PROJECT OVERVIEW
Project Name: POLA Soils Remediation
Location: Port of Los Angeles – California
Job Type: Soils Excavation, Backfill, Grading and Disposal
DESCRIPTION
Excavating, stockpiling, and loading 15,000 cu yds of lead-contaminated soil from the Port of Los Angeles, and backfilling the site, once the contaminated soils had been excavated. This complex project overcame significant challenges related to minimizing costs, maximizing safety, accommodating the close proximity of high voltage utility lines and high-traffic areas, and addressing significant weather conditions.
MAIN TASKS
- Excavate 15,000 cu yds of lead-contaminated soils
- Protect in place the high-tension footings of overhead power line pylons which were located at the center of the site
- Segregate and maintain stockpile soils based on the 3 levels of contamination present on the site
- Maintain all BMPs throughout the project
- Conduct constant inspections of the stockpiles’ covers and anchors – ensuring the integrity of the dust control coverage
- Load contaminated soils for transportation and disposal while avoiding cross-contamination
- Backfill entire excavated area with clean imported crushed rock and soils
- Complete a rough grade for the final area
CHALLENGES
Segregating Soils – This site contained three levels of contamination, so careful segregation and stockpiling was required. This maximized the efficiency of loading and minimized the cost of disposal – since all of the soil didn’t carry the same hazardous material classification.
Utility Line Proximity – Special precautions were necessary for the excavation equipment and water cannons due to the close proximity of high voltage overhead cables and power line pylons.
Weather – Powerful winds created the need for reinforced contamination safeguards, including reinforced Visqueen stockpile covers that were safely anchored by an augmented system of ropes and sandbags.
INTERESTING POINTS
Considerations and plans for this project extended beyond the confines of the immediate site. Since the ingress and egress to the area involved high-traffic streets and a major junction, plans were developed to address concerns related to traffic flow and safety. This included the effective deployment of flagmen, implementation of strict traffic control protocols, and a strategically chosen point of egress to maximize traffic visibility and minimize risk. To further protect the surrounding area, a two-stage decontamination area ensured containment on the site, and road sweepers were deployed to ensure any residual tracking was contained and remediated.
