Site Preparation projects with challenges are welcomed.
Like you, when I hire someone, I want to know if they meet arising challenges with excuses or execution. Do they maintain a sense of urgency, loyalty, and responsibility to the one who contracted or hired them?
The site preparation, for this project, presented more challenges than normal. Our preliminary investigations revealed a history of uncontrolled disposal of excessive steel products such as cable,2 manhole covers, a tank, and other "objectionable items" buried on this property. We were the only excavating contractor within 400 miles that would safely locate and remove the products buried on this property. Our Underground Utility and Infrastructure Locating Service found some items that would destroy heavy equipment. Other items found, if not detected early, would close the project for months.
No "well & wonderful" pictures of elaborate projects or fancy promotional language. We prefer straight forward conversation with the experience to back it up.
Uncontrolled free dumping for 5+ years
Challenge One
Spread out and covered with a foot of clean fill. Verified by Soils Engineer & existing neighbors.
Prior to starting this compaction...
We were required to excavate, locate, and remove "objectionable items" at a minimum depth of 3 feet on the entire jobsite...
Challenge Two
State and County offices were downwind, and visible 2 blocks away. Dust control and other regulations were not an option. Maintaining a fresh supply of donuts and bottled water proved to be priceless. If ya can't beat um, join um.
Our Goal Post
The top of this white pole (13') represents finish grade. Calculations called for 14,700 cubic yards of imported material. Timing is everything.
At the proper time, I asked if these figures included compaction. We added 3,000 yards.
Local import material was donated for the cost of loading and dust control.
Challenge Three
Cooperation from all participants (especially the truck drivers) came easy when they found out we were providing the donuts and bottled water.
There is something about donuts that makes a non-interested person become part of the overall project success. Inspectors provided suggestions instead of fines and delays, police and fire kept an eye on our site while we slept.
All of the fill dirt used, when dry, did not accept water very easily. Pre-blending at the locaing site helped reduce some compaction delays. Mixing surfactant with the water also helped.
Advance planning dictated a 4 - 10 hour day truck schedule. To reduce truck delays, fill was stockpiled when the compaction process prevented delivery.
The Heavy Traffic Trucks came back to back coordinating seamlessly with our compacting equipment. EVERYONE had to bring their "A" game to this job.
The "Zero means Zero" Safety Program
Zero tolerance for ANY amount of internal possession of ANY substance that alters human behavior.
Zero Tolerance for any language and/or behavioral practices that may compromise the safe working conditions of this project.
No trash here. We keep it clean. Maintaining a good image and respect for another's property is part of who we are.
Everyone Worked on Rainy Days
Additional gravel at the entrance and an extra long gravel drive kept mud and site material off the street. Trucks stayed on pavement and gravel at the loading site. Tires were cleaned before leaving the jobsite.
Rain was a good event. The day prior, we "cupped" our stockpiles to hold moisture and prevent runoff, and spread dry fill.
