Law Department notice on WTC document preservation, Oct 2001

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

1.6 Work Zones

Upon commencement of the study, the building condition was assessed for the purpose of establishing work zones. Determination of work zones was made with consideration of boundaries that would maximize work productivity while facilitating pre and post sampling efforts. The demarcation of zones was accomplished to ensure the health and welfare of personnel and third parties. The Site Health and Safety Officer supervised the demarcation of zones. Space at the site was extremely limited, forcing continuous re-designation of the support zone, contamination reduction zone and the personnel decontamination area throughout the project. At any given time, the exclusion zone consisted of the area or areas then being cleaned; the contamination reduction zone and the personnel decontamination zone changed accordingly. Typically, because the walls of the apartment units offered inherent boundaries, the room or area configuration served as the delineation.

The Support Zone As noted previously, space constraints at the site presented difficulty, resulting in ongoing re­ designation of work zones. The purpose of the support zone is to provide an area for support and communications to operations personnel. Initially, the support zone was designated as an area outside of the building, adjacent to the entrance vestibule on Cedar Street, while office functions were accomplished from a hotel several blocks away. The site Health and Safety Officer conducted daily safety meetings in the outdoor area to establish project procedures and controls, and to communicate changes. After being cleaned, the entrance vestibule was designated as part of the support zone. A third support zone was located on the second floor after it had been cleaned. This support zone occupied the north end of the enclosed hallway area between the Chiropractor’s Office and the Mattress Store, and extended into apartment 2B, where an on-site office was established. (This unit was cleaned and sampled prior to use.) The outdoor area, the vestibule and the second floor area were all utilized as support zones until completion of the project.

The Exclusion Zone and The Contamination Reduction Zone The exclusion zone was identified as the areas of the building then requiring cleaning. These areas were designated with a unit number or a common area reference. All personnel, tools, and small equipment passed into and out ofthe exclusion zone through the contamination reduction zone. The purpose of the contamination reduction zone is to provide a defined area for reduction of any contamination potentially sustained in the exclusion zone. The contamination reduction zone was relocated appropriately as the exclusion zone focal area changed.

The contamination reduction zone was initially established in the stairway landing area, near the elevator, adjacent to the vestibule on the first floor. Personnel suited with personal protective equipment in the vestibule. They unsuited in the area at the bottom of stairs, before re-entering the vestibule. As the job progressed, the contamination reduction zone was located adjacent to the areas being cleaned.

The Personnel Decontamination Area The personnel decontamination area was located directly inside the contamination reduction

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