Regular maintenance is critical for keeping industrial plants and facilities operational and productive. Over time, equipment, ceilings, and other surfaces can see soot and grease build up and coatings fail, potentially compromising operations, reducing efficiency, and has the potential to impact worker safety. In order to tackle these challenges, many facility owners are adding Sponge Blasting to properly clean and prep surfaces with minimal operational disruptions or unnecessary shutdowns.

Confined Spaces

Many facilities utilize tanks and other types of confined spaces during their processes. These areas present unique challenges due to limited access, the need to minimize airborne particles, and other potential hazards. In these areas, blasting with Sponge Media is a great solution due to its low-dust, low-rebound capabilities. This minimizes the amount of airborne particles in the space, improving the safety of the workers in these environments, as well as protecting nearby sensitive equipment from ricochet damage, which is possible with other ordinary abrasives like slag or garnet. 

Pipe Interiors, Exteriors, and Pipe Galleries

Pipes also require regular maintenance. They can see corrosion and failed coatings on both their interiors and exteriors. When this happens, the corrosion can weaken the structural integrity of the pipes and pipelines, leaving cracks and holes if left untreated.

Abatement and Decontamination

Facility maintenance with Sponge Blasting is not just for modern plants and the surface preparation of modern coatings, it can be utilized for older plants as well. Facilities built before 1985 often contain hazardous materials, such as lead-based paint. While some facilities may choose to encapsulate the lead paint, the best approach is to use abrasive blasting to remove it once and for all.

During these abatement projects, dust generation can be a concern, especially if the facility does not shutdown for the duration of the removal. In those scenarios, Sponge Blasting is regularly used due to its dust suppression in conjunction with containment. Not only does this protect nearby workers by keeping the hazardous materials from becoming airborne, but it also reduces the amount of waste generated.

Removal of Grease and Oils

During the manufacturing process, soot, grease, and other contaminants can accumulate onto ceilings and steel-roof decking. This buildup can be difficult to remove, especially in these hard-to-reach areas. It is crucial to remove these contaminants, as they can harm surfaces and nearby machinery, leading to potential issues in the future, such as operational disruptions or emergency events like fires. Abrasive blasting with Sponge Media can offer an effective solution for the cleaning of these areas, as it lifts and removes contaminants from the surface while creating the required profile for new coatings.