CASE STUDY

CASE STUDY

Vision Ireland Flood Damage Redress

Vision Ireland contacted Oak Project Management to provide emergency assistance to Midleton, Co Cork staff when their two stores were heavily affected by Storm Babet in October 2023. Their two stores (clothing and furniture) suffered severe damage following flooding when a month’s rainfall fell in Midleton in 24 hours. This rainfall caused extensive damage to homes and businesses in the area, with the strength of the deluge smashing windows in some shops and flooding the roads in some places.

Staff in Vision Ireland had to be rescued and removed from the stores when the water reached knee and waist level in the shops and streets.

Oak Project Management’s brief was to provide support and expertise to the Vision Ireland staff in the post-flood clean up, provide an industrial clean to the premises, make the shop safe electrically and dry the units in preparation for its post-flood refurbishment.

The Challenge

Access to the location was challenging, with flood water levels remaining high in some areas, and roads were impassable with road diversions in place.
Increased traffic travelling to Midleton to provide post-flood assistance, causing tailbacks in the area.
The potential risk of further flooding.
The most crucial aspect we needed to consider was the safety of our team with compromised structures, contaminated water, and exposed electrical wiring.
All floodwater is considered contaminated, so the appropriate protective gear is imperative: waterproof boots, gloves, safety goggles, masks, etc. Due to the massive demand for cleaning materials and drying equipment in the locality, sourcing PPE, heaters, and dehumidifiers was challenging. It had to be sourced from outside the Cork area.
Both units’ electrical ports, sockets, etc., were at floor level, all submerged during the floods. Ensuring the safety of the staff and the building was a high priority.
Making the units electrically safe whilst also restoring services to facilitate the drying and cleaning of the unit.
The unknown extent of the damage and lack of access to all the electrical wiring hidden behind the slat board was challenging.

Our Solution

The Oak PM team assisted in the post-flood cleanup when the floodwaters had adequately receded, and roadways were cleared of water, fallen debris, etc.
The team removed any standing water that was present with buckets and mops to minimise the potential for mould and further water damage.
The team sorted through the debris, disposing of all water-damaged stock, furniture, and equipment into skips provided by the Cork County Council. These were positioned on the main street for all businesses to use. The team worked with Vision Ireland to salvage as much stock as possible.
Any salvaged stock/equipment was stored for re-use
The team needed to shovel out as much mud as possible. Continuous sweeping and mopping were required. This was just the preliminary clean to pave the way for an industrial clean later.

A more accurate damage assessment could be provided once the units were cleared of water, debris, and initial grime.
All utility, electricity, gas, and water are checked by a qualified, certified electrician, making them safe whilst providing temporary power to aid the cleaning and drying process.
Mould can begin within 24 hours after a flood, so sourcing heaters and dehumidifiers was crucial. We supplied dehumidifiers and heaters throughout both units to help dry out soaked-in moisture in walls and floors.
Whilst the units were drying out, the team continued to strip out flooring, slat board shelving, kitchen units, etc.
With the property drying and the risk of mould and mildew minimised, an industrial cleaning was undertaken by cleaning and disinfecting the units.

The Final Outcome

The work conducted by the team in the clean-up helped the retail department identify all requirements needed for an accurate costing and successful fit-out of both units.
The regular updates and communication with Vision Ireland on our progress provided them with confidence that their property and staff had the best support and expertise possible for the successful completion of the project.

Before:

After:

Cookie Policy • Privacy Policy

SITE BY OGX