Oldcastle Infrastructure, Inc. – Industrial Mercury Abatement

Oldcastle Infrastructure, Inc. - Industrial Mercury Abatement, Fire and Water Damage Restoration Services by Cousino Restoration & Environmental Company

In March of 2018, Cousino Restoration & Environmental responded to an emergency call for a mercury spill/contamination at Oldcastle Infrastructure, Inc.’s plastic extrusion manufacturing facility at 1675 Industrial Drive in Napoleon, Ohio. Cousino responded the next morning after the emergency call. This large manufacturing facility industrial site produces parts and accessories for the telecommunications, energy, transportation, building structures, and water industries. An expensive and important extruding machine caught fire, burning the internal switches which contained mercury and causing a near plant-wide mercury fume release and contamination.

Accomplishments:

  • Completed $1.0+ million industrial emergency mercury release project within 3 months without disrupting the client’s production.
  • Balanced insurance carrier’s low-claims-cost goals with the need for safe and proper work measures to stay within client’s budget.
  • No safety or health incidents.

Complexities & Unique Challenges:

  • The client needed to maintain production throughout the project, requiring substantial and creative containment measures, and limiting the daily hours we could work on the project.
  • Maintain negative pressure inside the 80,000 cubic foot containment/work zone while production was ongoing elsewhere and the overall remained in use.
  • The insurance carrier funded the project and aggressively worked to limit scope and price, but we were able to overcome this challenge with superb project documentation and scientific support.

Project Highlights:

  • Assembled and guided multidisciplinary stakeholders, consultants, and contractors to successful project conclusion.
  • Although it originally appeared the machine would have to be scrapped due to contamination, we were able to save most it through highly competent cleaning and remediation management, techniques, and workers.
  • The client was able to maintain production.

Project Details

As General Contractor for this emergency remediation project, Cousino Restoration & Environmental Project Management worked closely with the client, its insurance carrier, and environmental hygienist (for testing and analysis) to develop and implement a safe, proper, and expedient, site remediation plan prior to any remediation activities commencing.

Project Management

  • The scope of the contamination was substantial, but by using aggressive and creative containment measures the client was able to maintain production, which was critical for operations to continue.
  • Safety being a foremost concern, Cousino Restoration & Environmental was able to conduct environmental remediation efforts and remediate all traces of the mercury contamination with a large OSHA trained workforce working 6 days a week, 10 hours a day in a high hazard environment while experiencing zero lost time/recordable injury incidents during the duration of this 3-month long project.  The client was extremely happy with the project and results.
  • Daily Project Reports were prepared and submitted to the client to track onsite resources (labor, equipment, and materials), planned vs. actual work progress, actual vs. projected costs, accumulated costs and overall project schedule performance.

Project Planning

  • Project Planning – Required working with factory management, an insurance carrier, and our abatement subcontractor, to plan, design, and implement, a commercial mercury abatement sampling protocol which included a detailed description of the sampling process, description of the sampling equipment and methods, locations of each sample
  • EPA Coordination – the project design and abatement team worked closely with the EPA to ensure all applicable regulations were followed.
  • Health & Safety – Developed a site Health and Safety Plan, (HASP) and Activity Hazard Analysis (AHA), physical hazards, and safety monitoring activities.
  • The use of Level C Personal Protective Equipment using Full Face Air Purifying Respirators to reduce any risk of exposure risks inside the containment “HOT Zone”.

Sampling & Analysis

  • Sampling – Cousino Project Response Manager worked with abatement subcontractor and environmental engineer to determine the extent of mercury contamination using Portable Mercury Vapor Analyzers.

Project Management Operations

  • This project required Trained, Qualified Emergency Response Managers and 40 Hour OSHA trained personnel familiar with hazardous materials abatement and fire/smoke odor response and remediation,  Specialized decontamination equipment was utilized for recovery of mercury as well as the use of fire and smoke odor cleansers, encapsulation application equipment, and HEPA air scrubbing/HEPA structural vacuum equipment.
  • Containment – Designed and erected containment around the manufacturing equipment that caught fire and the surrounding area of confirmed mercury contamination, allowing the factory to maintain nearly all its production operations while the contained remediation work was performed.
  • Project Performance (Mercury Abatement) – Coordinated abatement subcontractor and project owner managers to permit daily abatement without disrupting owner’s production operations followed by appropriate fire restoration cleaning and restoration of XXX equipment and facilities.

The State of OH EPA coordinated the Transportation & Disposal of the recovered Mercury and mercury-contaminated materials disposed of according to EPA standards

Spring Arbor University, Gainey Hall

Spring Arbor University, Gainey Hall, Fire and Water Damage Restoration Services by Cousino Restoration & Environmental Company

When you look back on the winter of 2014 in Michigan, the one word that probably comes to mind is cold.  It was one of the fiercest and iciest winters on record in the U.S., so much so that it was later coined the “Polar Vortex.”

​On January 7th of that year, a big snowstorm hit the main campus of Spring Arbor University. In Gainey Hall, one of the women’s residence halls, the sprinkler systems in the foyer froze, broke, and flooded the floor with two inches of water.

Cousino Restoration & Environmental was called that night—a Tuesday—and informed that they had to have the building restored by the following Saturday, when the students would return from the holiday break.

The Cousino Restoration & Environmental team arrived on the scene and worked around the clock to restore the water damage.

Meanwhile, in the 100-person dorm next door, the storm had inflicted further damage.  The kitchen and common area had broken pipes, which led to more flooding of two-inch water on the ground building-wide.  Working together, Cousino Restoration & Environmental gutted the kitchen, janitors’ space, and common dining, then extracted all of the water and cleaned everything thoroughly.

By the time the students arrived back on campus that Saturday, it was as if nothing had ever happened thanks to Cousino Restoration & Environmental’s work.

Oak Grove Healthcare Center

Oak Grove Healthcare Center, Fire and Water Damage Restoration Services by Cousino Restoration & Environmental Company

During a major storm a few years ago, Oak Grove Healthcare Center had a storm sewer backup.  Then the worst thing imaginable happened—water flooded the 46-bed skilled nursing/rehab facility, from the hallways to the rooms.

When Oak Grove called the restoration company they’d worked with previously, they were told they’d have to wait 4 days before this company could help.  But Oak Grove didn’t have 4 days to wait; they had residents who viewed Oak Grove as their home and needed to have their facility restored as soon as possible.

So they called Cousino Restoration & Environmental and received help within 1 hour of the original call.  Upon arriving to the facility, the Cousino Restoration & Environmental team quickly ascertained that they would have to remove the walls due to the extensive water damage.  After drying the facility and repairing all of the damages—a project that cost $85,000—the occupants were then able to return to their rooms, unfettered and safe.

Woodmore Local Schools System

Woodmore Local Schools System, Fire and Water Damage Restoration Services by Cousino Restoration & Environmental Company

A few years ago, the elementary school in Woodmore Local Schools in Elmore, Ohio, experienced $650,000’ worth of water loss.

Water flooded the gymnasium and 40-50 rooms.  Woodmore Local Schools officials turned to Cousino Restoration & Environmental to help mitigate the flood loss.

After 3-4 months, everything was back to business as usual—just in time for their annual Halloween Party that they invited the Cousino Restoration & Environmental project supervisor to attend!

Lyman Harbor

Lyman Harbor, Fire and Water Damage Restoration Services by Cousino Restoration & Environmental Company

Sandusky’s Lyman Harbor is not only the premier waterfront entertainment complex in the area, but a historic site going back as far as the 1920s.  Originally founded in 1875, the Lyman Boat Works company relocated to Sandusky in the early 20th century and produced popular boats designed specifically for Lake Erie.  Today, many of the buildings are retrofitted structures from the original company.

One recent February, a water pipe broke, and water spread throughout the kitchen, banquet hall, and ball area of Lyman Harbor.  Half of the facility was underwater, and all of the furniture and carpets in these areas were destroyed. The entire area had to be facelifted in time for the April wedding season.

Over the next six weeks, the Cousino Restoration & Environmental team worked diligently on a project that ended up costing about $70-$80K overall.  Everything was completely redone and restored down to the tiniest detail—even the most intricate of the surviving chandeliers: a beautiful light fixture that had 1 million pieces of glass to it.

Faith Baptist Church

Faith Baptist Church, Fire and Water Damage Restoration Services by Cousino Restoration & Environmental Company

When a line in a water heater broke at Faith Baptist Church in Ottawa, Ohio, the whole structure was affected as water flooded the entire building. Cousino Restoration & Environmental was called to assist, and a team of four were dispatched that night for emergency services.

After working throughout the entire evening and the following day, they dried out the church so everything was back to normal in just a few weeks!

Restoration of Unique Ottawa Lake Residence

Restoration of Unique Ottawa Lake Residence, Fire and Water Damage Restoration Services by Cousino Restoration & Environmental Company

What’s a homeowner’s #1 fear?

Well, that happened one day in Ottawa Lake, Michigan, when an exterior fire caused smoke and soot to infiltrate homeowner Dale Schroyer’s house.

Because of its unique architectural design, including custom plaster and other intricacies inside the home, Cousino Restoration & Environmental completed their work with the utmost care and detail so that the original design was retained. They rebuilt the deck out of railroad ties and then custom rebuilt, sealed, and cleaned the entire structure.

ALRO Plastics

ALRO Plastics, Fire and Water Damage Restoration Services by Cousino Restoration & Environmental Company

As anyone who works in the manufacturing world will tell you, safety is of the utmost importance, and it takes a truly team effort to address any disasters that occur within a manufacturing setting.

​So when a hopper filled with plastic caught fire in the back of a two-story warehouse one day in 2013, southeast manufacturing company ALRO Plastics knew they had to find the best restoration company to work with.

Working with their trusted insurance agency, they received a direct referral to Cousino Restoration & Environmental to address the fire damage, most of which included smoke that had spread throughout about 3,000 square feet of office space in the 10,000-square foot warehouse.

Cousino Restoration & Environmental set out to fix the damaged area immediately, providing same-day service. Within just 10-14 days, the office area was completely cleaned and restored.

Huntington Center

Huntington Center, Fire and Water Damage Restoration Services by Cousino Restoration & Environmental Company

Toledo’s Huntington Center, an 8,000-seat multi-purpose arena, is one of the premier spots in town for sports, arts, music, and other events (including the local professional hockey team games – go Walleye!).

So when a roof seam at the Huntington Center went out one evening in February 2014 and water subsequently damaged eight suites and a common area of suite levels, the owners knew that they had to find the best company in town to partner with.

Within 30 minutes of the original call at 7:00 pm, under the leadership of project manager Tom Peternel, Cousino Restoration & Environmental had come onto the scene.  They had 20 hours to tear and clean out the damaged area since the famous county music group, Lady Antebellum, had a concert there the following day.  A lot of the area was salvaged, everything was dried, and the concert went on as planned without any delays.

UT Bell Tower

UT Bell Tower, Fire and Water Damage Restoration Services by Cousino Restoration & Environmental Company

The night before the first day of school one semester at the University of Toledo, a boiler line broke in University Hall, the famous collegiate Gothic building which dominates the main campus.  Five floors were majorly affected by the break, and the university staff knew they had to get this issue resolved quickly.

Cousino Restoration & Environmental Project Manager Tom Peternel received a call from the university at 9:00 pm the night of the accident.  He and his team of 18-20 people worked through the night on this mitigation project to get the admissions and administration offices up and running in time for class. All of the Cousino Restoration & Environmental staff stayed on site until 9:00 am the following day.

This story is just one in many successes Cousino Restoration & Environmental has had with the University of Toledo.  In the past 10 years, for example, Tom Peternel specifically has completed 20 projects with this university including several residence and academic halls.  Cousino Restoration & Environmental prides itself on its relationships with major local institutions like the University of Toledo, built on shared trust and experience.

Tony Packos

Tony Packos, Fire and Water Damage Restoration Services by Cousino Restoration & Environmental Company

Chances are, even if you’re not from the Toledo area, you’ve heard of Tony Packo’s. A local staple since the 1930s, this Hungarian restaurant, known for its hot dogs, pickles, and peppers, was made world-famous by actor Jamie Farr in the TV show M*A*S*H.

But fame can’t prevent accidents. And in the restaurant world, when an accident occurs, you need a trusted partner who will work with you and restore your building back to normal as soon as possible.

That’s why Tony Packo’s turned to Cousino Restoration & Environmental early one morning when a semi-truck suddenly went through the main restaurant building and into the bar/dining area.

Cousino Restoration & Environmental went to work immediately, shoring up the building while the truck was removed—and doing so in a matter so that the second floor did not collapse. The only day that Tony Packo’s could not stay open was the day of the accident.

But there were other major concerns involved in this accident—one especially being pedestrian traffic for customers entering and exiting the building. There was an extensive amount of work involving scaffolding, materials, and manpower, but Cousino Restoration & Environmental worked quickly and safely, and all went well without any incidents.

Overall, careful attention was paid to restoring the building back to the original historical detail. Work was done in record time, and the restaurant was kept open every single day afterwards. The entire project was completed without a glitch.

PerrysBurgers

PerrysBurgers, Fire and Water Damage Restoration Services by Cousino Restoration & Environmental Company

When fires occur in historical buildings, the restoration process itself can be a whole different ballgame. Building codes, historical artwork and furnishings, preservation—the most extreme care and attention to detail is needed to restore historic properties back to normal…or even better than before.

​Challenge

In early June 2016, a fire broke out at the popular PerrysBurgers restaurant in downtown Perrysburg, Ohio.  Located in the historic district, in a building that was at least 100 years old (or more), PerrysBurgers is known to locals as the best place in town to go for “Uncommon Burgers & Unending Fries.”
The fire started downstairs in the storage room and was contained there, but the damage was more extensive—an estimated $100,000 to the restaurant and the vacant upstairs apartment per WTOL 11.

Solution & Results

Cousino Restoration & Environmental was called to the scene to serve as the lead on PerrysBurgers’s restoration and emergency response.  “Our goal was to save the integrity of the whole building,” stated Cousino Restoration & Environmental Project Manager, Keith Tammarine.  And that’s what they did.

Working together with the owner, Tammarine and his crew not only restored the building but also:

1) Upgraded all of their systems (plumbing, heating, etc.)

  • Before the fire, many of the systems themselves were outdated—even original.
  • Cousino Restoration & Environmental helped to “upgrade everything from the crawl space up” including new furnaces and new electrical systems, said Tammarin

2) Uncovered and preserved old works and structures (like a wall that hadn’t been exposed in over 100 years)

3) Vastly increased the real estate value of the upstairs apartment, which is owned by the PerrysBurgers owner

  • Before, the owner had just rented out this apartment (which was empty during the fire) to tenants.
  • Tammarine and his team completed gutted and redid the apartment, adding an LED fireplace, a laundry room, and other details so that by the time the project was completed, the property’s worth itself had skyrocketed.

PerrysBurgers, Fire and Water Damage Restoration Services by Cousino Restoration & Environmental Company

Campbells Soup

Campbells Soup, Fire and Water Damage Restoration Services by Cousino Restoration & Environmental Company

Several years ago, a roofing contractor was working on the manufacturing facility of a Campbells Soup factory in Northwest Ohio when a small fire started in the canning department. The sealing joints near the roof access soon caught on fire, creating a lot of soot.

Since their assets were at stake, this factory needed restoration services immediately. Cousino Restoration & Environmental was called and worked around the clock. Cousino set up scaffolding, cleaned the products, machinery and the structure itself.  To avoid cross-contamination, Cousino set up cells around each piece of equipment.
50 people were onsite the entire time, working in 12-hour shifts for four days.

After a week, everything was cleaned and the $150,000 job was completed successfully. Campbells Soup went back to business as usual.

Grand Rapids, OH Residence

Grand Rapids, OH Residence, Fire and Water Damage Restoration Services by Cousino Restoration & Environmental Company

Ron Miller of Grand Rapids, Ohio, has one of the most architecturally unique homes in his town.  Designed in the style of Frank Lloyd Wright, his home is made of entirely of stones, stacked and mortared, and sits near the Maumee River.

So when his wood cedar shake shingles caught fire one day, he knew he would have to turn to an experienced and trustworthy restoration company with an eye for detail and aim for precision.

Cousino Restoration & Environmental was called to the scene and arrived at his home that evening.  They boarded up the home, tarped the roof—which had been burnt through entirely—and assessed the damage.  Afterwards, they completed cleanup processes in the interior of the home.

Working with a team of 10 people, Cousino Restoration & Environmental provided new cedar shake roofing for Ron’s home and customized trusses for the roof structure.  In the inside of this unique home, they painted the entire interior, working painstakingly and meticulously due to the field-stone-constructed walls of the house.

After six months of restoration and construction, Ron’s house returned to being the shining jewel it had been in Grand Rapids.

Bexley, Ohio Residence

Bexley, Ohio Residence, Fire and Water Damage Restoration Services by Cousino Restoration & Environmental Company

After a thunderstorm hit Bexley, Ohio, on July 13, 2013, a tree from one resident’s yard fell on the house of their neighbor. The result was damage to the chimney and the lower portion over the home where the homeowner sat reading a newspaper. While the homeowner was thankfully unscathed, their property was not.

Branches fell into the room, and rain started pouring down into different parts of the house that were exposed to the elements. The drywall and hardwoods were soon wet.

The homeowner called their insurance adjuster, who then turned to Cousino Restoration & Environmental for help. Cousino Restoration & Environmental was there within an hour and removed the tree the next morning while the storm was still going on.

Through this referral, the Bexley homeowner received the help they needed. Their chimney was completely rebuilt from the roof up, the entire roof was replaced, and they resided the whole back of the house. They also redid 1/3 of the lower level ceiling and the entire hardwood floor. Lastly, they re-framed the wall on the second level of the home.

​After four months, the homeowner’s house was completely restored.

House Fire in Westerville

House Fire in Westerville, Fire and Water Damage Restoration Services by Cousino Restoration & Environmental Company

On August 8, 2014, in Westerville, Ohio, a home caught on fire, leading to extensive damage.  After being called through Disaster Kleenup International (DKI), Cousino Restoration & Environmental went onsite two days after the fire department had put the fire out.

Brian from the Cousino Restoration & Environmental team set to work with his crew of 10-12 workers to mitigate the damage by:

  • Gutting the basement
  • Completing a first-floor inspection
  • Replacing the kitchen ceiling
  • Washing the walls
  • Performing structural cleaning (removing the attic insulation and cleaning the studs)
  • Packing up the entire house’s contents