That's why having a strong support system ready when needed this hurricane season is key to safety and recovery. BIC Alliance member companies' varied offerings can bring you sustainability and peace of mind in hurricane preparation and response.
Ready to assist
AMECO understands the urgency to execute during a crisis, so it developed a process for quickly deploying customizable emergency response trailers filled with the tools, consumables and safety supplies needed during an emergency response effort.
In addition to response packages, AMECO can quickly deploy equipment from its own fleet or any of its suppliers so equipment promptly arrives when and where it is needed. After Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, there was a critical need for vehicles on the island. AMECO deployed hundreds of trucks, carts and vans to support power restoration and other relief efforts.
In addition to vehicles, tools, scaffolding and equipment, AMECO provides temporary shelters, restroom facilities, ice and drinking water, and power-generating equipment.
A well-defined facility emergency and contingency plan should examine the risks to property, business and site personnel. Because the frequency and severity of extreme storms and other weather events are constantly changing, a risk-based approach is imperative to prioritize resources, plan emergency response strategies, and minimize loss of assets and business interruption. BakerRisk has assisted clients with different aspects of hurricane preparedness, including identifying severe weather shelters for essential personnel, tested and proven techniques for reinforcing buildings, and preventing projectiles from damaging important process equipment and buildings. Clients have relied on BakerRisk's services for decades to make important planning decisions to minimize weather-event impacts.
Does your disaster recovery plan include immediate access to switchgear, low- and medium-voltage breakers? BCS Switchgear supports plant managers with power gear backup solutions, including air breakers and vacuum breakers. Services include switchgear repair, replacement and rental solutions.
BCS Switchgear also stocks parts for obsolete and current model breakers and switchgear. Most parts are shipped from the company's warehouse on the same day. Rapid-response modernization solutions save you time and money by reducing energy consumption and the environmental impact of discarded equipment. BCS Switchgear's qualified technicians service electrical systems dating back to the 1940s. Your equipment is calibrated and tested for accurate readings, meeting OEM specs and industry standards.
When preparing for hurricane season, be sure to protect your eyes from particles, flying objects and dust. Bolle Safety eyewear offers an extensive line of sealed glasses and goggles with foam and thermoplastic rubber seals to meet a range of ANSI D3/D4/D5 ratings. Assessment of occupational risks and crises involves identifying, assessing and ranking risks in the workplace to implement preventive measures. This includes an emergency response during the hurricane season. It is vital the risk is identified and the directives of the standard and the markings on the product all match. High-performance eyewear adapted to your industry is available with Bolle Safety's extensive sealed eyewear, especially during the heightened hurricane season. Protect your eyes and wear proper safety eyewear from Bollé Safety.
Cherry Companies is no stranger to the catastrophic damage a hurricane can cause. Cherry offers asset recovery and industrial dismantling and demolition services, which can be essential for cleanup after a disastrous storm. To support the demolition process, Cherry also offers on-site concrete crushing and removal services. With experience in Texas and Louisiana, Cherry is ready to respond after a storm has hit. Professionalism and safety are always a top priority to ensure the best quality services are provided.
CIRCON Environmental is here when you need it. CIRCON is the Gulf Coast's trusted waste services provider for disaster recovery, transportation, storage solutions and water disposal. Its facilities understand that when severe weather strikes, the most important thing CIRCON can do is make the process as quick and easy as possible for clients. CIRCON stands apart by providing personalized service powered by a close-knit team with a combined century's worth of problem-solving experience. Contact CIRCON to learn how its five Gulf Coast facilities will be there for you when needed.
Clifford Power Systems is prepared to keep your facility up and running during any weather event. The generator experts, Clifford Power has been providing dependable generator service and emergency power for over 35 years. When disaster strikes, Clifford Power can mobilize company-wide resources from 10 office locations throughout the south-central U.S. to support area-specific power emergencies. When Hurricane Harvey hit Houston in 2017, Clifford Power dispatched technicians and temporary generators from multiple locations to support emergency response operations, reducing response times and restoring power to critical Houston-area operations. Clifford Power provided similar emergency response for the Lake Charles, Louisiana, area, after Hurricanes Laura and Delta made landfall in 2020. Clifford Power is available 24/7 to support your emergency power needs.
Following the devastation of Hurricane Laura, petrochemical facilities in Southwest Louisiana were in dire straits. One Lake Charles, Louisiana, refinery was hit particularly hard, resulting in a full plant shutdown for several weeks. With wind gusts of up to 165 mph, a major concern was the amount of asbestos stripped from vessels and scattered around the property. The first step to get the facility back up and running was to survey and mitigate the loose asbestos. The refinery knew it needed outside expertise to come up with a game plan. Excel Modular Scaffold was ready to assist and mobilized within 72 hours. It was immediately clear to Excel that at least 100 qualified asbestos workers would be needed for several weeks. Within a week of being on-site, Excel mobilized 115 asbestos workers, 50 scaffold builders and 25 insulators to help assist as needed. The entire cleanup process took about eight weeks, and all activities were completed without a single first-aid or other major safety incident.
For businesses that operate along the Gulf Coast, hurricane season usually brings some form of doom and gloom. However, Horizon Environmental is the full-service environmental services company that will be there to support the cleanup if your firm's assets are damaged. Since 2003, the management team of Horizon Environmental has provided oil spill and hazardous material cleanup, vacuum truck services, waste hauling and remediation services, as well as a host of other cleanup services. If your facilities, vessels, pipelines or other infrastructure suffer damage due to a storm, let Horizon's cleanup team be the first to respond to help you return to normal operations.
Industrial Tent Systems (ITS) and Lodging Solutions - Emergency Services (LS) continuously go above and beyond to keep plants, companies and organizations secure in the face of the most dangerous disasters. When it comes to hurricane preparedness and response, ITS/LS' specialization and 35-year expertise in turnkey operations are ready to resolve every need - from industry-leading tents and base camps, temporary facilities (mobile sleepers, beds/cots, showers/restrooms, etc.) and award-winning catering to detailed logistical support and vast emergency relief resources.
ITS/LS delivers products and services designed to support hurricane preparations and plant sustainment despite the toughest environments. Everything ITS/LS handles is done safer, faster and better.
International Cooling Tower USA Inc. (ICT) is ready to support Gulf Coast manufacturers as they prepare for the 2021 hurricane season. ICT can provide pre-storm equipment inspections, pre-storm rotating equipment isolation, pre-storm critical material procurement, storage and labor retention to make sure your site has the resources needed for immediate repairs after the storm. ICT has a dedicated hurricane response team that will be in the impacted region ready to make initial assessments while working with your emergency response team. ICT maintains a large inventory, strategically located to support year-round cooling tower projects as well as emergency response projects. This inventory includes fiberglass-reinforced plastic structures, fan assemblies, fan stacks, gear reducers, stainless hardware and more.
Before a storm hits, it's important to implement accurate, reliable gas detection equipment within a facility to continuously monitor atmospheric conditions. ION Science offers a range of industry-leading fixed and portable gas detection equipment. With patented photoionization detection technology, ION Science's instruments are designed to ensure the safety of all personnel during both hurricane preparedness efforts and post-hurricane recovery.
With the bright yellow suits as a reminder, rain gear is one of the most obvious - but potentially overlooked - items for an industrial facility's hurricane preparation checklist. The increased chance of chemical exposure due to storm-related hazard scenarios makes DuraChem 200 from Kappler a true PPE game-changer. Dubbed the "ultimate rain suit," DuraChem 200 goes way beyond typical ANSI/ISEA 107 high-visibility rainwear to include National Fire Protection Association-certified chemical, flame and arc flash protection. The breathable, launder able garments are available as coveralls or multi-piece jacket and bib overall combinations. When the normal hazards of an industrial workplace are exaggerated by the threat of a hurricane, DuraChem 200 provides a unique PPE solution for responders and production workers alike.
1-888-KOCH-911 is Koch Engineered Solutions' (KES) 24-hour emergency number for John Zink Hamworthy Combustion, Koch-Glitsch, Koch Heat Transfer and Koch Specialty Plant Services. Koch's ONESOURCE SOLUTION approach means you have only one number to call for quick-response repair and replacement work for combustion and heat transfer equipment, trays and tower internals, on-site installation and coordination, and more.
When damage occurs, timing is critical. The synergies of KES companies, plus their ability to both manufacture and install their own parts and equipment, streamline the process to get your plant back on line as soon as possible. You get peace of mind from unrivaled experience and expertise, without the hassle of coordinating multiple suppliers.
Layher North America maintains a comprehensive scaffolding inventory at all branches and may assist in arranging delivery and shipping during hurricane preparation and response. Layher recommends Layher SpeedyScaf and STAR Frame for home reconstruction activities, and Layher Allround for commercial and industrial efforts. Layher SpeedyScaf, with its rapid, bolt-free assembly and built-in safety features, addresses the need for speed and safety during a post-hurricane rebuild. The Layher Allround system offers unbeatable adaptability for commercial and industrial work, including a locking pin to prevent wind lift and extra perforations to allow pass-through. Layher Protect System Panels are fully compatible to keep your workers and site protected from wind, rain and the elements during rebuild.
For over a decade, Marquis Industrial Services has been helping customers prepare for and recover from major weather events impacting the Texas Gulf Coast. Marquis takes hurricane season seriously and puts extensive efforts into contingency planning and monitoring teams annually. Marquis prepares well before the season starts to ensure business continuity, responsiveness to customers and support for employees in need. Marquis works with customers early in the process to stock critical items for storm preparation activities and position staff and assets outside the storm zone to urgently respond to recovery needs. With multiple locations and virtual capabilities, Marquis' professional team is ready to help with all your scaffolding, insulation, remediation and equipment needs.
Mobile Mini Tank + Pump Solutions provides pumps, poly and steel tanks, filtration and roll-off box rentals to deal with excess storm water, as well as preparation for potential equipment failures that may come with large weather events such as hurricanes. Its large network of branches and independent fleet of trucks can hold reserved equipment either within a customer's facility or plant or outside the affected area and transport it immediately after a storm event. With thousands of pieces of equipment in the Gulf South area as well as decades of experience, Mobile Mini can develop and implement a hurricane package meant to quickly get your plant and facility back on line as quickly as possible.
The importance of emergency preparedness has never been more evident than during the past 18 months, as extreme and unprecedented weather has impacted the Gulf Coast in the midst of a pandemic. This oil and gas producing region will continue to be threatened by events that can compromise the integrity of vital pipeline and distribution networks. Mustang Sampling has broadened its field support, strengthened partner relationships, and reinforced its supply chain network to better serve customers and reduce lead times after unforeseen events.
"When our customers operate in an emergency, they rely on Mustang Sampling and Valtronics Solutions for immediate inventory, a reliable supply chain and deployable on-site service teams," said Kenneth Thompson, president of Mustang Sampling and Valtronics Solutions.
Ohmstede Ltd. operates five locations along the Gulf Coast from Corpus Christi, Texas, to St. Gabriel, Louisiana. Ohmstede Ltd.'s business continuity plan (BCP) distributes management, engineering and QA/QC staff to mitigate workflow disruptions caused by severe weather events. The BCP management team monitors all severe weather events and coordinates activities to meet customer needs and provide employee assistance. Ohmstede Ltd. operates an in-house fleet of custom transport trucks, two cleaning facilities, five ASME repair shops, and in-house blasting and painting to mitigate dependence on third-party vendors. Customers can contact any of Ohmstede Ltd.'s locations during severe weather events to inquire about work status or request emergency repair work.
Do you know what your organization will do when faced with a tropical storm or hurricane bearing down on you? OneSource EHS can assist by providing customized tropical storm and hurricane preparedness procedures, checklists and guidance documentation so that when the storm is coming, the guesswork is minimized and you can focus on executing the plan you have in place.
Procedures are developed well before your organization would need to use them, helping you think through critical planning questions such as: "How will I protect my employees' safety and well-being?", "Can we continue operating?", "How do we protect our assets?" or "If we shut down, how will we ensure the safe return to operations?" Make sure you know the answers to these questions and more by contacting OneSource EHS before a storm hits.
In preparation for hurricane season, ParFab Companies' 24-hour emergency services and safety teams assess, monitor, and anticipate the need to readily mobilize manpower and resources and quickly spring into action when disaster hits. ParFab provides turnkey construction, specialty welding, fabrication and turnaround services to safely expedite and ensure customers return to full operation with minimized plant downtime. Through its ongoing day-to-day operational relationships with customers, its strategically located satellite offices in Geismar, Louisiana, and Port Arthur and Baytown, Texas, and its centrally located fabrication facilities in Inola, Oklahoma, ParFab is able to serve its customers on a local level and provide disaster-related solutions at a moment's notice.
Pro-Surve is ready to respond and support the energy infrastructure post-disaster, providing personnel to inspect and test your critical assets. Pro-Surve's integrated staff of engineering, inspection and testing personnel can evaluate your assets while you manage a successful restart. Strategically located on the Gulf Coast, Pro-Surve is poised for rapid response, owning a large inventory of test equipment to avoid waiting on vendors. Pro-Surve can facilitate, supervise and provide services from cleaning to heavy mechanical services.
Additionally, Pro-Surve's 0.00 TRIR illustrates its continual commitment to safety within the company culture. Contact Pro- Surve for reliable inspection and testing services to assist you with a successful startup after an emergency.
Rain for Rent is your partner for liquid- handling solutions in a time of crisis. The company is available for contingency planning and emergency response agreements to ensure that the pumping, storage and filtration equipment and crew required for your site can stand ready for rollout 24/7. With 13 locations throughout the Gulf and East Coast regions, Rain for Rent has the equipment and experienced staff available locally to provide your site with the emergency response equipment you need to pump, store and filter water.
RedGuard now offers storm shelters through its SiteBox Storage division. These hardened buildings are constructed above-ground and can be strategically placed (and relocated) on nearly any worksite to ensure quick and easy access as part of your disaster preparedness plan. Provide a safe place on-site where workers can gather out of harm's way. The state-of-the-art, patent- pending design is fabricated and installed at an affordable price and can be placed quickly, avoiding schedule interruptions. These shelters meet the guidelines of FEMA 361, International Code Council standards and National Storm Shelter Association requirements. In addition, they have been impact-tested at the Texas Tech National Wind Institute.
With Satellite Shelters Inc., you don't have to worry about a lack of safe, quality space in your disaster recovery plan. Get peace of mind with simplified modular space solutions and a knowledgeable team of local experts on your side in the event of damage or loss of your existing building. Satellite provides simplified modular building solutions that include blast-resistant modules and protective tool cribs for companies that need safe shelter in blast zones. Additionally, Satellite offers administrative offices, cafeterias, safety meeting or training rooms, mobile offices and storage containers. Need a custom unit? That's no problem. With Satellite's design-build services and specialty products, such as furniture and office equipment, the transition to your new space will be effortless.
Shamrock Farrell LLC and Bennett Construction stand ready to provide what you need. Reduced downtime is the name of the game when it comes to business continuity after a hurricane or any other natural disaster. Because of its strategic relationships and numerous operating locations, offices and laydown yards, Shamrock Farrell and Bennett Construction can provide generators, lighting, fuel storage and delivery, work crews, tools, equipment, new construction services, and facility assistance to get you up and running after a natural disaster with minimal downtime. Shamrock Farrell and Bennett Construction have been providing safe, quality and on-time services for over 25 years, and they are ready to provide you with the same.
Specialized Waste Systems, part of TAS Environmental Services, is a total waste solutions provider offering 24/7 in-person emergency response (ER), waste management, industrial services, transportation, box rentals and washout services. Prior to hurricane season, Specialized creates disaster response plans that mitigate operational disruption and improve worker safety. In the event of a natural disaster, Specialized quickly deploys trained ER personnel, supplies and equipment, including roll-offs, boats, airboats, high-water vehicles, vac trucks and generators. Once the event is contained, Specialized's ER team continues to reduce risk by providing decontamination services, site remediation, waste transportation, waste disposal and provisions for employees.
Specialty Welding and Turnarounds (SWAT) has five yards located strategically across the Gulf Coast and West Coast. SWAT's large inventory of mechanical tool trailers, alky trailers, exchanger equipment and catalyst equipment is ready to be expedited for emergency repairs and service or hurricane response. SWAT's team consists of over 2,000 craftsmen ready for emergency services or quick turnaround projects. SWAT can service customers with equipment, tools and manpower wherever the emergency occurs, domestically or internationally.
When safety matters, Total Safety is ready. The company provides a multitude of services that can assist clients pre- and poststorm. This includes providing safety supplies such as tools, signage, garments, PPE and cleanup equipment. Post-storm is often a time when fire detection and suppression systems are knocked out of service. Total Safety's team can respond with fire protection system specialists who can evaluate and repair suppression, monitoring and alarm systems. During the recovery phase, the company can provide a highly trained staff who can offer lifesaving equipment and support for gas detection, respiratory protection and breathing air, to name a few.
Tower Force is based in Deer Park, Texas, so it knows hurricanes will always be a factor in its business. The Tower Force offices and warehouse are located on the highest piece of land on Railroad Street, directly across major manufacturing facilities on the Houston Ship Channel. Tower Force crews and equipment can be mobilized remotely to have a better response time for clientele, wherever they may be. Tower Force also keeps spare tower tray hardware and components on hand in case of emergency situations. All Tower Force software systems are cloud-based so office and field management can access the same information at the same time. These cloud-based applications enable management to report to clients without having to be in a particular place, so they can get timely progress reports on their projects.
The 2021 Atlantic hurricane season is projected to be above-normal - posing a threat to many industries and the safety of workers who face arc flash and flash fire hazards on the job. Qualified service providers like Tyndale can assist by ensuring your workers' rainwear meets applicable standards and by taking on the burden of collecting employee orders, enforcing spend and creating an OSHA audit trail at the employee level. Tyndale distributes protective rainwear so you can focus on keeping the country running during the hurricane season. Preparedness plans require adjustments based on COVID-19 guidelines from the CDC and local officials. COVID-19 has impacted inventory levels of AR/FR rainwear available in the market, limiting suppliers' ability to restock once existing inventory is purchased. Ask yourself, "How can I protect my workers?"
United Site Services (USS) is always ready to support your response to any unplanned outage or natural disaster, including tropical storms and hurricanes. With operations along the Gulf Coast and throughout the U.S., USS can rapidly mobilize portable sanitation solutions after disaster strikes, so your operations can continue with these essential services covered. USS' fleet includes portable restrooms, sinks and sanitizer stations; mobile shower, restroom and laundry trailers; and roll-off dumpsters. As the industry expert in providing full-scale temporary sanitation solutions, USS leverages information like schedule, labor fluctuations and equipment location to design an efficient and safe solution to meet your needs. USS is ready to help develop your plan for the unexpected.
United States Environmental Services (USES) operates 10 emergency response centers along the Gulf Coast from Pensacola, Florida, to Galveston, Texas. Services include decontamination, land and water oil spill cleanup, hazardous materials response, in-plant releases, vacuum services, site remediation and contingency planning. As a U.S. Coast Guard Oil Spill Removal Organization, the highest standard of training in the industry is upheld. In 2020, USES responded as the primary contractor for Debris Management Services for Hurricane Laura and Hurricane Zeta. USES coordinated staging sites, supplied hundreds of rolloff boxes, cut up damaged power poles and disposed of storm debris. In addition, crews were deployed to collect and transport transformers. USES restores order with a continuous commitment to disaster preparedness.
This season, minimize operational impact and plan ahead with US Ecology's industry-leading 24/7 response services. At the forefront of disaster response and cleanup, US Ecology's seasoned personnel have helped thousands of customers in the wakes of some of the most devastating storms ever to make landfall, including Hurricanes Ivan, Katrina, Rita, Wilma, Harvey, Irma and Michael.
In the aftermath of a storm, US Ecology understands the importance of getting business back up and running as fast as possible. The company leads the industry in reliability and efficiency, with the fastest mobilization times and best available resources. Its experienced crews provide exceptional customer service throughout each response, ensuring all work is done thoroughly, safely and in full compliance with all regulations.
At USA DeBusk (USAD), team members understand the importance of preparing for weather-related events on the Gulf Coast. USAD has 12 offices located along the Gulf Coast that service the region on a daily basis and are prepared to respond to weather-related emergencies in the most efficient manner. From preparation-related activities to shutdown units and operations to post-storm cleanup and maintenance, USAD's crews are prepared and trained to meet your needs.
Recommended practices for vacuuming and high-pressure water jetting published by the WaterJet Technology Association (WJTA) are essential references for contractors performing disaster response and cleanup services. The recently updated manuals, which are reviewed frequently by WJTA's committee of subject matter experts, describe best practices for performing cleaning and maintenance work safely and efficiently, which is vital when dealing with the aftermath from storms. Best practices include information on both manual and automated cleaning methods across a range of applications useful in plant settings.
Wolseley Industrial Group knows each emergency is unique. Equipped with 2,500- plus associates supported by remote call centers available 24/7, keeping you running before, during and after disaster strikes is Wolseley's primary goal.
For disasters involving prior planning, Wolseley stations trucks stocked with essentials outside the storm's path. After assessing the impact, Wolseley's team provides access to an extensive inventory with same or next-day service from its distribution centers and local branches. When the unexpected occurs, 168 industrial locations and vast truck routes enable your business continuity. Call a Wolseley Industrial location near you and ensure you are prepared to navigate tomorrow's unique disaster and its challenges.
Woven Metal Products (WMP) can help any plant during an emergency or crisis. WMP has a custom fabrication manufacturing facility and specializes in reactor and tower internals. WMP manufactures specialty process internals for reactors and towers during all seasons. If you find yourself in a crisis situation and need internals for getting a reactor or tower back up and running, WMP will answer that call. With an on-site engineering and drafting department, WMP can handle immediate emergency needs 24/7/365.
2021 Hurricane Outlook
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) Climate Prediction Center is predicting
another above-normal Atlantic hurricane season. Forecasters predict a 60-percentchance of an above-normal season, a 30-percentchance of a near-normal season and a 10-percentchance of a below-normal season. However, experts do not anticipate the historic level of storm activity seen in 2020. For 2021, a likely range of 13 to 20named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which six to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including three to five major hurricanes(category 3, 4 or 5, with winds of 111 mph or higher)is expected.
For more information, visit www.noaa.gov.
