Any sewage remediation experts here?

[ipfilter]

I work in a datacenter on a raised floor. On Tuesday we had probably 100 to 200 gallons of sewage backup into the subfloor from floor drains. The plumbing shop used shop vacs to pull out the water. That is all that has been done. Two days later the place reaks of stale urine. I've been begging my bosses to investigate having a sewage remediation company come in here and sanitize the subfloor. They act like I'm crazy and have given me nothing but pissy attitudes. Everyone seems to believe the smell will magically go away on it's own that there are no long term health effects to worry about.

Am I crazy for believing my work environment is now unsanitary due to a recent sewage infiltration? Does simply removing the sewage water somehow make things ok going forward? I believe there is a problem here but it appears the burden of proof is on me. I thought everyone knew sewage is a health hazard.

[HopeHoops]

1. Sounds like a shitty job.

[ipfilter]

2. At the moment, yes.

[Kali]

3. it only smells like urine?

are the urinals on a different system than the shitters? Urine is generally considered to be sterile, but I never heard of a sewage system backing up that didn't reek stronger of shit, and yes that would need to be properly cleaned up.

If an area were small, dilute bleach would kill most of the nasties and the smell.

[ipfilter]

4. The stench is mostly a urine like smell to me.

The smells is a lot like that of a gas station restroom that hasn't been cleaned in a while. The water that flowed in was mostly clear. We are in a basement and there is a lift pump that takes all the sewage out. I assume what backed up in here came from the sump where the lift pumps reside. I really don't know for sure. All I know is that it stinks in here and nobody seems to be inclined to have anything sanitized. It would be difficult since it is under the raised floor and there are a lot of conduits for electrical outlets. Every time I've brought up the idea that we might have a serious health hazard I've been shouted down by my boss. What makes this even more bizarre is that I work in a DoD building for the Air Force. We're contractors in here and not military.

[Brother Buzz]

5. Broadcast lime on the ground in the subfloor

It's plenty cheap and will remedy the problem

[madinmaryland]

6. Introducing dust into a data center? Might not be such a good idea.

[ipfilter]

7. That would be a potential problem.

[Brother Buzz]

8. One would have to work real had to raise dust with lime.

[madinmaryland]

9. I know we have companies that specialize in data center cleaning.

Their rates were pretty reasonable. We generally recommend them to our clients before they move into a new data center in order to remove all the dirt and dust. Go ahead and contact someone for prices and then present them to your bosses.

I assume your bosses do not work within the data center and have to deal with the stench of urine and fecal matter.

[ipfilter]

10. That would be affirmative. Everything smells just fine in his office.

[Kaleva]

11. sewage remediation experts?

[Moondog]

12. Ed Norton?

Yeah, I know, really old reference. See "The Honeymooners" with Jackie Gleason.

Beyond that, well, shit happens. Heh.

[madinmaryland]

13. ...

:spank: