associates who have evacuated families, and a culmination of corporate, regional and district teams running through facilities to determine how quickly they can be brought back on line. Given the typical state of disarray, environmental liabilities are often overlooked or may delay a store’s reopening because of the inability of response teams to make an educated decision about the next steps.

Many environmental consultants see their role in a Disaster Response as limited to mold testing, moisture testing and occasional asbestos testing. As a retailer, developer or a property owner, you are put in a position of trying to make sense of the data and finally hiring a second firm to perform drying, mold remediation, and/or asbestos abatement.

At Watterson, we focus on three main priorities for our clients following a disaster:

Streamlining communication,
Quantifying environmental liability
Controlling cost

After a disaster it is important that a qualified consultant be on the front lines, along with a retailer or property management firm’s representative. This is critical in order to ensure that the process of getting the facility back on-line does not subject the company to litigation from improper removal and disposal practices and/or potential exposure issues for customers and employees. With the Watterson approach, we will have you back up and running quickly and cost effectively by employing the following steps:

Step 1: Evaluation/Quantification
Step 2: Scope of Work Development
Step 3: Remediation/Removal/Disposal

The first step is essential in indentifying what environmental issues exist and how they may impact the speed and cost of bringing a facility back on line. This step consists of the following:

Assessing Water Damaged Building Materials, Inventory, Merchandise and Office Furniture/Equipment

Moisture Testing
Visual Mold Assessment
Mold Sampling as Required

Asbestos Testing

Identification
Sampling
Analysis

Hazardous Materials/Substances Evaluation

Photo Processing Chemicals
Pharmaceuticals
Fluorescent Light Tubes/HIDs/Ballasts
Mercury Switches
Fragrances, Aerosols
Automotive Fluids/Chemicals

Water Quality Testing

Domestic Water Sampling
Analysis for Total Coliform

Documentation

Digital Photos of Impacted Materials
Environmental Assessment Form
Analytical Reports

The second step is the development of a scope of work to ensure the best pricing, even during an emergency. After the scope of work is developed, Watterson competitively bids the project to legitimate, insured and licensed contractors. In this step, we do the following:

Summarize Collected Data

Review Analytical Results
Compile Quantities
Competitively Bid

Apply State and Federal Regulations

Emergency Exemptions
Licensing
Air Monitoring/Oversight
Remediation
Disposal
Recordkeeping

Once competitive bids have been collected and you have selected a contractor(s), Watterson moves immediately into the third and final step of the Disaster Recovery and Environmental Risk Management process.The final step consists of the following:

Disposal of Hazardous Materials/Substances

Filing for Emergency EPA ID Numbers
Scheduling Lab Pack Chemists for Packaging and Disposal

Photo Processing Chemicals
Pharmaceuticals
Fragrances
Aerosols
Automotive Fluids
Household Chemicals

Water Removal
Drying
Asbestos Abatement
Mold Remediation
Removal and Destruction of Personnel Files and Medical Records
Interior Demolition

Using the Watterson approach is the best way to ensure streamlined communication, accurate environmental risk assessment, and timely removal of environmentally impacted materials, or building components. We often visit multiple facilities daily and provide electronic information in less than 24 hours. The speed and accuracy of information allows you to make educated, environmentally responsible decisions that can be executed within hours, correcting environmental impairments and bringing your facility back on-line.

The end result: Your Facility is Back Online and Open for Business!

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