Preparing For a Tank Removal
Is it necessary to have someone inspect an underground storage tank before it’s removed from my property? Most likely, yes, an inspection is needed for several reasons, all of which are to your benefit as the tank owner. There is often a cost for the inspection; you are paying for the project manager’s time, expertise, equipment that might be used, their license, certifications, and insurance. You get what you pay for, an adage that rings true.
An inspection helps the project manager you have hired assess the tank’s condition and the surrounding area to ensure it can be removed without causing harm to the environment. Potential safety hazards are identified that allow the project manager to ensure proper precautions are taken during the removal of the tank that will protect both workers and the surrounding area. Often, the tank has been on the property for a long time.
As the property owner, it is common to be unsure of the tank’s contents. Over time, the contents may have changed in chemical makeup or amount. Verifying the current contents of the tank is crucial for safe removal and disposal. The equipment needed to remove or close the tank in place may vary depending on its contents.
An inspection can also identify potential obstacles, such as underground utilities or onsite structures, like a fence, that may interfere with the removal process. Seeing the area before the day of removal helps in planning and executing the removal safely and efficiently, reducing the risk of damage to your property.
Knowing the proposed cost of the project is essential for most people. An inspection can uncover unforeseen challenges requiring additional resources, equipment, or specialized services. When the professionals are on-site for the tank removal or closure, you want all systems to go. If problems arise during the removal or closure, you will most likely owe additional money due to time not accounted for in the initial proposal.
Finally, an inspection will provide a report outlining the baseline condition of the tank. This could be important if environmental contamination or property damage occurs during removal. The report may be essential for liability and insurance purposes.
In closing, an inspection before tank removal is crucial to ensure the safety of the people involved in the removal work, the property, and the environment. An inspection will help assess the tank’s condition, verify its contents, plan for obstacles identified on the property, ensure the needed equipment is on-site for the removal, and provide you with a more accurate total of what the removal will cost. Of course, it is possible to encounter unforeseen circumstances even when an inspection has been done. However, it is much more common to have a swift and smooth tank removal or closure when you have hired a qualified environmental project manager to complete an inspection before you hire them to do the work!
