It was 8am when the alarm went off. I quickly grabbed my phone and saw that there was an emergency in restoration austin, Texas. I quickly got dressed and headed out the door. When I arrived, I saw the hospital was surrounded by water and blue sky. It had been a strange day already. A pipe break in a hospital caused water damage to numerous areas of the building. Workers were trying to restore power so that elevators would work and prevent further damage to the building. Water damage also leads to mold growth, which can cause respiratory problems. In addition, debris on the floor makes walking difficult and hazardous. Thankfully, I was able to help out with some of the cleanups and photographing while assisting with power restoration. It was an interesting day at work, but it was also very rewarding because we prevented further damage from taking place and helped restore some of the facility back to normal operation.
Table of Contents
Background
On Tuesday, December 12, 2016, a pipe break in the hospital’s water distribution system resulted in water damage and the blue sky scrubs that were used to prevent further damage and loss. The hospital was able to quickly restore operations while they worked to identify the source of the leak and repair it.
Restoration Process
Water damage is a common occurrence in buildings, and it can quickly become a major issue. In an Austin, Texas hospital, water damage caused by a pipe break led to the drying of blue sky scrubs, which prevented further damage and loss.
The hospital’s restoration process began with the removal of any damaged surfaces. Metal fixtures and electrical equipment were removed using specialized tools and procedures to prevent further damage. The floors were then inspected for any remaining water damage and dried using powerful fans and ultraviolet light. Reinforced drywall was then installed to protect the walls from future water damage.
To prevent infection, the hospital adopted strict cleaning and sanitizing protocols. All staff were forced to wear gloves and face masks while working in the affected areas, and all surfaces were cleaned with high-pressure water jets and disinfectants. Construction crews also worked around the clock to restore the building as quickly as possible.
Damage Assessment
In the early morning hours of December 10, 2016, a water pipe break in an Austin, Texas hospital caused extensive damage and loss. The pipe rupture sent a torrent of water and wastewater through the building, damaging equipment and furniture, coating walls and ceilings with dirty water and debris, severely drying scrubs and blue uniforms worn by hospital personnel to prevent damage from the intense dryness.
Hospital staff were quickly mobilized to restore order as best they could. Clean-up efforts commenced immediately with fresh supplies of clothing and cleaning chemicals being brought in to replace those that had been damaged or lost. Windows were opened to provide much-needed air flow and freshness, while teams worked around the clock to dry all surfaces until they could be properly cleaned.
Damage Assessment: In total, the pipe burst resulted in more than $500,000 in damages at Community Hospital East. Equipment was ruined including a $200k MRI machine, $60k generator, $50k chiller unit, numerous medical devices including insulin pumps and oxygen tanks were damaged requiring repairs costing upwards of $100k each. Cleaning crews found dirty water pooled on floors up to 16 inches deep causing extensive damage to carpets, furniture, wall coverings and fixtures. Damage totalled over $150k.
Drying Scrub Protocol
Hospital administrators immediately initiated a drying scrub protocol to prevent further water damage and loss. The hospital implemented the protocol by suspending scrubs from the ceiling and airing out the room. This process allowed the scrubs to dry quickly and prevented mold and bacteria growth. Blue sky scrubs were used as the first line of defense against further water damage.
Equipment List
In the aftermath of a pipe break causing water damage to a hospital in Austin, Texas, restoration crews were faced with the daunting task of cleaning and restoring the facility. Damage from water can cause extensive and expensive damage to any structure, but in this case, blue sky scrubs were a crucial preventative measure against further damage and loss. In order to prevent the hospital’s nearly 300 employees from coming into contact with potentially harmful bacteria and chemicals, workers used blue fabric masks and clothing to cover their skin while they worked. The masks helped keep out soiling particles and other contaminants, while the clothing protected them from heat exposure and abrasion. By taking these precautions early on in the clean-up process, hospital officials were able to minimize damage and save money on repairs down the road.
Conclusion
The hospital was able to quickly restore the area affected by water damage, preventing further loss and damage. By using blue sky scrubs, they were able to prevent the white uniforms from turning into a muddy brown color and ruining the fresh look of the hospital.
