HEALTH AND SAFETY

Health And Safety

Health and Safety

Part A

Hazard

Potential effects

Risk management or mitigation

“Immediate” environmental impact.

Unacceptable levels of noise and/or vibration, hearing damage to operatives.

Determine acceptable levels of both effects that can be tolerated by the nearest receptors (both human and non-human). Compare these with predicted levels from piling techniques suited to the ground conditions and load bearing requirements, remembering to take account of anticipated programme periods and all ancillary operations. Enforce hearing protection zones. Use quiet hammers or alternative non-percussive installation methods (e.g. contiguous flight auger).

Excessive vehicle movements on/off site.

Traffic incidents, personal injury, air pollution, noise.

Piling techniques that reduce or eliminate spoil will reduce this risk.

Contaminated spoil.

Infection of piling operatives, contamination of the site and the surrounding area.

Use displacement piling methods unless these are technically unsuited to the site soil conditions or performance requirements of the foundation.

Ground water contamination.

Damage to water resources.

Carry out foundation risk assessment in accordance with Environment Agency guidelines (1). Consider increasing pile size or number of piles to allow piles to stop above water table

Static load tests using kentledge as the reaction for loading.

Dangers of working at height.

Wherever technically feasible use reaction piles or other means of providing the reaction.

Piles located in positions with restricted working space, e.g. corners of site and adjacent to public areas outside the site.

Personal injury from falling debris, crushing. Unsafe removal of guards or auger cleaners. Risk to third parties.

Design the foundation to cantilever sufficiently to allow adequate working space without the need to remove safety equipment. Enforce exclusion zones for any persons not directly involved in the piling operations.

Hazard

Potential effects

Risk management or mitigation

Inadequately designed/constructed/maintained working platforms.

Rig overturning, unsafe working conditions for operatives.

Ensure working platform is designed, constructed and maintained in accordance with published guidance or other appropriate best practice. Specify site investigation works to take account of the need for measuring near surface soil properties required for design. Construct platform according to specification, inspect regularly and maintain to original specification. Operate proper procedures for excavations (e.g. for removal of obstructions) and reinstatement.

Piling near to the top of slopes.

Slope failure, rig overturning.

Consider the type and size of rig(s) to be used, track bearing pressures and the requirements for adequate safe working space, exclusion zones and storage areas. The physical limits of the designed platform should be clearly defined on site. Evaluate the balance between optimum earthworks scheme and optimum pile foundation scheme.

Working in excavations.

Access ramps and wall props can impede working space.

Temporary wall props.

Wall collapse if props are damaged.

Design with minimum propping. Consider possibility of changing the construction sequence

Sequencing of piling work.

Conflict with other parts of the project construction creating unsafe working conditions.

Plan for safe, practical and economic working, not just for time. Avoid return visits for piling rigs if possible.

Underground services.

Personal injury or death, loss of amenity, delay to project.

Enquiries with utility companies to establish presence of services. Arrange pile positions to “bridge” over services. Instigate permit to dig/work systems.

Unexploded explosive ordnance (UXO).

Personal injury or death, damage to construction plant and/or surrounding property, delay to ...