Equipment Decontamination, Recovery, & Restoration: Lessons Learned – the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Svendsen, Chuck*; Barnes, Robert
(BELFOR USA, Denver, CO)
“Every used tool move, no matter whether it is one tool or many tools, is a potential hazardous materials incident. Failing to properly ensure the safe condition of used equipment and facilities during transition can have serious local, regional, national, and international regulatory implications. It can also put at risk all personnel and facilities that may be involved during the move and in the future. And, it can negatively impact the future performance of the tool (SEMI Decommissioning Task Force, 2003).” The only difference between a decommissioning project and a disaster recovery is that the latter is an unscheduled event. Therefore, the topics of equipment decontamination, recovery, and restoration should be of critical importance to SESHA members no matter whether they are preparing to move one tool or writing a disaster recovery plan. This paper will describe how our industry is currently addressing these issues; include actual case examples to help attendees understand the critical steps needed to ensure both safety and an efficient recovery; and indicate where additional guidance can be obtained.