Debris Containment on the Job Site: Catch it While You Can

By Chris Cockerell

Every building has a debris containment challenge. There are many areas on a building that need to be protected, from protecting the building itself to preventing debris from flying off of the building.

The taller the building, the larger the potential debris field for wind-blown items. Therefore, it is important to assess and understand the project’s surroundings from the beginning of the job. Are there any roads, parking lots, adjacent buildings or water canals, for instance, that can be damaged by debris—liquid or solid—coming off of the building?

Let’s begin with the working deck. Many contractors make the mistake of installing 43 in-high railings with a debris net around those railings on the working deck, thinking that it will contain the debris. For purely visual purposes, that will suffice. But it will not do the job.

Most of the wet concrete that leaves the working deck is generated from pouring the verticals (columns and shear walls). Thus this wet concrete is becoming airborne 10 ft above the deck. There is a netting system out there that reaches 16 ft above the deck and that will contain up to 95% of the debris leaving the working deck. This is a viable solution particularly when building waterfront buildings.

The next area of concern is heavy debris falling off of the working deck during the stripping operation. There are many different types of outrigger systems available, and specific systems are designed for specific types of buildings (steel, concrete, etc.) Obviously this is most effective when the nets and the building are correctly matched.

The next area of focus would be the masons laying block on the edge of the slab. Drop nets can be installed to catch any excess concrete or even a full cinderblock that is dropped. The netting used for this system should be comprised of two different types of nets that are joined together. One net is designed to catch the heavy loads and the other net is designed to catch the fine debris. When this system is mounted to the building the slab edge is accessible; however generally when it is removed the edge of the slab has been blocked in. Progress of the masons should be carefully monitored to avoid having to come back at the end of the job to remove the nets.

Regarding the masons and the stucco company, keep an eye on the methods used for cleaning of tools. Many times water is left running directly onto the floor, the tools are cleaned with that water and often the excess water drains by running off of the side of the building. This muddy water then becomes airborne and can affect the surrounding buildings, vehicles parked below and other items. A popular and effective solution to this problem is to install an inexpensive utility sink next to the water supply on each floor and run a drainpipe to the ground.

Although not required by OSHA, it is becoming a standard in the industry to put debris netting on all perimeter railings. In order for these nets to be fully effective they must be placed as close to the edge of the slab as possible. It is advisable to use a netting that is of a bright color so that should a piece come loose due to a negligent worker or strong winds, that area can be easily identified from the ground and subsequently repaired.

One of the biggest areas of concern on a building is the swing stages or the mast climber. During the preparation and stuccoing of the exterior, when the stucco is applied to the surface, a portion of that stucco falls to the ground. When this stucco falls and picks up speed it breaks into smaller pieces making it easier for the wind to carry.  A system has been developed that protects all four sides of these work platforms. The most important part of this debris containment method is the net that mounts to the front of the platform to catch the excess stucco falling off of the wall.

Finally, remember the motto of “Safety First.” After all, protecting your workers is protecting your bottom line.

Chris Cockerell is president of Safety Guys, a Fort Lauderdale-based safety contractor. He may be contacted at 888-623-SAFE.