Piling is a specialist job and takes a lot of skill to do well! This is because there are many potential hazards when it comes to piling! Piling companies must have the right level of expertise and experience to complete their projects and to ensure their employees are kept safe. Today we will take a look at some of the potential hazards when piling.
Piling in sites with restricted working space can pose potential hazards. For example, in the corners of a site and areas with little headroom such as basement levels. In tight areas like these, employees need to be careful of tripping hazards like installed piles that are still protruding from the ground, and the risk of head injury posed by low ceilings. To combat this, employees should be kitted out in full personal protective equipment (PPE) and be made aware of potential tripping hazards on site.
Hand tying of reinforcement cages and lifting of heavy materials could see strain injuries due to the repetitive movement of the heavy materials. Employees need to be careful when lifting as it could cause damage to their body. To prevent this, all employees should be trained in the proper way to lift and move heavy materials.
Potential falling hazards from reinforcement cages while lifting. Damaged reinforcement cages could potentially drop bars or metal pieces while being lifted into place. This could cause injury to operatives from falling debris. To prevent this, you should consider the design of reinforcement cages to ensure adequate robustness for lifting stresses, as well as considering provision lifting rings.
Soil instability prior to concreting could piles unstable after installation once they have been built, which could cause subsidence and in turn will damage the structure over time. To prevent this, all the proper checks must be conducted to ensure the surrounding soil is in a good state to bear the weight and support the piles.
Ground water runoff can also lead to subsidence by washing away the soil around the piles. If all checks have been conducted properly, this shouldn’t be an issue, but if it occurs, a property may need underpinning to provide more structural strength to the foundations and fill any gaps left by washed away earth. Consider installing additional drainage methods to reduce impact of groundwater.
These six hazards you could come across whilst piling are just a few examples of the many potential issues that could come up during any piling project. To prevent all hazards on your project, consult a company with the right expertise to complete your construction safely and effectively. Rhino Piling has over 100 years’ collective experience, even with mini piling, so you know we can handle any piling project of any size. Get in touch today for a full on-site evaluation!
