Environmental Cleaning of


Parking Garages from Page 35


stormsewer system.All the water is then pumped to the contrac- tor’s trailer, and processed as above. Another option is a combination of thesemethods.The con-


tractor will block the drains. He also will use a vacuum unit to recover thewastewater; anything recoveredwill be processed and disposed of in compliance with local regulations. There is also the possibility that a garage, especially if it is


fairly newconstruction,might have awastewater interceptor built into it. This is really advantageous, because you will not need to worry about the liability of disposal.You also will not need to worry about what type of recovery equipment that your contrac- tor uses. If you are not certainwhether your garage is equipped in this


way, you just need to go down to the lowest level of your garage and look formanhole covers.There usually are three of them, and they usuallywill be labeled as an interceptor.The disadvantage is that they do have to be pumped and maintained before and after each cleaning tomake sure they continue to work properly. There are always responsibilities for all parties with any


project. The contractor will need to know the local regulations and whether any permits are required. He also should be thor- oughly familiar with his equipment, and how it operates, and be able to explain it to you. If the contractor is not certain how his equipment operates, there is a very good possibility that he does not currently have the


equipment, and you might be his first garage cleaning project. You also might want to check and see what your contractor will do in case of equipment breakdowns. You also need to inquire about safety considerations. Is the


contractor going to use personal protective equipment? What does this equipment include for his employees? Finally, he should also be willing to provide certificates of insurance, for both lia- bility and workers’ compensation. The management company will need to be familiar with


what their expectations are of the contractor.Are they going to want to have chewing gum removed? How about the walls, ceil- ings and mechanical gear?Will water be provided for the con- tractor, or will he be expected to get a hydrant permit? You also will need tomake sure that the garage is cleared of


vehicles, if you are expecting every parking space to be cleaned, or if you want the contractor to work over multiple days, make sure that the area for each day is cleared for the contractor. Garage cleaning, inmany cases, is a necessary evil. There are a liabilities involved, and a properly equipped con-


tractor can help significantly in making sure that your garage is cleaned in compliance with all local and federal regulations. He also can help improve customer satisfaction with your facility, andmake sure that it is one of the preferred garages in your area.


Scott Stone is Operations Manager of A Mind for Detail in Mesa, AZ. He can be reached at the-washer@msn.com.


PT


36


DECEMBER 2009 • PARKING TODAY • www.parkingtoday.com


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52