AWS NEWS
A 'Simple' Job? Think
Again
 At first glance, the demolition of an abandoned,
dilapidated feed mill in a small Southern California town may seem like a straightforward
enough project. But, on closer inspection, and recycling show how today's demolition
contractor must posses a wide range of professional skills to complete a project safely
and cost effectively.
AWS Construction Services, Inc. of Long
Beach, Ca, began work at the run down 67-years-old feed processing mill owned by Union
Pacific Railway (UPR). The project was located in the town of Porterville, a
three-hour drive north of Los Angeles in an area directly across the street from the local
residents. A major eyesore, the 30,000 square-foot facility also turned out to be
major safety hazard to the community.
"It was a perfect example of the
unseen an unexpected concerns that face our clients today, especially in light of the
tough federal, state, and local environment and safety requirements that we need to comply
with," said Dick Dadourian, president of AWS. At the UPR Porterville site, the
deteriorated structure required both asbestos and lead abatement before actual
demolition could begin. This led to hazardous waste transport and disposal,
coordination with the EPA and regulatory agencies, notification of the state of an
underground dig alert, and the submission of all necessary paperwork.
"Although the demolition portion of
the job is the most physically demanding, it was actually the 'fun' part. All the
services we provided in advance of the demolition entailed a great deal of effort and an
extensive level of knowledge and expertise based on our years of experience in various
types of projects and hazardous material work," explained Dadourian, who is a member
of the National Associate of Demolition Contractors (NADC) and its Environment Affairs
Committee.
The project was a great example of the
NADC'S theme of transforming the undesirable into an opportunity for renewed use for
the community. " The Porterville neighbors sat happily on their porches
watching the job's progress and giving us the 'thumbs up' for removing the terrible
eyesore," he said.
It also yielded large amounts of
recyclable materials, nearly 95 percent. Most of the facility was constructed of
metal, which was trucked to a scrap dealer for recycling. A working truck
scale was sold to a local trucking company and concrete was trucked to local crusher for
recycling, with only a small amount of material ending up in the landfill.
AWS Construction Services took 10 days to
complete the actual demolition, using an excavator with a shear attachment, an excavator
with a pulverizer attachment to crush the substantial amount of concrete on site, and a
track loader to move materials.
Safety was key concern in this project
because of its proximity to homes in the neighborhood. The lead and asbestos
abatement activities were monitored very closely by AWS, as were other aspects of the
project. "A professional contractor knows you can't take a single short cut, or
you'' end up on t.v news at 11, not to mention the litigious risk you expose your client
to," the president said.
According to Dadourian, a representative
for UPR praised AWS for the quality of the work, the speed of completion, and the level of
safety. "It's good to deal with a company that understands and appreciates how
attention to detail can keep you out of trouble that can come back to haunt you and your
client," he said.
"It's essential that demolition
projects be evaluated and viewed as a system of services, not just as the act of bringing
a structure down. AWS has the ability to provide a turnkey service that addresses
all aspects of the project: environment site assessment, environment remediation,
investment recovery, and demolition. This allows the client to have one company to
deal with, rather than three to five. It's important for prospective clients to
consider the value of using the company like AWS that furnishes a complete selection of
services, which in turn delivers value to the client," Dadourian noted.
"It's a cutting edge solution that's cost effective many times over to our
clients."
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