Safety in site reclamation

Abstract

The range of hazards that can be present during the redevelopment of contaminated sites can be very wide, and measures to protect workers engaged either in investigation or construction activities must match the risks involved. Detailed specialist advice from a suitably experienced occupational hygienist is essential when, for example, volatile organics and carcinogenic dusts are likely to be encountered. However, not all sites labelled as ‘contaminated’ are likely to be highly hazardous and may have, at worst, undesirable levels of contamination with respect to the proposed re-use or to the health of site workers. Such sites include those that have been largely ‘cleaned up’ as a specialist operation in advance of the main redevelopment contract works, and also sites that have relatively low levels of contamination in the first instance. In either case the risk of encountering critical chemical hazards is frequently low, but not always so low that it can be ignored.