Do I need a Piling Risk Assessment?

How we can protect your construction site from unnecessary delays and costs.

If piling is part of your construction plans, a piling risk assessment could be a vital step to avoid potential problems that could disrupt your project, including:

• Regulatory complications and delays
• Unforeseen costs and disruption

Piling risk assessments are now explicitly referenced within the Environment Agency’s Land Contamination Risk Management Guidance and are increasingly becoming a prerequisite for development planning on sites affected by land contamination.

These assessments play a crucial role in helping regulatory authorities understand the environmental impact of a project, especially when there’s a risk of groundwater pollution. If your site is situated in a highly sensitive area with regards to groundwater resources, neglecting to undertake a piling risk assessment could cause problems as you advance towards the construction stages of your project.

Why are Piling Risk Assessments vital for Environmental Protection?

Piling and penetrating ground improvement techniques can have adverse environmental impacts when deployed on contaminated land, resulting in the creation of pollution pathways, such as:

• Creation of preferential pollution routes through impermeable layers (e.g., clay), allowing contamination of underlying aquifers.
• Direct contact between construction workers and hazardous soil brought to the surface.
• Degradation of pile materials (e.g. concrete, reinforcement) due to contact with contaminated soil or leachate.
• Driving solid contaminants deeper into aquifers during piling.
• Contamination of groundwater and surface water (run-off) by concrete, cement paste, or grout.

Conducting a thorough piling risk assessment is therefore essential to identify and address potential pollution risks to sensitive aquifers.

What is the solution?

The Environment Agency has published comprehensive technical guidance that assesses risks associated with piling and penetrative ground improvement methods, focusing on pollution prevention.
Our piling risk assessments adhere to the guidance provided in the ‘Piling and Penetrative Ground Improvement Methods on Land Affected by Contamination: Guidance on Pollution Prevention, National Groundwater and Contaminated Land Centre Report NC/99/73, Environment Agency 2001′.

This invaluable technical resource outlines a clear process that professionals and engineers should follow when selecting appropriate piling methods and implementing necessary mitigation and monitoring procedures.

When should you obtain a Piling Risk Assessment?

To determine whether your construction site requires a piling risk assessment, you should consider the following steps as early as possible to avoid delay:

• Firstly, assess if piling or ground improvement methods will be necessary at any stage of your construction project.
• Check if the site has any prerequisite conditions or planning requirements for a piling risk assessment.
• Check the site’s proximity to aquifers and surface waters, their designation and status.
• Has a ground investigation and land contamination risk assessment been undertaken? If not, then this will be required to support a piling risk assessment.
• Contact one of our team if you’re unsure about the need for a piling risk assessment or if you have any questions regarding the process.

Experience, Expertise and Peace of Mind

Our team of specialist consultants have gained extensive experience in producing compliant piling risk assessments and supporting ground investigations for former gas works, boiler houses, and landfills. This has resulted in clients gaining regulatory approval from planning authorities and the Environment Agency.

Contact us today to discuss your piling risk assessment requirements, so you can get your site approved and built.