5 Key Steps for the Best Outcome on Your Industrial Coatings Project
Whether you are an owner, facility manager or plant engineer, maintenance painting can be a vexing process. A 5-step engineered approach to the project ensures successful outcomes and satisfied customers.
An engineered approach to maintenance painting doesn’t just happen. It requires a considerable amount of planning, preparation, and hard work before the first ounce of paint is ever applied. Hiring a maintenance painting contractor who uses a planned, systematic approach to a project results in,
- Best use of time and money
- Least operational down time
- Fewest management problems and headaches
For a successful maintenance painting project, the following 5-step engineered approach is suggested.
- Define the scope of work
- Assess the coating condition
- Recommend a “Best Fit For Use” coating system
- Predetermine time lines for performance & completion of work
- Identify safety practices & regulatory issues that may be involved
Let’s take a look briefly at each one.
Define the Scope of Work
While it seems like an oversimplification, it is essential to walk the project with you, the client, to define which items are to be included and excluded in the painting project prior to bidding. This is the foundation for all subsequent steps.
Coating Condition Assessment
The coating condition assessment occurs during the initial walk through. This goes beyond a superficial quick look. Whether it is a corrosive environment or element that is causing degradation of a coating or simple wear & tear from physical abrasion, the reason for deterioration needs to be determined. Each situation can have a complex set of causative factors. Therefore, it is important to have an experienced, knowledgeable, and well-trained painting contractor assess the coating condition and offer best practice recommendations.
Recommend a “Best Fit For Use” Coating System
Next up is a consultation with a technical service expert from a major manufacturer(s) in the paint and coatings industry to get up-to-date recommendations for your project. This provides you with an accurate, best-value bid.
Predetermine Time Lines for Performance & Completion of Work
No surprises here. Knowing the time lines for performing the work is a key determinant in bidding and performing a project. Whether it be evenings, off-shift, weekends or through holidays, it’s critical that a contractor has the manpower and flexibility to schedule the work and complete it. The aim here is minimum disruption and operational down time. Identification of Safety Practices & Regulatory Issues that may be involved
Identify safety practices & regulatory issues
Safety is job #1. Be sure you select a contractor who has a proven safety record which is documented and available to you. This includes work performance in a variety of industrial and commercial environments without an OSHA recordable incident or a lost time accident. Additional documentation of safety training should be required.
So, whether your industry or facility deals with food processing, institutional maintenance, distribution, public utilities, schools, retail, or hospitality; follow an engineered approach that utilizes this 5-step engineered approach and you are well on your way to a successful project.
