Concrete is a building material often overlooked as a construction option, but it can immensely impact your facility's work. Facilities managers use concrete to help create safe, comfortable, and durable structures. In addition to being strong, it can also be fire and blast-resistant. Read on for more information, or visit WCS Facilities Management.
Whether your facility needs a new structure or repairs to existing ones, managing the construction process can be challenging. But there are ways to make it go smoothly, from developing a project plan to tracking timetables and milestones.
Start with a work breakdown structure, which divides the entire project into manageable chunks of deliverables. This will help ensure that every team member knows what to do and when to get it done. It's also a good idea to document your progress on this plan and any milestones or deadlines.
Implement a risk management plan to protect you and your crew from injuries or damages. This plan should include the steps you will take to mitigate risks, such as ensuring that your staff wears appropriate personal protection equipment and practicing proper safety procedures on-site.
Aside from this, you should be aware of your construction site's specific risks, such as weather conditions and a high percentage of workers with a criminal background. Then, if you have to, you can place a security guard or other employee to monitor the site and keep workers safe.
You'll need to conduct inspections on your facilities regularly. You can do this through various methods, including non-destructive and destructive tests, to identify deterioration in your structures' structural components.
Your inspections can reveal cracking or other damage that could lead to future deterioration, such as corrosion. For example, if water can seep into your structures through the cracks, it can corrode steel bars and cause them to degrade over time. Fortunately, concrete repair is becoming increasingly efficient, with many options for technicians to patch up and mend damaged areas.
Perform chloride ion testing to ensure that your structures are not susceptible to rust and other forms of corrosion. This will allow you to determine if any treatment is necessary, such as waterproofing or crack treatment.
Routing and sealing can repair damaged spots on concrete without causing further damage to the slab itself. This simple, cost-effective solution can save your organization money in the long run.
Depending on the type of concrete your facility uses, you'll need to conduct repairs periodically. For example, if your structures are made of precast concrete, you'll want to inspect and treat for wear in the T-to-T and expansion joints. Alternatively, you'll need to check for signs of corrosion and delamination if you use conventional or post-tensioned concrete.
Consider using technology tools like AkitaBox Asset Management to automate and streamline your facility's maintenance processes. This will help your team keep track of important asset information and comply with regulations.
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