Blog

Ground investigation is about delivering geotechnical information for designers to use for the construction of safe and serviceable structures, in an efficient, economic and environmentally considerate manner. As such, deriving an understanding of the geology and ground conditions - and conveying this within a technical report - is fundamental to the final stage in the overall delivery of a ground investigation. With a focus on high service delivery, the role of the principal geologist is crucial in leading the technical team, as discussed by Clare Chapman, operations director for Ground Investigation, who also introduces three members of the SOCOTEC GI team who have recently been promoted to the Principal Geologist position.…

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The storage and use of chemical products is a key feature in many day-to-day railway activities.  Even in common and well known forms such as cleaning agents, pesticides, lubricants, paints and solvents, the storing of chemicals in some capacity is highly likely. As part of a business’ duty to protect employees, there must be procedures in place for correctly using chemicals.…

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Measuring and monitoring emissions is fundamental to understanding the level of pollutants entering the air, assessing the performance of control measures and ensuring compliance with regulations. To complete emission checks, there are a number of different cylinder test gases used on operator sites. Here, Andy Tiffen, project manager for the Air & Emissions division of SOCOTEC explains the purpose and requirements for the different uses.…

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The HSE estimates around 12,000 deaths from lung diseases in the UK each year are caused by exposure to airborne contaminants in the workplace, with around 5.5 million employees at risk of respiratory diseases. Despite numerous guidance documents and online resources published by the HSE detailing the selection, use and maintenance of RPE, many businesses and workplaces still manage to get it wrong.…

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No two assets or monitoring projects are the same, so why select off-the-shelf monitoring systems to deliver the data and insight required to inform vital decision making on your next project? Nick Slater, monitoring services director for SOCOTEC Monitoring, discusses the benefits of bespoke geotechnical and structural monitoring systems vs the risks of using a monitoring system off-the-shelf.…

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Ports and harbours play a huge role in driving the UK’s economy, so ensuring that they are well maintained, able to accommodate future growth and have minimal impact on the environment is vital. Understanding the behaviour of marine assets and the impact operations have on marine life and local communities is a core component of long term planning and decision making, from design stages through to construction and operation.…

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Where iron and manganese deposits build up within a water system, tank or pipe, the pressure of the water system can decrease – leading to an increase in energy costs as a result of inefficiency.…

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The health and safety responsibility and management of facilities in public sector buildings can fall across a number of varying roles. With more than 500,000 public buildings still estimated to contain asbestos today, the requirement to manage asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) remains a big responsibility for public sector managers.…

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Understanding the structural integrity of the UK’s highway infrastructure is critical to pavement construction and central to the design and optimisation of highway maintenance.  Here Tom Green, technical manager, discusses non-destructive testing and the valuable insight these test methods provide to civil engineers.…

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Our climate is changing. According to The Met Office’s UK Climate Projections analysis tool, by 2070 there could be up to 35% more precipitation in winter. Evidence also exists to suggest that this precipitation is likely to become more extreme, with intense, prolonged periods of rainfall increasingly common. This is a big issue for the UK’s rail infrastructure.…

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