Concerned about the costs of compliance, risks posed by OSHA regulation and the time it was taking for work to get done on their sites; Contractor Advanced Industrial Services worked with BlastOne International to develop a cost-efficient blasting solution for an internal 14-metre (48-foot) diameter tank at the BP-Husky Toledo refinery. 

The tank had some weldment repairs on the floor including new floor patches. The existing coating on the new steel patches was to be fully blasted and feathered into an existing 30 mils of sound coating. 

The underside of the tank roof comprised of the flat section of the roof and panels. Both had a very thin coating with a significant amount of rust coming off in large sheets. The roof support beams were in sound condition, consisting of steel sectioned C-channels with a very thick 30 to 40 mil coating.

AIS estimated that they would require a truckload of slag - approximately eight to 10 bulk bags with at least a minimum of seven bags; and takes up to four days to complete. However, BlastOne is confident that GMA ToughBlast™ garnet abrasives can get the job done faster with less abrasive consumption. This alternative abrasive from GMA was put to the test.