Last week we talked about Troubleshooting SPF and learned about shrinking foam and voiding foam. This week we are going to discuss jobsite cleanup.
After you complete application, including troubleshooting and repair of any poor quality foam and touching up shallow spots, your team’s next step on a jobsite is trimming and cutting the foam, cleanup and disposal of the foam pieces and disposal of drums. While typically not a very popular part of the business, cleanup and disposal is critical to a complete job, so it is good to be familiar with your available options.
When it comes to trimming and cutting foam, there are several common options to choose from including:
- Handsaws
- Reciprocating Saws
- Foam Planners
These different styles of cutting tools can be used in various situations and help to create a clean look when the foam expands past the studs.
After trimming the foam, the foam dust and scrap pieces should be collected and discarded as waste. Cured foam is typically considered non-hazardous and can generally be disposed of as non-hazardous waste, however, in some states bulk foam disposal may be categorized as treatment of hazardous waste and may require a license. Make sure you consult your local and state regulations for appropriate disposal methods.
Finally, part of the cleanup process includes disposal of empty drums. Empty drums should generally be drip dry and decontaminated, while small amounts of unused A-side chemicals can be reacted with small amounts of unused B-side chemicals to produce bulk foam that can be discarded with the above discussed foam dust and scrap waste. When the drums are properly prepared, there are a few options for managing disposal including:
- A drum re-conditioner
- A scrap metal recycler (Find recycler info here, http://www.reusablepackaging.org)
- An approved landfill (Note most landfills ban recognizable drums, however some processors are able to destroy and/or crush drums and send them to a landfill)
With all of this in mind as part of the cleanup process, make sure to always wear appropriate PPE when trimming and cutting the foam and when handling SPF chemicals and the drums containing these materials. Furthermore, consult the manufacturer’s SDS for specific information about PPE and for additional guidance on disposal of drums used to contain or transport your specific SPF chemicals.
Overall, with a little guidance and preparation, jobsite cleanup and disposal of waste material and empty drums will become a simple process in your business.
