Working in Construction? Don’t Let Soil Spoil Your Toil

By Features Desk

Thursday, April 20, 2017.

If you’re working in construction, then you’re probably going to have to deal with soil at some point! You shouldn’t underestimate the problems that soil can pose to both your workers and your project as a whole. This guide will help you identify and avoid the main dangers.

Dealing with contaminations

The first thing you should concern yourself with in this field is the hygiene issues that can occur. A lot of modern soil is contaminated, and exposing your workers to that soil can pose a massive risk. Contamination by acids, metals, and other chemicals can cause big problems. Your best bet is to ensure that all of your workers have the appropriate safety equipment, but you should also think about getting the soil tested before the project begins. This will give you a good picture of the kind of problems you may have to deal with. Check out http://www.sgs.com to read more about soil testing before a construction project.

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Getting it out of the way

Most people think of soil as something that needs to be removed – and that’s certainly a big concern in the construction industry. Whether it’s removing some from the earth so a new construction project can begin, or removing it from structures that have already been constructed, soil excavation is a necessary part of the process – and there are wrong ways to do it as well as right ways. If you do it incorrectly, you can damage other parts of the soil you need in the former case, or damage the required structure in the latter case. You need to look into businesses that can assist with things like cleaning and hydro excavation. See http://www.mulhollandenergyservices.com for more information.

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Preventing future problems

You think the work is done. Your completed project – let’s say it’s a two-storey house – stands tall and people can move into it. But after a few months, or maybe even a couple of years, things start to turn. Cracks are appearing in the walls. Misshaping is already taking place. Much of the time, this is happening because the earth beneath the house is rising and shifting. And this happens because the soil wasn’t properly compacted during the initial stages of the construction project. A vibratory plate compactor is what’s needed to ensure the future stability of the project. You can find more information at https://www.constructionequipment.com.

Collapse prevention

When people think about injuries and even death in construction, they rarely think about soil. They’ll think about trips and falls, about large metal objects, about malfunctioning safety gear. But a lack of soil stability at a construction site is the cause of many problems for construction workers. When you’re dealing with the soil directly underneath you, you’re dealing with very heavy, compacted stuff. If it collapses and falls on you, you can be crushed. If you fall with it, it can take you down a long way. Construction workers should look out for warning signs of earth instability so proper protective measures can be put into place. Shoring, trench boxes, and proper sloping helps keep things safe. Read more at http://www.lhsfna.org