Blog

Over the years, SOCOTEC’s Contaminated Land Consultancy has been involved in a range of reclamation and redevelopment projects that have required the investigation of potentially contaminated sites, many of which are located on existing or former railway land. Contaminated land tends to be encountered through previous or current activities carried out on maintenance depots, stations, engineering works, stabling sidings and marshalling/goods yards, all of which can have a detrimental impact on the site’s occupants, workers and the surrounding environment – particularly during ongoing renovations, construction works and essential maintenance.…

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One of the most frequently used geotechnical monitoring instruments, piezometers have measured pore water pressures and water levels on the majority of major construction projects, including Crossrail, the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) and Dover Western Docks Revival (DWDR) land reclamation, to name a few. They continue to be a crucial sensor in a geotechnical engineer’s arsenal. In this blog, Dave Jones - senior project manager at SOCOTEC Monitoring – covers what a piezometer is and how they are used, the different methods of installation and the benefits of each, as well as common installation pitfalls to avoid to ensure the accuracy of your data.…

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From having instrumentation caught in customs in Morocco, to carrying out monitoring activities at the Topolobampo ammonia plant in Mexico's Sinaloa state, over the years, Justin Roffey’s route to operations director at SOCOTEC Monitoring has taken him to some far-flung destinations. Using the skills he gained at Portsmouth University when studying Engineering with Geology and Geotechnics, Justin continues to solve a range of monitoring challenges for SOCOTEC Monitoring’s UK client base, and now mostly gets his travel-fix outside of work.…

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Wherever there is civils work taking place adjacent to, over or under Network Rail infrastructure, the contractor is mandated to monitor Network Rail’s assets to demonstrate that the infrastructure is not going to be impacted by the construction activity, and the railway line will remain safe. Using an automated system is the best practice approach to track monitoring, and the most common method for long-term projects taking place over 6-12 months, or longer. However, short-term track monitoring projects, with durations of a few weeks to a few months, have traditionally made use solely of manual monitoring techniques.…

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As the colder weather sets in and the demand for hot water increases, it is imperative that hot water outlets are maintained at a safe and consistent temperature so as to ensure the health and safety of its users. Many are unaware of the fact that bath and shower water above 44 degrees Celsius increases the risk of serious injury or fatality as a result of scalding, particularly among young children and the elderly/vulnerable. In fact, an average of 20 people per year die as a result of scalds from hot bath water, with a further 570 experiencing serious scald injury (the majority of whom are under the age of five or over the age of 60).…

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According to information submitted to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR), 91 cases of Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) were recorded among UK rail professionals during 2018/19. As the most commonly reported occupational health condition within the industry for the last nine years, such statistics have highlighted the need for rail organisations to control employees’ level of exposure to handheld power tools when carrying out engineering/maintenance works.…

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It is a legal requirement under the Control of Asbestos Regulations (CAR) 2012 to prevent the uncontrolled disturbance of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) prior to any major refurbishment or demolition work taking place on any given structure that was built/refurbished before the year 2000. In order for all ACMs on the premises to be located and identified as far as is reasonably practicable, refurbishment or demolition surveys are required, with intrusive techniques implemented in order to determine whether asbestos is located in hidden and/or inaccessible locations.…

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If you’re new to geotechnical and structural monitoring, are looking to procure these services for the first time or just want to refresh your memory of some of the key terms, this A to Z will help you understand everything from ‘asset monitoring’ to the ‘zone of influence’.…

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HSE inspectors across the UK will be targeting construction firms and how they deal with dust hazards on site starting on Monday 5 October 2020. Inspections will focus on respiratory risks and occupational lung disease, looking at the measures that businesses have in place to protect their workers’ lungs from the likes of silica, wood dust and other harmful dusts such as asbestos.…

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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.…

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