1, 2 – Buckled Under My Shoe 3, 4 – Tripping on the Floor

CASE STUDY


When the very floor becomes a safety concern, how can emergency maintenance rapidly return a facility to normal?

Project Summary

A retailer discovered a high traffic area in the store were the wood floor was buckling prompting immediate on-demand maintenance.  Normalcy at the facility was disrupted because of the possible tripping hazard that now existed.  Resicom was contacted to execute repairs to the flooring.


Scope

The scope of work needed to execute this project included:

  1. Arrive within 1 hour of request to assess repair work, prepare scope and take photos.
  2. Secure area so it is restricted from all pedestrian traffic, deterring tripping hazards.
  3. Remove section of flooring to determine the source of the buckling.
  4. Update client as to extent of repairs and replace damaged flooring.

Challenges & Solutions

Completing this project would require immediate action.  The facility could neither operate in a state of having a section of the store blocked off, nor could it allow a potential safety threat to staff and guests.  The constraints of the project that were overcome included:


  1. The damaged area of the floor is a potential tripping hazard to staff and guests.
    • Upon arrival, area to be repaired is immediately sectioned off with caution tape to deter walking over uneven flooring.
    • Damaged flooring is temporarily secured with nails as a tripping precaution.
    • The crew will systematically work in marked off sections to have the least impact on the customers’ ability to access merchandise and move through the store.
  1. Manufacturer information for replacement flooring is not available from client.
    • Small section of flooring is removed from store and brought to local flooring suppliers to source proper replacement material.
    • Technicians are dispatched to pick up replacement flooring from several local suppliers to ensure that enough quantity is on hand to complete the repairs in one evening.
  1. Determining source of buckling needs to occur during normal business hours.
    • Small section of the flooring is removed to determine cause of buckling, and a temporary piece of wood flooring is installed there is are no open holes or gaps.
  1. All repair work must be completed after hours.
    • Crew returns that evening and completes all replacement to wood flooring prior to reopen of business the next day.

Summary

We understood that the execution of project was unique because we were working during business hours.  Resicom was confident that detailed project management and organized execution would not have adverse effect on the retailer’s daily revenue.  Regardless of working conditions or environment, Resicom is able to coordinate project completion that returns facilities to normal.