Disastrous Job

[cr0ft]

Well, let's hope that the job we did on Monday doesn't come around again for another 8 years. Wetvac decided to explode all over a customers carpets (not literally, but emptied the contents out all over them). We are now reviewing our procedures re using wetvacs etc and I am looking for a place that sells decent sized waterproof trays we can place our wetvacs in to properly contain any spillages from them and remove risk entirely in this aspect as I now have a PL claim..

Anyone got any ideas as to where I can buy something suitable?

 

[Rickster123]

Big gorilla bucket?

 

[gassafe]

I can't see your employees putting the wet vac in a tray for a freak accident!

What wet vac? Maybe a better quality one if its a cheap model... I have a Charles, it dribbles a bit, but nothing major...

 

[newcastle phill]

B and q do a huge plastic tank.
I use it to bund my powerflush

 

[newcastle phill]

Its tough too. Ill see if i can find a link

 

[cr0ft]

Doesn't have to be a tray, I'm just looking for something that contains any drips from it really. We have a Numatic industrial one and they all drip a bit from the hose after a while. It occasionally decides to froth from the motor as well though. Even some sort of heavy duty water proof sack to put it in. Don't care really as long as it stops customers carpets getting a drenching like on Monday.

Just looking around at options to be honest.

On one job we have had our wetvac dump it's water out the exhaust onto the carpets and a hose fly off the powerflushing machine. It's been a great one.

 

[cr0ft]

Its tough too. Ill see if i can find a link

That would be brill. Don't care if they don't like using it. Am going to do anything I can to prevent this ever re-occurring again. I am incredibly embarrassed.

A massive flexible bucket would probably be best, that way they can just pick up the handles and carry the whole thing out or to the nearest loo in one shot.

 

[lame plumber]

oooooooooooooh what about one of those big black cisterns we pull out of attics, they come free

 

[cr0ft]

Not a bad idea at all. Got any going spare??

 

[cr0ft]

Just found these.

Rubber Mortar Basket 4 Handled (Giant) | Tanks Direct Ltd

They will do the trick.

 

[gassafe]

oooooooooooooh what about one of those big black cisterns we pull out of attics, they come free

There enormous... We're normally working in tight spots & not much spare space in a tradesman van to accommodate a roof tank surely lol!

 

[lame plumber]

Not a bad idea at all. Got any going spare??

nope, using one for a wet vac bund now and the missus uses the others as water buckets for her nags

 

[cr0ft]

Indeed. At least with a rubber bucket I can use it to store stuff in whilst in the van. Can easily carry the wetvac about hose and all wrapped up in it so no risk of spilling drips anywhere too.

 

[lame plumber]

Indeed. At least with a rubber bucket I can use it to store stuff in whilst in the van.

you could always leave you wet vac in a cistern

 

[cr0ft]

Indeed. Just need one thanks! We don't really change that many loft tanks to be honest, maybe one a year? Need a solution before then!

 

[Chalked]

I use one of these with my tile cutter and powerflush.

 

[Rickster123]

Indeed. Just need one thanks! We don't really change that many loft tanks to be honest, maybe one a year? Need a solution before then!

I'm taking one out tomorrow if you fancy a drive to ringwood?!

 

[cr0ft]

Sod me, bit of a drive from Lincoln!! Cheers anyway though!

I think a large flexi bucket will do the trick, 2 getting ordered tomorrow.

 

[Ray Stafford]

Just a word of warning.

If you add 5 minutes per day in additional time because you want to protect against this happening again, that starts to add up.

This has happened to you once in 8 years. 5 mins x 250 days per year x 8 years = 10,000 mins or 166.66 hours. At £40 per hour thats £6,666 worth of time. Whilst I appreciate that this was embarrassing, would you have paid over £6k to prevent it from happening?

And it doesn't protect you from the next random, once-in-eight-years risk.

So I don't want to put you off sensible and proportionate measures, but I would counsel against the risk of over-reaction.

Lots of large organisations are paralysed by excess procedures. They all start like this.

1. Something bad happens.
3. Decide something must be done about the bad thing.
5. Look around for something credible to do which would counteract the bad thing
7. Implement anti-bad thing procedure.
9. Explain to boss/wife/self how clever you are in introducing the new procedure, so the bad thing can't happen again.
11. Return to work
13. Another, different bad thing happens.
15. Repeat process from stage 2

After a few hundred iterations, you have a procedure manual longer than the Bible.

Nothing gets done. But it gets done ever so safely.

And nothing bad ever happens ever again. Until the next time.

 

[tomplumb83]

It must be a nice carpet if it cant be cleaned....
I had a customers carpet cleaned afew months ago due to rad water being dripped all over it without noticing. Granted it wasn't that bad. The vacuum was empty but a dozen drops found there way out when I was being dozy walking up the stairs but they went all over
I tend to agree with Ray. Dust sheet as much as possible.
Surely the bucket idea is going to be abit awkward walking around with it inside if its full. Health and safety.
Or do you remove it once its full? Either way its a pain.
I can just imagine one of the handles on that bucket breaking one day! The Kamco flusher was always kept in big tub
Never had a problem with Numatic, George/Charles.
Those drips are a pain though but then emptying radiator water is always a dodgy job - today was on new whiteish carpets in a nice house. Takes 3times as long.
Just tell them to be more careful! Or keep the vacuum ouside and stick a longer hose on........

 

[plumben]

For the freak accidents its not worth it if you ask me,

If you've got to buy a new carpet once every 8 years your not doing too bad

 

[cr0ft]

Fair enough. Cheers guys. Knocks your confidence a bit though. You know, the feeling when you have f***** up customer's property and they then basically think everything you are telling them is a lie after that. Tried to tell him their system has a massive high section of pipe on it and 8 rads piped off a 15mm flow and return isn't ever going to work. You would have thought I was trying to tell him his father was a rapist.

The worst bit was it was the new plumber's first job lol. I don't blame him for it though, just one of those things. I wouldn't have done anything differently.

 

[Ray Stafford]

I don't blame him for it though, just one of those things. I wouldn't have done anything differently.

Kudos to you for that thought. Lots of bosses would have blamed the new guy.

 

[newcastle phill]

http://www.diy.com/departments/really-useful-boxes-clear-145-l-storage-box/911984_BQ.prd

 

[newcastle phill]

I use it as a bund and when not in use store flush and all hoses. Suppose it would work to prevent your issue too.
A cistern may be too wobbly. This is sturdy