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#1 Posted : 11 April 2008 10:16:00(UTC)
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Posted By GavinR Quick question guys, Planning to dig a pit within the shopfloor for new machinery to be positioned into. Shop floor is concrete. I have considered all the necessary issues and info related to this project to supply to the contractor tendering for the project but just unsure of the excavation will need to be treated like that of an excavation on construction site, e.g. possible collapse of sides, etc. Would the concrete structure of a factory floor construction prevent the likelihood of collapse? Thanks in advance guys.
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#2 Posted : 11 April 2008 10:21:00(UTC)
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Posted By Mitch Gavin, The concrete floor will reduce the likelihood of collapse the likelihood will depend on the depth and the substrate. Mitch
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#3 Posted : 11 April 2008 10:42:00(UTC)
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Posted By GavinR Depth of the dig will only be 1 metre maximum but likely to be less. I 'll be confirming this with engineers today. Thats great Mitch, thanks for you reply.
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#4 Posted : 11 April 2008 10:54:00(UTC)
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Posted By GavinR Sorry, just got more info and it will be actually diggin to possibly 2m + depth with a thin/ varied surface layer of concrete with substrate being loose material, rumble, etc. Think i'm answering my own question now! A competent contractor should be able to advise on safe method when provided with likely ground conditions. Cheers
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#5 Posted : 11 April 2008 11:02:00(UTC)
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Posted By Bob Youel check underground services and the history of the building / floor I looked at one such job recently when the concrete floor had already been penetrated and only then did the history come to light. in that case it did not need much more £ to put things right
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#6 Posted : 11 April 2008 12:10:00(UTC)
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Posted By Mitch Bob, Beat me to it, Gavin, also depending on history verified or not, a soil sample might be in order. Mitch
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#7 Posted : 11 April 2008 12:16:00(UTC)
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Posted By Lloyd Cole Workshop floor will be approx 10 inches, then hardcore spoil and ground, depends on how far you dig, you wont be going down from level more than a meter, Will you?
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#8 Posted : 11 April 2008 12:23:00(UTC)
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Posted By Chris G Had a similar problem but with an unexpected twist. Check if groundwater will be an issue. We hit the local water table at 60cm & found out permission was needed from our local swereage comapny to discharge the pupmp out in to their drain, if' we'd want to discharge the ground water into the local stream that would have required EA permission and whould have taken 12 weeks & some expensive lab work. If only I had realised that the medieval name for the area was The Swine Fen (Sinfin in modern English) Chris G
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#9 Posted : 11 April 2008 12:36:00(UTC)
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Posted By Mitch Up the Rams
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#10 Posted : 11 April 2008 13:09:00(UTC)
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Posted By Chris G I thought they were heading downwards, not up ;} Chris
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#11 Posted : 11 April 2008 15:51:00(UTC)
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Posted By jayjay I was on a job as a Safety Advisor a few years back in Birmingham and it turned out that the factory during the 2nd World War was a Spitfire Factory. Hence the map showing where the Luftwaffe decided to drop their loads and where potentially was the unexploded ordnance. So as some have already mentioned checking the history may be a good idea ! Or your job could go up in a puff of smoke - literally and you with it ! Regards, JJ
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#12 Posted : 11 April 2008 16:15:00(UTC)
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Posted By Bob Youel Also worked on some 'D' notice x wartime sites -now there is a story or 2 to tell The new owner had not read the small print properly; to their eventual cost!
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#13 Posted : 11 April 2008 19:26:00(UTC)
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Posted By William Don't forget to treat the area as a confined space and put all appropriate measures in place, such as a rescue plan if someone becomes ill. Another issue springs to mind and that is noise, if you were in a pit and using a pneumatic drill would this make the noise greater? Also remember solid barriers around the pit to prevent anyone/thing from falling in and also be mindful of exhaust fumes from any equipment which could settle in the pit.
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#14 Posted : 14 April 2008 12:22:00(UTC)
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Posted By Chris G The comment about WW2 bombs has made me think, I wonder what the past history of this WW2 aircraft repair facility that is now an industrial complex. That should give the HS&E manager something to think about. Chris G
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