When most people hear the word ricochet within an indoor firing range, what is the most likely scenario that comes to mind? Many may think the concrete flooring or metal roofing could send a ricochet back at you. But what about the lead fragments building up within the containment walls that are forming their own line of defense to fire back at you due to improper lead reclamation? You must choose a professional Indoor Firing Range cleaning contractor!
The likelihood of this happening is just as likely as shooters obtaining lead poisoning from the build-up of lead dust and residue within the firing range. When choosing your lead reclamation and clean up service, make sure to choose a company with a comprehensive Health and Safety Plan (HASP).
The ricochet can also be a silent killer, never seen and never felt. Some lead compounds can make their way into your blood stream through bodily absorption and you will never see it coming. The microscopic airborne lead from primers settling throughout your shooting range are continually disturbed and launched back into the air, seeking inhalation. Lead poisoning can damage red blood cells, kidneys, and the brain when microbial dust particles ricochet through one’s body, metaphorically like the lead bullet itself.
Make sure your lead reclamation and cleanup crew knows and implements the OSHA lead regulation 29 CFR 1910.1025 as part of their extensive Health and Safety Plan (HASP). Don’t fall victim to a ricochet that could cause bodily injury to your employees or fellow shooters. Outsource your lead reclamation and clean up services to a team devoted to developing a positive ricochet of preventative health and safety measures.
Ignoring Granulated Rubber Trap Lead Cleaning: The Risks Involved
Granulated rubber traps, also referred to as berms, are piles of chipped rubber, efficient in capturing projectiles upon impact. The cost of this type of bullet-trap is low to moderate, but if not properly cleaned, can cost indoor firing range owners, and their insurance companies, more than they bargained for. Choosing the right contractor, is the only way to protect range owners, and their shooters from the consequences of lead and lead-dust.
Granulated rubber berms are softer than steel, and have the potential to capture bullets whole. As the rubber berm begins collecting numerous projectiles in concentrated areas, newly fired bullets may strike older bullets, causing them to fragment. This begins forming an imbedded lead sculpture, and increasing the potential for ricochet. Firing Range Lead Reclamation and Environmental Remediation knows the risk factors, such as ricochet, involved with granulated rubber traps, and maintains focus on these factors throughout the contractual cleaning processes.
Granulated Rubber traps also pose potential for fire hazards according to Action Target. Although the rubber undergoes fire-retardant treatment, the chips of rubber can succumb to the speeding bullets, split open, and expose untreated segments of rubber. Unknowingly, collections of unspent gun powder begin to build up, paper and cardboard debris from targets shower the berm, and sink into the hot spots of gunpowder. You failed to hire a reliable indoor range clean-up crew, and out of nowhere, one of your shooters fires a tracer right in the middle of the gunpowder and cardboard cocktail igniting your rubber berm into a rapidly spreading fire. A scenario that could be prevented with a proper lead reclamation and cleanup contractor.
Now that you know several risk factors involved in the usage of granulated rubber traps, you also know how important the cleaning, and lead reclamation is, to ensure the safety of your facility, and shooters. This cleaning process is NOT a DIY project. Firing Range Lead Reclamation and Environmental Remediation knows the proper steps involved, and ensures all measures taken, to reclaim lead solids and clean lead dust from rubber berms. They follow the guidelines within their OSHA and EPA guided Health and Safety Plan (HASP) to avoid fines and risk factors of granulated rubber trap negligence.
MT2 provides services under the BMP program for lead management such as sampling, analysis and monitoring of soil and groundwater conditions, removal and recycling of lead bullets and bullet fragments, and chemically converting potential leachable lead fines remaining in range soils utilizing MT2’s patented ECOBOND® technology.
ECOBOND® technology alleviates hazards that stem from high concentrations of lead and other metals in firing range soils. All technology achieves compliance with EPA and state regulatory agencies recommended firing range environmental Best Management Practices (BMPs).
MT2 has over 16 years of industry experience. Protect your clients and our great nation’s law enforcement officers. Contact Us for more information about our services.
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