Contractors and consultants who concentrate on hazardous materials projects said responsible owners will specify if hazardous materials are present. If the owner won't do that, take it as a warning. Second, include all your costs. That may again seem obvious, but it is where estimators who normally work on non-lead projects most often make mistakes. The OSHA lead standard specifies stringent requirements for training, personal protection, monitoring, and hygiene.
Somebody has to be in charge of training, compliance plans, monitoring, and field supervision.
The biggest cost an estimator tends to forget is the cost of that extra person, he said. The bid sheets for bridge work in Connecticut itemize major hygienic items, such as portable washrooms and decontamination trailers, but it is the little things estimators forget that end up hurting. A laundry service is even more expensive. There also are plenty of hidden costs associated with containment. William Daugherty of Tank Industry Consultants said that contractors who are not used to working in containment often forget that it reduces productivity.