Emergency External Cladding Cleaning: Cement Dust Remediation

An industrial incident occurred at Liverpool Docks during the offloading of cement from a large shipping container. A strong gale blowing at the time caused cement dust to contaminate two nearby commercial buildings, creating a large-scale health and safety concern for the port’s waste management company.

With cement dust containing hazardous materials including crystalline silica, calcium oxide (lime), and hexavalent chromium, the building’s occupants were at risk of potential respiratory issues should the particulate enter the premises. Beyond health concerns, the situation was time-sensitive as any moisture from rainfall could have activated the cement, causing it to harden into a damaging crust that could have compromised the aesthetic value and structural cladding of the premises.

Faced with potential safety audit failures and a risk to customer perception, the facility managers approached Rentokil Specialist Hygiene to provide specialist external cladding cleaning to safeguard the site and prevent long-term damage.

Drawing on 50 years of industrial cleaning experience, Rentokil Specialist Hygiene mobilised a professional, compliant response that restored both buildings to a pristine condition within seven days.

A dedicated team of three PASMA and IPAF-certified technicians, overseen by an experienced supervisor, utilised high-pressure jet washers to clean away all building contamination from top to bottom. Our technicians, who are specifically trained to work at height, used a cherry-picker to safely access all high-level roofs and walls, ensuring complete coverage across every surface.

To streamline operations and safeguard the environment, a multi-pronged remediation process was implemented. While our technicians methodically removed all cement residue from the affected areas, Charlston Sweepers simultaneously collected all waste and runoff from the road below. This co-ordinated approach prevented contaminated wastewater from entering surface drains, ensuring strict compliance with the Water Resources Act 1991, and enabled safe disposal in full accordance with the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

The project delivered an immediate visual transformation, and the customer was delighted with the result, even remarking that recently painted walkways looked ‘brand new’. Our customer valued having one point of contact throughout the process; with one of our specialist hygiene consultants available to oversee all on-site operations, and provide regular updates to ensure a rapid turnaround.

By methodically clearing all hazardous contamination, Rentokil Specialist Hygiene protected the building’s occupants and the wider public, while ensuring our customer was fully compliant with Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 at all times.