Everything you Need to Know about PPE

1/24/2023 (Permalink)

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is necessary for the health and safety of restoration professionals. PPE is designed to protect workers from potential hazards in their workplace. It can also be used to prevent injuries from occurring if a worker does get injured due to exposure to these hazards. In order for restoration professionals to use this gear properly and effectively, it's important that they understand what kinds of equipment exist and why they're needed.

What is PPE?

When you hear the term PPE, it’s likely that you associate it with safety gear. That’s because PPE stands for personal protective equipment. It refers to any type of equipment that will help protect the wearer from certain risks, including those related to chemical hazards and other environmental conditions.

For example, if your job has a lot of exposure to harmful chemicals or involves working in extreme temperatures (like in cold storage), you may need to wear special clothing and gear like goggles and respirators so you don’t hurt yourself on the job.

Who Needs to Use It?

PPE is needed by anyone who works with harmful chemicals, dangerous equipment, or both. For example:

Restoration professionals will need to wear PPE if they are using harsh chemicals that are toxic or flammable or working on properties that have suffered from mold, fire, or sewage damage. They may also need protective clothing when using heavy machinery and other tools that can cause injury if not handled correctly.
People working in construction, plumbing, and electricity should wear special PPE on the job.

How to Use PPE

PPE is a collection of gear designed to protect you from dangerous contaminants. It's not just a uniform, mask, gloves, or eye protection—it's all of those things together.

When you're wearing PPE correctly and consistently, they can help keep your body safe from harmful substances on a job site. This is especially important when you're working in contaminated buildings where mold may be present. You need PPE to protect yourself from these materials so that they don't enter your body through the air or via contact with the skin.

Personal Protective Equipment Standards

When it comes to developing standards for personal protective equipment (PPE), organizations such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and many others have a role in writing safety regulations. When these organizations create standards they often have input from associations like the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) and ASTM International.

There are also numerous other organizations that develop their own PPE standards including ECG Environmental Consultants Group; the European Committee for Standardization; the Association of Contractors & Consultants U.K.; and the United Kingdom Accreditation Service.

When you need restoration work done in your San Antonio home or business, SERVPRO of Alamo Ranch is here with the right PPE to make sure everyone stays safe and your property is restored to its original condition.

Pretesting Reduces Your Claims Expenses These 4 Important Ways

8/27/2022 (Permalink)

Drying equipment in a hallway, left drywall with flood cuts

Water cleanup in Alamo Ranch, TX.

Pretesting Saves You Money on Claims in These Four Crucial Ways

A disaster from a fire or flooding is traumatic for your clients and expensive for your insurance company. Fortunately, the pretesting SERVPRO provides can reduce the expenses from an insurance claim saving you and your company time and money. Here's how.

1. Pretesting Professionals Arrive Quickly
Assessment professionals are available around the country and can arrive at an Alamo Ranch, TX, site quickly. They inspect the site for an accurate assessment of the damage. They have the know-how to stop further harm from occurring due to mold growth or intruders.
Restoration professionals do a complete safety inspection. They alert your customers of any potential risks to keep your clients safe and prevent further harm.

2. They Restore Rather Than Replace
SERVPRO's team members focus on restoring damaged property whenever possible. By restoring rather than replacing damaged property, they save you and your insurance company money.

3. They Provide a Detailed Assessment
While pretesting, assessment professionals also make a detailed assessment of the damage. They provide a claims inventory complete with photographs. Because they're on the scene, you don't have to be. It saves you time. They provide you with detailed information so that you can process your client's claim accurately, providing them with the help they need while saving your insurance company money.

4. Their Claims Information Center Makes Processing Easier
Every time staff members take a note or a photograph, that information is logged into the claims information center. You as the insurance agent, have access to that information 24/7 at the click of a computer mouse. You'll have the data you need when you need it.
A disaster in the form of a fire or flood or other catastrophes can be stressful for your clients and for you. With the help of professionals, you can help your clients recover and restore their properties "Like it Never Even Happened."

Emergency Ready Profile (ERP)

7/28/2022 (Permalink)

No one plans on a disaster, but you can plan to be 'Ready for Whatever Happens'.

The Best Way to Reduce Business Interruption Following a Disaster is to Plan For it NOW.

As many as 50% of businesses close down following a disaster, according to the latest research. Of the businesses that survive, the overwhelming majority of them had a preparedness plan in place. Pre-planning can serve as an insurance policy aimed at peace of mind. And knowing you are 'Ready for Whatever Happens' speaks trust to your clients and employees that in the event your business is affected by a disaster, they don't necessarily have to be.

By developing a SERVPRO Emergency READY Profile for your business, you minimize business interruption by having an immediate plan of action. Knowing what to do and what to expect in advance is the key to timely mitigation and can help minimize how water and fire damage can affect your business.

ARE YOU READY?

Preparation is a key component for making it through any disaster, whether is a small water leak, a large fire, or an area flood. The best time for planning for such events is not when the event happens, but well before it happens. No one ever plans on a disaster, but you can plan for it. Now is the time to ask yourself, "Are you ready for whatever happens?"

The SERVPRO Emergency READY Profile is a start up approach that provides critical information needed to begin mitigation and recovery services. It is designed to serve as a quick reference of important building and contact information. By working with SERVPRO's Emergency READY Profile, your business can receive the benefit of over 40 years of experience in reducing the impact of any natural or man-made disaster. SERVPRO is a leader in water and fire damage response and can help you quickly get your property back in working order.

The SERVPRO Emergency READY Profile Advantage:

-> A no-cost assessment of your facility.
This means there is no need to allocate funds, giving you a great value at no cost! The ERP is an absolutely FREE service.

-> A concise Profile Document that contains only the critical information needed in the event of an emergency.
It will only take a little time to complete and will not take you away from current projects. But it will save a lot of time if ever needed.

-> A guide to help you get back into the building following a disaster.
This can help minimize the amount of time your business is inactive by having an immediate plan of action.

-> Establishes SERVPRO of Alamo Ranch as your disaster mitigation restoration provider.
You have a provider that is recognized as an industry leader and is close by.

-> Identification of the line of command for authorizing work to begin.
This saves time so we can begin the work of mitigating the damage which can save you time and money.

-> Provides facility details such as shut-off valve locations, priority areas and priority contact information.
Having a quick reference of what to do, how to do it, and who to call provides solutions in advance of an emergency so that during the emergency you are "Ready for Whatever Happens".

-> Completed ERPs are available free of charge in hard copy and electric formats
Every free ERP is available in hard copy or through a free app for tablets, phones, and desktop with a simple registration process.

CALL SERVPRO OF ALAMO RANCH TODAY TO GET STARTED ON YOUR FREE EMERGENCY READY PLAN!

210-670-9591

SERVPRO cleans that?! - Mercury Spills

3/30/2022 (Permalink)

Mercury, a highly volatile and dangerous neurotoxin, is used commonly in homes, usually in high-pressure sodium lamps, thermostats and spent batteries. While usually contained very well, the dangers of mercury not only lie in its liquid form, but, since it vaporizes so readily, also poses dangers as an aerosol. It’s important to get any spilled mercury taken care of immediately, but even more important to do it safely. At SERVPRO, we have the equipment and experience to clean up these dangerous spills. Here’s how a SERVPRO technician would go about cleaning a Mercury spill.

First, the Technician will make sure they are wearing the proper safety equipment. They will be wearing a mercury-type respirator, as well as gloves to ensure none of the liquid touches their skin or gets inhaled.
After that, they will us a mercury-sensing gauge to determine concentration of contamination.
The technician will then apply a magnetic amalgamation powder, which will prevent the mercury from aerosolizing, and cause it to clump into a semisolid paste.
They will then use magnets to pick up the mercury residue and place it in a secure storage container, making sure none is left behind.
A wax-like sealant will be sprayed/painted over the affected area, just in case microscopic remnants of the mercury remain.
Finally, the Technician will collect any tools, gloves, boots, etc. and place them into separate storage containers for decontamination before they are worn again.

As you can see, dealing with dangerous elements like mercury is not something to be taken lightly. Here at SERVPRO, we’re committed to keeping both you and our technicians safe. Mercury spills may be tough to deal with, but we have the equipment, and more importantly the expertise, to make it "Like it never even happened."

What services do we provide?

3/30/2022 (Permalink)

Our SERVPRO vehicles are loaded and ready to go - whatever your project may be!

SERVPRO of Alamo Ranch continues to grow the list of services that we offer every day. We now offer reconstruction services in the event that your home sustains structural damage from fire or water. We can handle the whole job from start to finish. Along wit reconstruction, we also offer the following services.

Restoration:

* Fire, smoke and soot

* Water removal and dehumidification

* Mold Mitigation and Remediation

* Catastrophic Storm Response

* Move Outs and Contents Restoration

* Electronics and Equipment

* Document Drying

* Contents Claim inventory Service

Cleaning:

* Carpet, Upholstery, Drapes, and Blinds

* Ceilings, Walls and Hard Floors

* Air Ducts and HVAC

* Deodorization

* Biohazard and Crime Scene

* Vandalism

* Hoarding

Construction:

* Appraisals and Estimates

* Permit Acquisition

* Demolition and Debris Removal

* Clean Construction

* Board-ups

* Post-Mitigation Reconstruction

* Remodeling

As you can see, SERVPRO of Alamo Ranch offers a wide variety of services. If you have a need and don't see it here, give us a call and we will discuss your service needs with you. We are always here to help. Call SERVPRO of Alamo Ranch at 210-670-9591.

What You Should Do (Or Not Do) When a Fire Occurs on Your Stovetop

1/10/2022 (Permalink)

* Always have a lid close by that can be placed on a burning pot. Even a cookie sheet that covers the pot will work. If a fire occurs, cover the pot, then turn the stove off. Don't peek! Let it cool completely down.

* Do not pick up a burning pot. Dropped and spilled hot food and burning oil can cause serious and tragic burns.

* Do not put water on a burning pot. This can make things much worse.

* You can use a fire extinguisher but only if you know how to. Did you ever read the instructions? Or look at the manufacturers videos on how to use? You probably should before you ever have to use one. You could make things worse!

* If the fire is too big or for whatever reason you are unsure if it can be contained, then get everyone outside and call 911.

Services We Offer

1/5/2022 (Permalink)