Joseph Thomas, project manager at SOCOTEC’s Bridgend site, is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day supervision of many of the organisation’s asbestos management and consultancy services. Working on projects across a wide range of business sectors and types, Joseph explains more about the variety he comes across in his role, as well as why he enjoys working as part of SOCOTEC’s Asbestos division.…
Craig Sharpe, utility surveyor at SOCOTEC’s Deeside site, first joined the organisation 18 months ago, having amassed over seven years of expertise in the geotechnical sector. In this blog, he outlines his daily responsibilities and explains how his role contributes to the division’s wider project delivery.…
Syngas – an abbreviation for synthesis gas – is a flammable mixture comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide and various hydrocarbons. Its name derives from its ability to synthesise other chemicals and act as an intermediary, generating a synthetic natural gas that creates ammonia and/or methanol. Here, Daniel Bignell, one of SOCOTEC’s senior analysts who is directly responsible for the creation of the organisation’s syngas method, explains how syngas is produced and analysed, as well as detailing how SOCOTEC can provide a range of services to assist your business with any syngas-related requirements.…
Hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) is a widespread injury affecting tens of thousands of workers across the construction, engineering, road, rail and utilities sectors. While there has been a general reduction in the number of HAVS claims made between 2009 and 2018, 180 new cases were reported in 2018 alone, as well as a 33% increase in HAVS breaches on construction sites in 2018. In this blog, SOCOTEC's Occupational Hygiene Team Leader, Robert Preston, discusses Complaince and Control Measures for HAVS.…
A Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) system can help employers effectively control exposure to gas, vapour, dust, fumes and mist generated in the workplace by extracting the contaminant cloud before the workers breathe it in. An LEV system should be able to effectively capture fugitive hazardous substances, removing them from the workplace and thereby aiding in hazardous substance exposure control for the workers. SOCOTEC's Occupational Hygienist, Mary Cameron, discusses LEVs from a technical perspective.…
As we near the end of 2019, Sheridan Elliott - SOCOTEC Monitoring’s technical manager - provides an overview of how instrumentation and data management systems have evolved over time, as well as touching on a few predictions for the future.…
On Thursday 5 December, Sheridan Elliott – SOCOTEC Monitoring’s technical manager – presented the innovative solution devised to monitor the Barking Riverside Extension project to a panel of judges at the NCE Tunnelling Awards. As a finalist in the Instrumentation & Monitoring category, Sheridan demonstrated how SOCOTEC Monitoring’s innovative use of existing instrumentation and monitoring techniques is contributing to an improved outcome for Transport for London on the Barking Riverside Extension project.…
With winter upon us, it’s time to ensure your closed water circuits such as low pressure hot water (LPHW), closed condenser loop and chilled water systems are ready for the cold snap.…
From the roads, railways and tunnels we use to travel, to the foundations of the buildings we inhabit, geotechnical engineering is all around us. SOCOTEC Monitoring has real enthusiasm for the industry in which it operates, and encouraging future generations of geotechnical engineers by offering student placements is just one manifestation of this passion. Tom Fitzsimmons, an undergraduate at the University of Portsmouth studying BEng (Hons) engineering geology and geotechnics explains what attracted him to this field of study and talks about his first few months working as an assistant engineer at SOCOTEC Monitoring.…
When undertaking any form of construction or improvement works on or around highways, it is essential that geotechnical and structural risks are identified, reported and managed over the lifetime of the scheme, throughout the design phase, construction and ongoing asset management. Over the years, SOCOTEC Monitoring has become well-known as an expert provider of geotechnical and structural monitoring solutions for major roadway construction projects. Below we recap some of the notable projects SOCOTEC Monitoring has worked on in this field.…
