Concrete scanning is essential before you begin any coring project.
Working with concrete safely is a hugely important part of any construction project, and having a knowledgeable concrete scanning professional on your team can save you an incredible amount of time. Many teams have multiple team members who are skilled in concrete cutting and coring, but before you ever do either of those activities, you need to make sure that you’re scanning the concrete. Why is concrete scanning so important before you do any concrete coring? Read on to learn more!
Concrete Scanning Locates Obstacles
Concrete scanning should be done before any concrete coring or cutting job. Scanning is a process of using a signal, usually radar, to detect embedded or buried objects by bouncing it off them and receiving it back. You could discover underground voids, embedded steel or rebar supports, buried conduits for internet, power, or other utilities, and underground water lines with proper concrete scanning tools and techniques. Any of these items are things that you would want to avoid or work around very carefully when you are coring or cutting.
Concrete Scanning Protects Equipment
Scanning and knowing what is there before you core protects your equipment. If you are cutting through concrete and you hit embedded metal like rebar, your cutting tool could buck or even break. If the obstacle is instead a conduit for municipal lines like internet or water (or even the incredible danger of power lines), cutting through it is also damaging the equipment of another company – equipment you’d be liable for. It is not worth the potential damage to your equipment and the liability for other people’s equipment to cut or core without scanning.
Concrete Scanning Keeps People Safe
In addition to protecting equipment, using a concrete scanning technique like ground penetrating radar or GPR to detect what is in and under the concrete, before you cut, keeps people safe. Discovering any of the obstacles described above accidentally as you are sawing could cause a hazard to the operator of the concrete cutting or sawing equipment. It could also become a safety hazard for the people in the vicinity if the cutting or sawing equipment reacts wildly, breaks, or causes sparks against whatever it hits. Finally, if what is hit is municipal services wiring, cutting it could also potentially harm people in the surrounding area, especially if there are nearby medical facilities, for example. Scanning before you cut every time protects people all over.
Concrete Visions Will Get The Job Done Right
Concrete Visions has been working with clients for over 25 years. Our G&M Services installers are certified with the industry’s major firestop product manufacturers. As part of our firestop service, we can assess abnormal field conditions and, with the manufacturer’s technical support assistance, provide engineering judgments in a timely fashion to comply with contract specifications. Our Field Mechanics undergo ongoing training, including mandatory monthly safety meetings, weekly Toolbox Talks where safety and equipment information is shared, and training on safe work standards and safety best practices.