At the core of every wet work program is the initiation of a wet work permit. Employees, third-party service providers and independent contractors should be required to complete a request for a wet work permit and get that request approved by the construction site supervisor prior to conducting any form of wet work (e.g., plumbing, piping, pumping or drainage) on the job site. That being said, the construction site supervisor should be prepared to conduct a pre-work evaluation prior to issuing any wet work permits.
The following checklist details key points to include in a pre-work evaluation. Depending on the answers to these questions, the proposed wet work may need to be adjusted, delayed or cancelled altogether:
1. Is this work necessary, or can it be avoided? Is there a more effective process or procedure in place for completing this task?
2. Are any and all wet systems adequately protected from freezing?
3. Are any and all water systems monitored or alarmed with flow meters? If not, can roaming patrols be implemented and properly documented to check the systems during off-hours?
4. Was any high-value equipment (e.g., electrical tools or medical devices) installed before the piping systems were properly tested and monitored? If so, is adequate protection for this equipment in place?
5. Are the primary firewater control valves chained and locked in the correct position to prevent unauthorized or accidental valve operations? Are these valves properly labelled to identify who is permitted to operate them? If a leak were to occur, can these valves be easily unlocked and operated by authorized individuals?
6. Are there documented response procedures in place and water spill containment kits available in case a water system failure occurs? Are these containment kits properly stored at designated locations? Is there an adequate number of kits available?
7. Have all individuals been made aware of the location of water supply shut-off points for each floor or zone at the construction site? Are these points clearly labelled in a centrally located, readily available wet work plan? Have these points been communicated in routine construction site meetings?
8. Are stormwater, sanitary or sump pumps required for any wet work activity? If so, are they routinely monitored and inspected to ensure proper functionality? Are backup pumps and any accompanying supplies available in the event of a pump failure or breakdown?
9. Is the work taking place in an occupied building? If so, has this work been communicated and coordinated with the property owner or facility manager to confirm that all necessary building systems can remain intact and operational during the project?
- If necessary building systems cannot remain intact during the project, does the work need to be scheduled outside of typical business hours? Is a fire watch needed to complete the work, or do any external parties need to be made aware of potential building system outages during the project?
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Download your own copy of our Wet Work Job Site Inspection Questions Checklist for free to ensure you remember to address important concerns during wet work job site inspections:
