Establish a wet work program to mitigate potential water damage during maintenance

Why a wet work program?

Water damage can impact any business, and it can lead to major disruptions if equipment is lost or the structure itself must be repaired. Unlike weather events or other unplanned incidents, water damage can be prevented when planned maintenance/repair work is being completed on a structure’s plumbing, drainage or mechanical systems. A key to water mitigation when conducting wet work is to establish a wet work program.

What is a wet work program?

A wet work program is a proactive process that focuses on regular monitoring and inspection of wet work tasks before, during and after their completion at your facility. The program utilizes tools such as wet work permits and valve tags to help protect your facility and assets from water damage during maintenance/repair work and after the work is completed.

Wet work monitoring roles and responsibilities

A wet work program and permitting process should be supervised by company management and their designated safety team. Any employee, construction manager or contractor performing wet work tasks should use the permit and valve tags during the wet work process

Wet work program resources

• Wet Work Permits should be utilized any time maintenance, repair or renovations are being completed on systems in your building where water or liquids can be released into the structure/property. The permit should contain all details of the wet work being completed, a pre-wet work checklist, wet work testing details, wet work watch details, and post-wet work checklist. Having a designated company employee or manager follow the steps of the permit will help ensure that if liquid is released, it can be mitigated in a timely manner and property damage can be minimized.
  
• Wet Work Valve Tags are used to visually mark systems that are being serviced, so valves are not accidentally opened during wet work.

While wet work programs and resources can aid in preventing water damage during planned wet work tasks, Water Mitigation Programs can assist in overall water damage mitigation – whether the water is exterior- (ground water, rain, storm surge, ice dams, etc.) or interior-driven (plumbing, automatic sprinkler systems for fire protection, mechanical systems, condensation, etc.). Nationwide offers guides to develop fully customizable Water Mitigation Programs for both new/ongoing construction and for existing structures. These programs are designed to guide building owners and occupants of all sizes through creating a customized plan to protect facilities, assets and business integrity from the impact of water damage.