25
d
&
ri
JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2015
INDUSTRIAL
DEMOLITION
C
abot BV, a large chemical company
located inRotterdam,Netherlands,
taskedDDMwith the removal of two
largedryers located in theheart of its facility,
whichproduces rubber carbonblacks. These
dryerswereplaced right in theheart of the
factory andwere tobe replacedby twonew
units fabricatedon-site. Finding thebest
removalmethodof theolddryers and the
installationof their replacementswas the
challenge.
Cabot had already spent some time
consideringmethods prior to its contacting
DDM, whobegan theworkwith an initially
small team consistingof a cost and a technical
engineer. Cabot’smainprioritieswere
safeworkwithout any incidents, a short
turnaround, extremely tightworking spaces
and theminimisationof disturbance to the
operational plant.Anothermajor concernwas
thenecessary equipment lifts over liveprocess
equipment.
Working together, Cabot andDDM
established adetailedplan to replace the
dryers, with a lifting and rigging company
brought in that becamepart of the team led
byDDM. In thebackground therewas the
company responsible for the fabricationof
thenewdryer. Becauseof the ‘out-of-the-box’
thinking adoptedbyDDM, an entirelynew
approach to theworkwas adopted.
Firstly all possiblehazardswere listed
byDDM’sHSEQdepartment – risks
were identified, categorised and assessed.
Measures are thendescribed and taken to
dealwith these risks.Onlywhen the riskhad
been eliminatedorminimised couldwork
commence. The sequenceof activitieswas
complexdue to the fact that a lot needed tobe
done in a short periodof time.Anumber of
differentmethodswereused and thenumber
of parties necessarily involvedgrew. Togive a
clearer insight of the removal process,DDM
decided to create a3D animatedvideo that
showed every step in theprocess. Everyone
involvedwas able to seehow theworkwas
tobe executed. The extensive time schedule
anddetailedworkdescription supportedby
this 3D animationwas key to successwith the
work.Despite a tight time schedule for the
removal, workwas actually completedoneday
early.
Prior toDDM’s involvement studies had
shown itwas best to separate thedryers and
lift themout through andover the roof. To
minimisedisturbance to theproduction
process and reduceoverall costs for the client,
DDM chose tonot use thismethod, but
Netherlands contractor DDM
was taskedwith the removal
of an outdate dryer in
confined spaces surrounding
by working industrial
operations that called for
lateral thinking.
D&Ri
reports
on the resulting project,
shortlisted for the 2014
Industrial DemolitionAward
A tight squeeze
>
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