The construction of major infrastructures such as roads, airports, bridges, docks, waterways and public works is essential to the transportation industry’s mandate to support the nation’s growth. These infrastructures are the major arteries that provide continuous reliable access to all modes of transportation everywhere in the country.
Many of these critical structures pose major challenges during construction and maintenance. Steel bridges, in particular, often pose huge logistical issues to bridge painting contractors.
Some of the issues faced by bridge painting contractors are below:
1. Being exposed to the corrosive elements throughout their useful life, large-scale damages due to corrosion is one of the most common problems of steel bridges.
2. The past several decades saw bridges painted with alkyd-based anti-corrosives that contain lead in their formulation. Succeeding repairs and maintenance of these bridges use the same types of lead-based paints that are harmful and toxic to the environment. Present day repairs and maintenance include lead abatement activities because of this.
3. Repairs and maintenance costs of bridge structures are exorbitant, leading bridge owners to delay regular maintenance more often than not. Bridge painting contractors often face repair jobs on severely-deteriorating bridges as a result, which compounds the logistical challenge.
On top of these challenges, the present generation of builders and consumers are more aware of environmental issues. Many bridge repair works today are surrounded by clamors for ecologically-friendly repairs and maintenance, adding to the challenges faced by bridge painting contractors.
