Transcript Building and Development of the Danforth Campus

Lessons Learned: Building
a 90-Day Storage Facility
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS
DANFORTH CAMPUS
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT FACILITY
DONNA S. HALL, MS, CHMM
Decision to Build
Based on what type of operation you have, the decision
to build a hazardous waste storage facility is driven
by several factors including:
 Compliance status (LQG versus SQG/CESQG),
 Operations –Types of waste, do you self pack?
 Financial support - if they approve it you will
build it!!
Decision to Build- Compliance
 In the beginning (long ago in galaxy far, far
away)…one position primarily supported the
Chemistry Dept. Status - SQG.
 In 2000, increase in chemical based research in
engineering and biology as well as greater focus on
removal of aging chemicals from the campus brought
the addition of 2 full time staff for waste chemical
collection.
The space adjoining the Chemistry Department bulk
solvent storage was maintained for a number of years
to lab pack these waste chemicals. Status - LQG
Decision to Build
The space was inadequate for
numerous reasons:
 No bulking operation
 No ventilation
 No fume hood for opening
containers (pH checks, other
shipment preparation needs)
 Lack of adequate storage space
(more frequent shipments)
 Prison feel…picture this space
behind a floor to ceiling fence
Decision to Build
 In May of 2003 a Design Basis
Memorandum was generated by a
consultant to identify the technical
requirements for the building in order
for the design and construction to
comply with NFPA and BOCA
requirements, Zoning requirements,
OSHA requirements, RCRA
requirements, ADA requirements as
well as our operational requirements.
Primary Considerations
 Regulatory Compliance – RCRA, NFP, BOCA,
OSHA
 Operations – Design a versatile space that can
handle our priority operations
 Space Restrictions – Keeping facility contiguous
means fighting for space on a crowded campus
 $ - How much money can you get approved.
Regulatory Compliance
 RCRA – RCRA (50’ line)
 Building codes (BOCA), County required blow out
construction of roof and along storage wall ($1 mil cost
↑) Safe Building vault alternative
 Safety – OSHA Safety shower, eyewash, fume hoods,
NFPA Explosion proof vs. intrinsically safe
 ADA – can affect entrance, restrooms (lockers)
 Security – RCRA, DHS
Operational Considerations
What do you need to do?
Our first priorities –
 Lab Packing √
 Bulk Solvents/Oil √
 Store Hazardous Waste √
 Store Universal/White Good/Electronic waste√
Operational Considerations
What do you want to do? Second priorities –
 Acid neutralization √
 Silver Recovery*
 Mixed Waste*
 Biological Waste Storage*
 Cylinder storage*
 Offices √/Bathrooms √/Break room*
Operational Considerations
What else? Other potential uses/needs –
 Surplus chemical storage*
 Biohazard cabinet *
 Scintillation counter*
 Storage for DEA controlled substances √
* These items were cut out from the final operational
use or space available in the building
Space Restrictions
 Location - Need to be contiguous with buildings
generating waste to remain classified 90-Day
 Administration – Find a space that is less desirable
for other uses
 What else can be housed there?
Can you partner with another department?
 In the end they gave us a spot that housed a
doublewide trailer prior to our building!
$ Restrictions
 Budget approved for $1,000,000.
 County required blow out roof and south wall along
hazardous waste storage added $1,000,000 to
construction costs.
 Architects pushed through Safe Building vaults as
alternative at $220,000.
 Design and Construction value engineered the costs
down $175,000 to get closer to $1 mil. (value
engineering cost $225,ooo by the time project was
completed and 6 month delay)
Design
Space/Equipment Issues
 Wall space reduced by steel
cross beams, communication
box, electrical panels, other
utilities, HVAC controls.
This affected plans for
benches, shelves and
cabinets. Bought portable
benches & work tables to
compensate.
Space/Equipment Issues
 Switch to vaults
affected operation plans
for silver recovery
(scrapped) and acid
neutralization (moved
outside the room).
Space/Equipment Issues
 Value engineering reduced
height of the building to save
$125,000. This dropped
ventilation and sprinklers
into overhead storage space.
(↑ mechanical $)
 This forced purchase of
industrial shelving to allow
storage over chemical
collection carts.
Safety Features
 Shower and Eye Wash Stations
Fire Blankets.
 Safety Communication and
alarm systems including wall
mounted explosimeter in
bulking room linked to campus
emergency personnel
Safety Features
 Audible alarms inside building
for fire. Loud siren on LEL
detection system in bulking
room.
 Dry Chemical suppression in
storage areas, water in other
areas of building. Available
portable ABC and Class D Fire
Extinguishers.
Safety Features
 Grounding bar for
solvent bulking
operations
 Vaults - Explosion
venting
 Explosion proof areas
versus intrinsically
safe electrical
systems…no exposed
wires or cables in
building.
Other Considerations
 HVAC – Air balance issues
with negative pressure when
walk in fume hood on high
and sashes are closed –
pulled them in and bent
them.
 Exhaust from hoods - motor
should be separate from air
so fumes cannot ignite.
Greenheck exhaust units not rockets on our roof.
http://www.greenheck.com/
Other Considerations
 No floor drains, curbing of
floor openings and epoxy
coating on concrete.
All connections to concrete
sealed.
Cove base to floor sealed
Special effort at vault sub-slab
to prevent spill going below
Other Considerations
 Dock space
 Dock leveler
 Sidewalk width allows
golf cart travel (kept in bldg)
 Dock door – electric roll up cut out to
reduce cost.
Other Considerations
Signs and Security
Entry requires magnetic swipe
access and key. Knox box for
emergency entrance.
Other Considerations
Due to limited storage space,
large non-chemical waste
shipments are scheduled at
specific building docks. Typically
once per month. Small requests
are brought back to our building.
Facility Tour
 Building entry brings you
into the packing, staging,
shipping and receiving
area. Everything is kept
portable to keep work
flexible.
Facility Tour
 Bulking Room
Facility Tour
 Storage vaults – Small vault for bulk drum storage
and large vault stores lab packs.
Facility Tour
 Supply shelves and collection cart storage
Roof access
Facility Tour
• More Packing Supplies
 Spill Supplies
Facility Tour
 Other regulated waste storage – ewaste, Universal
 New container and drum storage and other
supplies.
Shipment Day
Key Lessons Learned
 Anticipate special costs associated with building a
Hazardous Waste Facility – you will be dealing with
some of the most stringent codes and regulations.
 Beware of value engineering! It will probably cost
more in the end to mitigate the domino effect of the
changes.
 Don’t count on availability of wall space. Ask what
will be added to the space for communications,
computer network, janitor, mechanical etc.
 Be actively involved in all furniture & equipment
purchase – changed ~80% of items selected.
Key Lessons Learned
 Think about maximum storage needs for
supplies. We order pallets of vermiculite and
containers that can take up a lot of space.
 Include as much equipment purchases in the
budget for the building. It can be hard to get
additional equipment after the building is
completed on tight operational budgets.
 Be involved with every meeting. Your
institution’s project manager and the contractor
do not know the hazardous waste operations like
you do.
Questions