The situation

Illustrative example. Not a real job or customer.

A hypothetical single-story distribution building on the plains northeast of Denver has twelve dock doors along one side and a dry-pipe sprinkler system protecting the dock area. After several days of subzero nights, the temperature rises in the afternoon. A fitting on a branch line near the end of the dock, split by ice in a low point, begins leaking; within minutes the dry valve trips and the system fills. Water sprays across three dock doors, staged outbound pallets and the edge of the shipping office.

  1. A shift supervisor hears the alarm bell and sees water. After confirming there is no smoke or fire, the maintenance tech closes the dry-pipe valve using the tagged riser drawing in the emergency binder.
  2. The alarm monitoring company is called to report a waterflow from a broken pipe and the impairment. The facility manager arranges a fire watch for the dock area.
  3. Staff photograph the split fitting, the wet pallets and the floor before moving anything, then squeegee water toward a trench drain and lift pallets onto dry racks.
  4. Dock levelers and door operators in the spray zone are locked out until checked.
  5. The facility manager calls the insurer, the building owner, the sprinkler contractor and a restoration provider checked during pre-loss planning.
  6. The restoration provider extracts water, removes wet ceiling tile and wall base in the shipping office, and sets up drying there. The open dock floor dries quickly once water is removed.
  7. The sprinkler contractor repairs the fitting, finds two more low points holding water, drains them, and restores the system.

In this example, three dock doors are out of service for a short time and some outbound freight is repacked. The office needs a modest repair. The bigger lesson for the facility is the low-point drain schedule, which is added to the winter maintenance calendar.

Decision points in the example

  • IfThe supervisor had not confirmed there was no fire before closing the valveThenShutting the water could have left a real fire unprotected. Confirm first, every time.
  • IfFreight had been moved before photosThenProving which loads were wet and how badly would have depended on memory and the shipper's word.
  • IfThe dock levelers had been used while wetThenA wet hydraulic or electrical component could have failed under a loaded forklift.
  • IfOnly the failed fitting had been fixedThenThe other low points would have stayed full of water through the rest of the winter.

What helped in this example

  • Riser drawing with tagged valves kept in the emergency binder.
  • A pre-chosen restoration provider and sprinkler contractor on the contact list.
  • Photos taken before anything moved.
  • Lockout of dock equipment until checked.
  • Shipping office handled as a separate area in the drying plan.

General information for Commerce City, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.