CoatingsPro Magazine

CPRO_JAN2014

CoatingsPro offers an in-depth look at coatings based on case studies, successful business operation, new products, industry news, and the safe and profitable use of coatings and equipment.

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OTN for 14 years, made sure to start each week with a toolbox meeting and fnish every workday by policing the area for any debris. It also helped that many members of this particular team have worked together for years. Out of about 35 feld employees at OTN, Frater said that around 25 have been with the company for 10+ years…and several of those decade-long players were on this particular crew. Although Frater commented that OTN is a demanding company (insofar as excellence and safety), "in return, we give a lot back." Tat includes specialty training in confned space, boom lift, and lead work. "We invest a lot of money in these guys, so we can create the best of the best," Frater continued. "In turn, there are probably a handful of foremen who have been here 15–25 years." Not only do they have longevity in their sights, the folks at OTN also believe in promoting from within. Frater actually started as a painter and worked his way up the ladder, much like the current president of the company. "We're like a family, and every family has its ups and downs," he said. Tere weren't too many "downs" to note on this job, but one of those ups included a 60-foot-tall (18 m) tank. Having a significant amount of work to do at those heights meant working on lifts, but it also meant working within safety parameters, which included wearing Miller lanyards, Tyvek suits, gloves, hard hats, safety glasses, and steel-toed work boots. Working at goal-post heights also meant having great views Not only did each day start with a toolbox meeting, but the coatings crew also made sure to wear lanyards, Tyvek suits, gloves, hard hats, safety glasses, and steel-toed boots. 54 JANUARY 2014 COATINGSPROMAG.COM Once the primer cured, the crew came in to apply a 2-to-4-mil (51–102 microns) topcoat of urethane. On the one foam tank, they spray-applied one primer and one full coat of acrylic at 3 mils (76 microns). of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. And because the tanks were located at the Port of Baltimore's North Locust Point Marine Terminal, accessing the site became the frst line of defense. Not only did every member of the crew have a Transportation Worker Identifcation Credentials (TWIC) card to get on site, the site itself was guarded by a gate and intercom. Also, because of the proximity to the Patapsco River, the crew made sure to contain any runof during surface prep by surrounding the steel tanks with plastic.

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