Bulk excavations are a necessary part of any new building development, as foundations, drainage installations and other essential features require you to excavate trenches. But sufficient precautions must be made to avoid a costly, and dangerous, disaster. Our team of foundation installers share many years of experience, and we always conduct a thorough risk assessment before proceeding with an excavation.
If you would like to see examples of our completed projects, please feel free to visit our previous work page. Our groundworks expertise makes us a leading specialist in reinforced concrete installations in the West Sussex area.
On this page, we will be exploring three common hazards that contractors should be aware of before starting an excavation. These include:
A classic obstacle when it comes to excavating, tree roots are a pervasive presence in the subterranean world, reaching far and wide in their search for moisture and nutrients. During your risk assessment, a key priority should be to identify nearby trees whose roots may pose an issue. The older and larger a tree is, the more significant the root structure will be.
If you badly damage the roots during the bulk excavation process, you will risk toppling the tree, which is a major safety hazard. When digging trenches for drainage installations or reinforced concrete foundations, our foundation installers at P. Nugent Groundworks Ltd always take the necessary precautions.
Although your site may be free of trees, you should always pay attention to nearby buildings. If the building is within proximity to the dig site, there is a strong chance that you will happen upon the foundations during the excavation. If you compromise the foundations of a nearby building, you will be putting the safety of your staff and any inhabitants at serious risk.
Before you start your dig, you should be aware of any underground utilities. The last thing you want is to puncture a water main and cause a major incident that leaves you out of pocket. Our foundation installers recommend that you obtain an up-to-date map of the underground utilities, such as any drainage installations or electrical cables. We always follow the correct safety procedures when undertaking groundworks in West Sussex, whether that is a bulk excavation or a reinforced concrete foundation installation.
