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Re: Query: Procedures for disaster plan re: water-soaked r.c. box es & halon discharge



Questions Related to Creating a Disaster Plan:
>>1. Has anyone had experience with removing records center and archives
boxes which have water damage?

Yes I have moved water damaged boxes and it ain't fun.

>>How well do they withstand ceiling drips;
Depends on how long the ceiling was dripping water. was the drip on to the
box lid or to the floor and the box was sitting directly on the floor. Also
would this be a single drip or multiple drips and at what drip-rate (don't
laugh), ie how many drops per minute. You might want to run some tests since
storage carton lids are single thickness versus the double thinkness of the
walls and bottom. Also run some tests on how long it takes for  water to
reach the interior of the box by having it sit in water. Or maybe someone
(NEDCC?) has conducted such tests.

>>just having the bottoms soaked;
how long was the bottom sitting in water? how deep was the water?, were the
boxes sitting on pallets or shelves above the water.

>>and having the entire box submerged?
If that is the case how long did it take for the flood waters to recede? A
standard storage carton is about 12 inches high and if the box is sitting on
a shelf at least 6 inches above the floor then you are talking about
flooding a structure that is at least 18 inches deep or deeper. At that
depth the water would also be moving with some force.

>>What types of equipment/containers do one use with respect to moving them
off
shelves and into containers to be freeze dried?

Very carefully, probably using two people who can lift heavy loads. Why? You
are moving a box that is wet from water and the contents are probably wet
too. The dry box weighs between 30 and 45 pounds, now add the water.
Waallah! you have a box probably approaching 60 to 75 pounds or more in
weight as well as being a very unstable container. Box glue is not water
resistant it melts when wet. I would probably slide rather than lift. This
is from experience. This past summer I was conducting an inventory of a
small warehouse that unfortunately had a leaky roof and no one had done
anything about it. I went to move a box and dern near tore an elbow tendon,
only severely strained it but it hurt like h*ll. Had to use a shovel to move
boxes that had collapse and were sitting wet on the floor.


Finally if the boxes are stacked one on top of another the wet box on the
bottom loses its structural strength and will collapse at some point causing
the upper boxes to fall over into the water probably spilling their contents
into the water or at least exposes the contents to the water since the lid
may come off.

Peter A. Kurilecz CRM, CA
Manager, Records Management Group
Woodside Summit Group Inc
Midlothian, Virginia
Office: 804-744-1247 x23
Fax: 804-744-4947
mailto:peter.kurilecz@woodsidesummitgroup.com

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