The Saint Joseph prison in Lyon was built in the 19th century. Last century, it was closed down because it did not meet contemporary standards; the strong mobilisation of associations for the defence of the French artistic heritage led to its reclamation. By 2014, new offices and social houses will be created and a campus will be built to accommodate 5,000 students. TIA was entrusted with the reclamation, on behalf of an important real estate asset manager.
The reclamation of this building included the removal of large quantities of asbestos and lead from the old prison. In order to protect this unique example of the French 19th-century prison architecture, some walls were kept unmodified, under the supervision of the chief architect of the French Historical Monuments. The size of the building and the difficult intervention showed TIA's ability and expertise in managing complex situations. The careful and meticulous conservation work in this historical building was particularly appreciated.
The risk/threshold of 0,1 mg/m3 required the interventions to be realised in confined spaces and the use of assisted-breathing masks. Lead removal was carried out by means of:
- scraping
- high-pressure jet
- sandblasting
The main lead-containing elements, which were subject to decontamination works:
- stairs
- plasters
- windows
- plinths
- doors
- frames