An analysis of reported accidents for the geotechnical and geoenvironmental industries for 2023.
THE TERM 'GEOENGINEERING'
Do we need to be worried that is is now being used to mean other things?
THOUGHTS FROM THE REGULATORY FRONT LINE
The first in a series from the SiLC Professional & Technical Panel
July 2024
Image credit: Ele Brown
GBA
SPRING CONFERENCE 2024
A review and feedback from the AGS attendees to the event
Welcome to the July issue of the AGS Magazine.
In this edition, we are really pleased to announce that our Early Careers Video: Discovering a Rewarding Career in the Geo-Industry is now finished. Industry representatives are welcome to use this video to promote the industry within schools and universities. There is a link to the video in the magazine.
Also in this edition we present the Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Industry accident statitics for 2023. This is the second year the AGS have gathered data and we are pleased that we saw a 127% increase in organisations providing data to us. I reiterate the message in the article, that we all need to review our current practices and challenge unsafe conditions, planning and behaviours. It’s also important that our early careers practitioners are empowered to do the same. We want our members to stay safe and return home at the end of the day.
I hope you find the article ‘thoughts from the regulatory front line’, useful. This article is the first part of a two-part series developed by the SiLC Professional &Technical Panel (PTP) regarding the standard of land contamination reports submitted through the planning system. Many of the observations are consistent with my own experience as a
regulator.
Also in this edition, we explore the term ‘geoengineering’ and a summary of the GBA conference is provided.
Finally, I hope some of you will be able to join us for some of our events. Looking ahead, we are holding an EDI themed webinar on 25th September discussing various initiatives and campaigns which have made a lasting impact for our workforce and consider what the next steps may look like for our industry. In November we have an in-person event in Manchester exploring a range of topics considering the impact and effect of groundwater during all stages of the design and construction process.
We are always on the lookout for additional, informative content for the magazine, so if you have a case study or technical article that you think the wider geotechnical and geoenvironmental public would find beneficial, please do get in touch.
We would be interested in your feedback on the magazine and our future plans. Please contact ags@ags.org.uk if you have any comments.
The Association of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Specialists (AGS) is a not-for-profit trade association established to improve the profile and quality of geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering. The membership comprises UK organisations and individuals having a common interest in the business of ground investigation, geotechnics, geoenvironmental engineering, engineering geology, geochemistry, hydrogeology, and other related disciplines.
Vivien Dent, AGS Chair
Sally Hudson, Coffey Geotechnics
Caroline Kratz, Forum Court Associates (FCA)
Katie Kennedy, FCA
Julian Lovell, Equipe Group
Calum Spires, Equipe Group
David Entwisle, BGS
Chris Vincett, Retired
Lauren Hunt, Arcadis
Adam Latimer, Ian Farmer Associates
Dimitris Xirouchakis, Structural Soils
Emma Anderson, HaskoningDHV UK
Daniele Fornelli, Geotechnical Observations
EDITORIAL STORY
If you have a news story or event which you’d like to tell our editorial team about, please contact the AGS on 020 8658 8212 or ags@ags.org.uk. Please note that articles should act as opinion pieces and not directly advertise a company. The AGS is under no obligation to feature articles or events received.
CONTACT US
AGS
Forum Court, Office 2FF, Saphir House, 5 Jubilee Way, Faversham, Kent, ME13 8GD
ags@ags.org.uk
020 8658 8212
Vivien Dent AGS Chair
Association of Geotechnical & Geoenvironmental Specialists
@agsgeotech www.ags.org.uk
FEATURE PAGE 14
COVER STORY
PAGE 18
Analysis of accident and incident data from across the geotechnical & geoenvironmental industry.
from
This is the first part of a two part series developed by the SiLC Professional & Technical Panel (PTP) regarding the standard of land contamination reports submitted through the planning system.
AGS DONATES OVER £3,880 TO PROJECTS FOR NATURE
PAGE 4
Monies raised during the Annual Conference is donated.
OPINION: THE TERM 'GEOENGINEERING' PAGE 12
Should we be concerned that the term “geoengineering” is now being used to refer to climate engineering?
GBA SPRING CONFERENCE 2024
PAGE 24
A report from Vivien and Alex Dent on their recent experience attending the event.
MORE INSIDE
PAGE 4
News in Short: Incl. upcoming AGS Events
PAGE 7
Early Careers Video New AGS adverising
PAGE 10
AGS Webinar: Upcoming EDI Webinar
Following the AGS Annual Conference 2024 which took place on 25th April at One Great George Street in London, we’re pleased to announce that the event generated a profit of £3,881. After a discussion, the AGS Officers decided to donate the surplus in its entirety to Projects for Nature, an initiative which aims to restore nature recovery in the UK.
The AGS Sustainability Working Group were given the task to choose one of many projects to support, and after much deliberation, it was decided to donate the funds to the Midland
WILD Revival fund, a project focusing on rewilding the River Blythe in Warwickshire.
This project will aim to restore the ecosystem and create climate resilience in the local area whilst also creating a haven for people to reconnect with the great outdoors in the heart of England.
“We’re incredibly proud to back this worthy cause and help support an environmental project which will not only benefit the eco system but also the 2 million residents living in the surrounding areas of the River Blythe,” says Vivien Dent, AGS Chair.
THE MIDLAND WILD REVIVAL STORY SO FAR...
Since 2021, meticulous planning has laid the groundwork for the rewilding of 750 acres of
land, a bold venture aiming to redefine the very essence of Warwickshire's landscape. Projects for Nature have already made progress with 89 acres of wetland enhanced, 4.2 kilometres of hedges restored and 1.2 kilometres of river renaturalised.
This project is considered a pioneering leap into rewilding history. This groundbreaking initiative incorporates natural flood management and showcases the power of nature-based solutions to the climate emergency.
The success of this project isn’t purely focused on rejuvenating land, this is also an inspiring movement which involves a whole host of different groups including universities, wildlife recording groups, local heroes, angling clubs, contractors, and spirited volunteers, all contributing to this restoration project for the community.
Projects for Nature was formed by the Council for Sustainable Business, Accenture, Defra, Natural England, Environment Agency and Crowdfunder to help bridge the nature funding gap and accelerate urgently needed nature recovery in England. It was launched by the
Secretary of State at COP28 and is a pioneering platform that connects corporate donors with nature recovery projects across England that have been initially funded by Government and screened by its agencies.
Projects for Nature believes that we need to turn a corner towards protecting and restoring nature by recognising its value and supporting its path to recovery.
For further information please visit www. projectsfornature.com or to learn more about the Midland WILD Revival fund click HERE.
The top three downloaded AGS publications in last month:
1. Safety Guidance - Classification of Potentially Contaminated Sites for Intrusive Investigation Activities
2. AGS Guide: The Selection of Geotechnical Soil Laboratory Testing
3. AGS Client Guide for Ground Investigation Activities – Trial Pitting
Recent AGS publications available on the AGS website:
• AGS Guide to the Selection of Geotechnical Pressuremeter Testing
EC7 Next Gen: Bitesize Guide – Scope, spacing and depths of ground investigation points
• Safety Guidance – Legionella for Transient Sites
Safety Guidance – Management of Invasive & Injurious Plants
• EC7 Next Gen: Bitesize Guide – Design Values
To download the publications for free; click here.
• Expert data at your fingertips
• Free layers & Insights data reports
• Account and card payment integration
• Seamless experience in the office or on site
• Leading edge, intuitive & fail-safe drawing tools.
Start your journey now.
www.groundsure.com/io
Breaking Ground, a podcast collaboration between Ground Engineering Magazine and the Ground Forum, have released two new episodes which are available for free listening:
Î Luisa Hendry - the Scottish Geologist
Î Lime Stabilisation
Hosted by Steve Hadley, Breaking Ground covers a wide range of ground engineering related topics. Key themes include sustainability, design, commerce, diversity, health and safety, welfare, construction techniques, education, and industry challenges. Episodes also profile industry members' careers within the context of discussing industry issues, construction techniques and case studies.
Breaking Ground is available for free download on channels including Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts. To listen to the podcast, click HERE.
For further information on the podcast or for podcast sponsorship opportunities please email gforum@ground-forum.org.uk.
Our new early careers video discusses the many different career paths which are open to graduates entering the geo-industry.
If you’re a graduate and have studied geology, geography, environmental science, civil engineering or have a passion for the environment, then a career in the geo-sciences could be for you.
There are many different avenues within our sector to explore; from working on small preconstruction building projects, to large earthworks movements, to detailed laboratory analysis. You can be part of a team developing solutions for construction, engineering and renewable energy, or be focused on cleaning up the environment and keeping the public safe from harmful materials in the ground. Whatever pathway you choose, you’ll be helping to shape the industry for future generations.
Take a look at the video for full details https://vimeo.com/938173168
Please note that industry representatives are welcome to use this video when promoting the geo-industry within schools. For further information email ags@ags.org.uk
We’re pleased to announce that the AGS Annual Conference will return once again to One Great George Street in London’s Westminster in spring 2025.
Taking place on Thursday 1st May in the stunning Great Hall and soon to be refurbished Telford Theatre, the event will
once again include a Networking Drinks and Canape Reception after the conference has taken place.
Sponsorship packages will be available soon, but to register your interest please email Caroline Kratz on ags@ags.org.uk.
The AGS are holding a full day, live CPD conference on the topic of groundwater on Wednesday 6th November at ETC Venues in Manchester.
The need to consider the impact and effect of groundwater during all stages of the design and construction process is of paramount importance for almost all construction and building projects. However, the impact of groundwater is often poorly understood by many sectors of the construction industry, even those tasked with the design and construction of earth structures, basements, foundations, roads or pavements. The impact of groundwater can manifest in obvious ways as water inflow into excavations, leakage through retaining walls, uplift buoyancy pressures, but in less obvious ways such as consolidation settlements or loss of strength of the ground,
or as the medium for transportation of contaminants or adverse chemical elements.
We Need to Talk About Groundwater is a CPD conference aimed at attendees involved in construction projects from concept and planning through detailed design to construction and is not solely for geotechnical engineering specialists. The conference will be hosted by Vivien Dent (AGS Chair),and is proposed to raise awareness of how groundwater can impact construction. This will include presentations about how groundwater and geohydraulic parameters can be reliable determined during investigations and infiltration testing, how groundwater is covered by the new second-generation Eurocodes BS EN 1990:2023 and FprEN 1997-1:2024, measures for control of groundwater, how water pressures can impact cutting slopes or excavations, and a number of other topics.
Confirmed speakers and presentation titles include:
Î Groundwater Pressures in the SecondGeneration Eurocodes
Dr Andrew Bond, Director at Geocentrix
Î Eurocode, Groundwater and Geohydraulic Properties, The Next Generation
Will Capps, Technical Manager at Lucion Delta-Simons
Î Groundwater in Slopes and its Relationship to Stability
Len Threadgold, Geotechnical Adviser at Geotechnics
Î Stabilisation of Steep Slopes in Saturated Ground using Groundwater Control & Passive Drainage Anchors
Dr Stephen Thomas, Founder, Director and Chair of OGI Groundwater Specialists
Î Infiltration Tests – There are Better Options than BRE 365
Steve Wilson, Technical Director at EPG
Î Intriguing Observations and their Significance in Groundwater Management
Stephen Walthall BEM, Retired Engineering Geologist
Î Groundwater Extremes Under Climate Change
Dr Jon Mackay, Senior Hydrologist at the British Geological Survey
Î Whatdunnit (basement failures)
Clive Everett, Technical Claims Surveying Manager at National House Building Council (NHBC)
Î Challenges of Permeability Assessment for Geotechnical Purposes
Dr Martin Preene, Technical Director at Coffey Geotechnics
Î Second-Generation Eurocodes – Dealing with the Chemical Effects of Common Groundwater Solutes on Structural Concrete
Chris Raison, Director at Raison Foster Associates
For full speaker biographies and presentation synopsis, please click HERE.
This event is sponsored by Geosense, Soil Engineering, Afitexinov UK, Landmark Information Group, BAM Ritchies, HUESKER, i2 Analytical, Groundsure, Normec DETS and Envirolab.
Tickets are priced at £150 for AGS Members and £210 for non-AGS Members. Prices exclude VAT. A limited number of student, local authority and Environmental Agency places are available for £95, ex VAT. To register please click HERE
SPONSORED BY
DATE: Wednesday 25th September
TIME: 11:00 – 13:00
FEE: Free of charge to AGS Members. £50 plus VAT to non-Members.
The AGS are hosting a webinar this autumn entitled, How Can We Achieve an Equitable, Diverse, and Inclusive Industry? This virtual event will take place on Wednesday 25th September between 11:00-13.00, and will be free to attend for members of the Association of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Specialists.
Unfortunately, it is known that the geotechnical and geoenvironmental Industry lacks behind others in its efforts to be equitable, diverse, and inclusive (EDI); often focusing on other aspects of our work as paramount and leaving EDI behind.
This virtual, CPD event endeavours to shine a light on some of the amazing work that is
already ongoing within the AGS Membership and in the wider geosciences community and continue the conversation for a more progressive future.
Join webinar Chair, Bradley Falcus (Central Alliance Pre Construction Services) and our four speakers Charity Rose (AtkinsRéalis), Martin Griffin (GHD), Hollie Taylor (Amey) and Ebenezer Adenmosun (Geofirma) as we discuss various initiatives and campaigns which have made a lasting impact for our workforce, highlight the importance of EDI and wellbeing within the geotechnical and geoenvironmental industry, and consider what the next steps may look like for our industry.
Î To Affinity and Beyond – The Power Of Affinity Networks
Hollie Taylor, GeoEnvironmental Engineer and Co-Chair Women@Amey at Amey
The talk will include an overview of the Women@Amey Network’s achievements to date, highlighting their commitment to continuous improvement and empowerment and showcasing the significant positive impact on women throughout the Amey business. Attendees will learn about various successful initiatives that have been implemented, which have fostered a more inclusive and supportive work environment. Additionally, the talk will delve into the ongoing projects and future goals of the Women@Amey Network, highlighting their commitment to continuous improvement and empowerment.
Hollie’s presentation will also outline the collaborative efforts with our other affinity
groups emphasizing the importance of unity and collective action in driving meaningful change.
Martin Griffin, Principal Geotechnical Engineer and EDI Advisor with GHD
The talk will be an awareness session focussing on allyship towards diverse underrepresented groups. Allyship is a much-misunderstood term and describes the actions, behaviours, and practices we can all do in ground engineering to make our employment sector more welcoming, and inclusive for one and all. By understanding our role, what allyship is, and why it is needed as an essential soft skill. By also providing some practical tips, together we will learn how to move the Equity Diversity Inclusion (EDI) dial a bit further on. Finally, it will comprise my ongoing learning/research on
On Wednesday 5th June 2024, the AGS held an Early Careers webinar entitled Drilling Techniques and In Situ Testing.
The webinar was chaired by Harry McAllister (Senior Geotechnical Consultant, TRC Companies) and included presentations from Martyn Brocklesby (Director at Geotechnical Engineering and Director of the British Drilling Association), Harry McAllister (Senior
EDI in engineering and some of my and others’ lived experiences while working in ground engineering.
Charity Rose, Engineering Geologist at AtkinsRéalis
The talk will include a high-level overview of the work Charity has undertaken and explore practical strategies on how to make positive change within your own organisation. Being a voice for change (and professionally persistent) can come with challenges. The talk will discuss how we can empower ourselves, the people around us and how to tackle the fear of rejection.
To register for this event and for further information, please click HERE.
Geotechnical Consultant at TRC Companies), Simon Harlow (Senior Consultant at Arcadis), Eleanor Cook (Senior Consultant at Arup) and Julian Puzyna (Director at Sackedgate).
Martyn Brocklesby began the webinar by looking at intrusive ground investigation techniques and their practical application. This was followed by a presentation from Harry McAllister who provided an overview of the consultant’s role in supervising intrusive ground investigations. Simon Harlow then introduced on site in situ geotechnical testing methods and Eleanor Cook gave a brief overview of geoenvironmental in situ rapid measurement techniques. The webinar finished with a video presentation from Julian Puzyna which introduced the use of a handheld XRF spectrometer for soil analysis and presented the basic principles (physics) of XRF testing.
If you missed the webinar, the recording is now live on the AGS website and is free for AGS members and £50 + VAT for nonmembers.
Should we be concerned that the term “geoengineering” is now being used to refer to climate engineering rather than ground engineering?
Opinion contributed by Neil Parry, Director, Geotechnical Engineering Limited
Reading articles published in the media and in academic studies, the term “geoengineering” (or geoengineering) now most commonly refers to the subject of climate engineering, including technologies that could manipulate the environment and offset the impacts of climate change.
Notably solar engineering and carbon dioxide removal. Alongside the word “geoscience”, which is generally accepted as the scientific study of Earth, these “GEO” words have been universally adopted by the climate change community and are now more frequently recognised in this field than in our own engineering and geological disciplines. The term 'geo' is derived from the Greek for 'Earth', and is not limited to soil or rock materials, so it follows that as climate change affects everything on Planet Earth, not just the ground beneath its surface, it is an appropriate term to use for this purpose.
Some reference sources acknowledge the other uses of the term, noting that geoengineering may also refer to geological engineering, engineering geology, geotechnical engineering and geophysical engineering. It is, however, widely acknowledged that geology and engineering are not the first disciplines most people think of when coming across the term.
A creditable argument is that the climate crisis is much more important than geological sciences. Despite the possibility that we are at the beginning of a new geological Anthropocene Epoch caused by human activity, it is acknowledged in most academic and engineering circles that our focus should be on minimising our effect on the global climate. Our role as geologists, engineers and geoenvironmentalists in supporting this objective is becoming clearer as our understanding of the situation grows. We should embrace our part in this, celebrating the use of geoengineering to provide a positive contribution. What we should learn from this is the importance of being careful when using such terms to describe our work, as the fundamentals of our role could be easily misunderstood.
Article contributed by
David Carr, Lead Scientific Officer, Environmental and Community Protection, Dacorum Borough Council
This is the first part of a two part series developed by the SiLC Professional & Technical Panel (PTP) regarding the standard of land contamination reports submitted through the planning system. Here David Carr, who represents CIEH on the PTP, presents a local authority environmental health officer (EHO) perspective, with a follow-up article to be provided by SiLCs on the PTP representing the consultancy sector.
This article is based on the author’s experiences and discussions with colleagues in other local authorities.
Local authority Environmental Health Departments in England are consulted on dozens of planning applications a month, which need to be screened to determine whether land contamination conditions will be warranted if permission is granted. Some, but unfortunately not many, of these applications will be accompanied by a Stage 1 Preliminary Risk Assessment (PRA), where land contamination is suspected, or the proposed end use would be vulnerable to the presence of land contamination. In addition to those planning applications asking for permission to be granted, other consultations are received for the discharge of land contamination conditions that were placed on conditional permitted developments.
A local authority Environmental Health Practitioner or Environmental Protection Officer, in any month, will be reviewing numerous land contamination reports ranging from PRAs, through site investigations and
quantitative risk assessments (generic or detailed), to options appraisals, remediation strategies/verification plans and remediation verification reports, as required by LCRM. In the course of this work, there are common quality issues encountered with each of those types of report that mean it is not possible to discharge land contamination planning conditions at the first attempt. This can lead to costly and frustrating delays for the developer and the need for on-going liaison and discussion between the planning authority as advised by environmental health and the developer and their environmental consultant.
commitment to remedy the situation or update the report subsequently.
Î Other considerations often overlooked are drainage features and associated infrastructure, such as interceptors and soakaways.
“ The following are some of the most common issues found at each stage of reporting that, if they could be overcome, would result in a much smoother progression through the planning process.
The following are some of the most common issues found at each stage of reporting that, if they could be overcome, would result in a much smoother progression through the planning process. It is important to recognise that regulation of sites affected by land contamination where controlled waters are a receptor of concern will be led by the Environment Agency, so the commonly observed issues in this article reflect the human health focus of local authority environmental health/ protection officers.
Î Failure to take account of information on recent or historical land uses at a site available within the documentation submitted by the developer in support of their application that is not discernible from historical maps and aerial photographs.
Î Failure to gain access to the buildings on the site and no acknowledgement of such as an area of uncertainty and no
Î • Failure to appropriately explain and justify the site investigation in terms of its scope and rationale, most usually but not exclusively, in relation to the locations of the chosen sampling points. For example, it is not unusual for features identified within the PRA report and uncertainties within the conceptual site model (CSM) not to be targeted by the subsequent site investigation.
Î Other issues often encountered with the site investigations are:
› significant areas of a site not being investigated, usually because of constraints such as buildings still being present, with no acknowledgement that this represents considerable uncertainty and with no commitment to undertake a supplementary investigation at a later date.
› a potential ground gas risk being identified at PRA which is not pursued during the site investigation, without any justification, or only investigated in a cursory manner by one or two gas monitoring boreholes with response zones chosen in a seemingly arbitrary manner.
› in cases where ground gas risk represented a potential risk and
sufficient ground gas monitoring has been undertaken in line with expected good practice, it is rare to find an illustrative/ cross-section representation of the updated CSM reflecting the monitoring findings
› sampling locations not being overlain on historical or present site plans, or on proposed layout plans.
› failure to consider larger sites as different zones, depending on conditions encountered, different land use histories and, in some circumstances, end uses proposed.
Î Issues commonly encountered with remediation strategies:
› Incomplete strategies/ design reports for gas protection measures because gas membrane and foundation specifications have yet to be finalised at the time of the submission of the strategy.
“ Overall, following the guidance in LCRM and specifically the reporting suggestions would result in a quicker process through the planning system and be more likely to result in first-time discharge of conditions.
Î Risk assessments rarely progress past the Stage 2 generic quantitative risk assessment. On sites where the GQRA finds low risk this will typically result in the report being deemed sufficient but can result in unnecessary remediation work being recommended.
Î LCRM Stage 3 detailed quantitative risk assessments are encountered infrequently but where they are, issues encountered tend to provide insufficient information about the nature of the soils, wrongly apply statistical assessments or do not sufficiently measure or assess the risk of vapour for particular contaminants.
Strategies, including verification plans:
Î Options appraisals on more complicated sites tend to include minimal details and assessment of the pros and cons for the options not chosen, compared to those that are chosen.
› Incomplete strategies because the approach to materials management, including pollution prevention practices during earthworks are being left for the yet-to-beappointed ground works contractor to decide.
› No discussion about the decommissioning of monitoring wells, which can represent an important pathway for gas migration from depth.
Î Verification Plans and Verification reports are generally without problem provided sufficient testing and record keeping is agreed and that the work is carried out by an environmental consultant rather than the developer or their groundwork contractor. On a positive note a significant improvement had been noticed over the past few years in understanding the need to have ground gas protection measures installed and verified by independent and suitably qualified contractors.
Overall, following the guidance in LCRM and specifically the reporting suggestions would result in a quicker process through the planning system and be more likely to result in first-time discharge of conditions.
Article contributed by Jon Rayner, SH&E Director, AECOM
Marking the second year of gathering accident and incident data from across the geotechnical & geoenvironmental industry, there has been a 127% increase in organisations providing information to the AGS. This perhaps highlights the benefit which has been demonstrated through sharing accident and incident data, allowing industry performance to be communicated, and improvement targets, aims, and objectives set by contractors, as well as the industry body.
Moving forward I would like to think we, as an industry, can build on this improved engagement year on year, prompting more
openness across the industry and collectively striving for continued improvement in health, safety and wellbeing. This improvement would form a reliable indicator of an industry with a maturing safety culture.
Applying Health and Safety Executive (HSE) frequency and incident rate formulae to allow benchmarking against the HSE Statistics, and maintaining industry uniformity from the data published last year, two accident incident rates have been used to calculate the 2023 data;
1. Accident Incident Rate (AIR) – (number of RIDDOR reportable accidents / average workforce headcount) x 100,000.
2. Accident Frequency Rate (AFR) – (total number of harm accidents / total number of hours worked) x 1,000,000.
The most obvious statistic in the data is a 169%
increase in accidents per head count from the 2022 AIR and a 142% increase from the 2021 AIR. This is a significant shift, highlighting that if you worked within the geotechnical & geoenvironmental industry in 2023, you were 2.5 times more likely, than in either of the preceding years, to experience an injury that is reportable to the HSE. i.e. An injury that would
result in you not being able to work for seven days, being hospitalised for twenty-four hours, involving a broken bone, loss of sight, etc.
Examining the 2023 AFR in comparison with the 2022 AFR, the rate has been reduced significantly, down 55%. In isolation this could be considered good news, however viewed together with the increase in the AIR, the
message from the data is clear.
Why is this? Considering the data holistically, there are several possibilities, although certainty can only be achieved through detailed investigation of information which extends past that information issued to the AGS.
– Where there is a poor accident and incident reporting culture, minor injuries, near misses and hazard reporting reduce, but more serious accidents, due to workers not being able to continue to work or require first aid, are reported. There are several reasons why this type of weak reporting culture can develop, including poor organisational safety culture, working within environments where accident and incidents are linked to blame, an incorrect assumption that accident incident reporting is a negative (not a learning / improvement opportunity), counterproductive zero accident targets, etc.
“ The industry had fewer accidents in 2023, however the number of persons who were seriously harmed increased significantly.
for the UK economy, increasing the cost of living significantly. Businesses were impacted by higher energy costs, which also increased the cost of materials. At the same time the workforce, pushed for pay rises or more work to counteract the impact of the cost-of-living crisis.
With this economic strain, it is easy to imagine direct and indirect pressure placed on the workforce to be more efficient, find ways of doing things faster and cheaper, work longer hours increasing fatigue, machinery servicing or repairs being stretched or extended, etc. all which could contribute to an increase in accidents. Although not limited to significant accidents.
Risk reduction prioritisation - The significant hazards within the industry are well established, namely contact with underground and overhead utilities (contact with electricity accounted for 6% of all construction fatalities in 2023), plant people interface (struck by moving machinery & plant accounted for 20% of construction related fatalities in 2023) and manual handling (musculoskeletal disorders make up 54% of all construction work ill health in the three years from 2021 to 2023).
The accident data shift could highlight that hazard identification and correction has focused on easy to target items, such as housekeeping, access and egress, welfare, etc. While this has driven down minor accidents it has allowed more significant hazards to go unchecked, resulting in significant harm.
Economic pressure – 2023 was a tough year
In comparison to the wider construction industry, non-fatal RIDDOR reportable injures did not increase from those figures prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the rate of selfreported non-fatal injury to workers showed a downward trend in this period. The rate for the latest period, which includes years affected by the coronavirus pandemic, was not statistically significantly different from the 2014/152016/17 period.
When the data is broken down into organisation size, it highlights that from the small (1 to 10 employees) to the very large (1000+ employees) organisations, the increased AIR is not universal, with the small, large (101 to 1000 employees), and very large organisations maintaining, even reducing their AIR through 2023.
However, medium size organisations (11 to 100 employees) have seen a significant increase from 2022 rates. This has been
driven by a small number of organisations who have had disproportionate numbers of RIDDOR reportable accidents to their headcount.
Similarly, the trends highlighted in the 2022 AIR analysis, suggests that the organisations which are growing from owner operators or small practices into medium size organisations are more exposed to accidents, as their systems and processes are not as mature or are well established. In addition, the management and supervisory structure may not be as mature, and pressure could be placed on those within the organisations to get the job done.
“ Both small and very large organisations have shown a significant reduction in accidents, and the most stable group size large, is showing a reduction from 2022, while maintaining consistency below industry average.
management system could aid in reducing risk within this area and support organisations through transition from small to a medium size business.
While AFRs do not indicate that medium size organisations have performed worse than in 2022, in fact a reduction in rates was recorded, they remain the group twice as likely to have accidents.
Both small and very large organisations have shown a significant reduction in accidents, and the most stable group size large, is showing a reduction from 2022, while maintaining consistency below industry average.
As an industry development area, the availability of a stock geotechnical & geoenvironmental industry health and safety
The ConocoPhilips Marine model has been
used to measure culture, benchmarking the geotechnical & geoenvironmental industry accident incident data and ensuring uniformity with previous years accident incident statistics. This model placed the Safety Triangle within a modern occupational context and states that for every single fatality there are at least 30 lost workday cases, 300 minor injuries, 3,000 near misses (estimated), and 300,000 behaviours not consistent with proper safety procedures
(estimated).
The industry culture looks weak around nonstatutory reporting on comparison against this model, with Near Miss reporting 44% below model target. However, Hazard Spots at 74%, although under model target, represents a significant improvement on 2022 data. This can be a particularly hard area of improvement for organisations and an increase here does highlight cultural improvement.
Breaking down the data on Hazard Spots further, it’s clear that some organisations are performing better than others and are responsible for driving these rates up, however it’s a positive industry indicator within some less than positive industry accident statistics.
“ Although not submitted within our member accident data returns, I am aware of two fatalities reported within our industry in 2023.
Although not submitted within our member accident data returns, I am aware of two fatalities reported within our industry in 2023. An owner operator lost their life while undertaking directional drilling, and a young engineer lost his life when they were struck by mobile plant. Both, considering the information which has been publicly released, were avoidable accidents which have resulted in family members not returning home at the end of the day.
Combined with the snapshot from the 42 AGS member organisations who shared their accident and incident data, 2023 is a year not to forget, rather it’s a year to remember and act upon. This upward trend in significant accidents cannot go unchecked. Everyone working within the industry needs to review what they are doing, look what’s happening on the ground, what is being said in planning and client meetings and challenge unsafe conditions, unsafe planning, and unsafe behaviours. If an unsafe situation develops, we need to empower our people to challenge it.
As an industry we cannot keep sending our colleagues, friends, and family to work in situations where the risk of significant injury continues to increase. As an industry we must do better.
We are BAM Ritchies.
We’ve built a reputation as the go-to ground engineering team that delivers digital, sustainable and innovative solutions.
But, together, we achieve more. That’s why our collaborative focus is on leaving positive legacies within every project and in the communities we work in – to build a sustainable tomorrow.
The GBA works similarly to the AGS with voluntary members working in a series of Committees:
AGS Chair and Chair Geotechnical Working Group
Last year you may recall that the GBA presented at our annual conference.
This year, the AGS Chair, Vivien Dent, and AGS Geotechnical Working Group Chair, Alex Dent, were invited by the GBA to attend their spring conference ‘Champion Excellence’ in Anaheim, USA.
Before the conference started, the GBA held two days of board and committee meetings. Vivien presented an overview of the AGS to the GBA board of Directors meeting to establish potential collaboration between the two trade associations. We have much in common such as a skills shortage, making our industry more inclusive, opportunities presented by climate change and the risks and benefits of cloud based storage and sharing of geotechnical data.
1. Business Practice,
2. Business Technology
3. CoMET Business
4. Inclusion advancement committee
5. Emerging issues and trends
6. Environmental business
7. Geotechnical Business
8. Multimedia delivery
We were invited to attend committee meetings with Alex attending the Geotechnical Business Committee and Vivien attending the inclusion advancement committee. The AGS Geotechnical Working Group have been liaising with the GBA Geotechnical Business Committee over the last year and it was good for Alex to meet people in person rather than remotely. It was useful to discover that many of the main concerns they have reflect our own and explore opportunities for collaboration
between the two groups.
A session on ‘Committee Chronicles: Tales of Excellence’, provided us with an overview of the work done in these committees over the last year. We were impressed by the dedication of the people in these committees and the work undertaken covered some matters which we can consider for the AGS.
Something which really impressed us was the GBA’s emerging leaders class and their career continuum project which they have set up to tackle the decline of graduates joining the profession. The career continuum project is considered so important, that this is led by one of the GBA Directors, Carrie Foulk, and a copy of the scheme was shared. It would be useful for the AGS to review and consider something similar. Carrie went on to provide an impassioned presentation on this topic at the main conference.
with a blank sheet of paper. Don’t ask ‘how can I’? ask ‘who can’?
In the afternoon, a series of round table discussions were held. Vivien joined the discussion on ‘opportunities for the geotechnical sector presented by climate change’. Delegates in the discussion group included geotechnical engineers from New Orleans and Alaska and the discussion introduced challenges associated with issues we don’t have in the UK – such as melting permafrost.
“ Something which really impressed us was the GBA’s emerging leaders class and their career continuum project which they have set up to tackle the decline of graduates joining the profession.
The graduating emerging leaders presented ‘Tiger Cage’ (our equivalent of Dragons Den), where they pitched their idea for ‘Geokits’, resources which had been developed to introduce geotechnical engineering to children. A copy of the instructions was obtained and can be shared: ideal for school and sixth form STEM visits.
The conference itself started with innovation consultant Diana Kander presenting: Why Curiosity is the ultimate competitive advantage. Vivien found this the most inspirational talk and came away with 3 rules to implement:
Î Rule 1 – Don't ask yes or no. Ask how does this rank on a scale of 1 to 10;
Î Rule 2 – Kill the Zombies. Ask – what should we stop. Do this once a year; and
Î Rule 3 – Reimagine what’s possible. Start
The ‘how to network effectively’ round table discussion was also interesting and a list of ways to help introverts network was produced. Alex joined the ‘can remote sensing deal with the skills shortage’ discussion. It was clear from the discussion that the UK is leaps and bounds ahead of North America on the use of, LiDAR, InSAR, wireless telemetery for monitoring installation and qualitative density measurements during compaction. Alex then joined the discussion on ‘What advice would you give the 25year old you’ – which resulted in a lively and humorous debate.
There were plenty of opportunities for networking at the conference with networking breakfasts, lunches and evening events. It was clear from these discussions that GBA members are concerned with the retirement of ‘gINT’ and what may replace it, with anxieties over using Openground and the cloud based sharing of geotechnical data. It was evident that the AGS data format is held in high regard. Another strong area of potential collaboration.
The GBA Awards Recognition Banquet celebrated outstanding contributions to the
Geotechnical & structural monitoring instruments
Knowledge is powerful
Designed and manufactured in the UK, our geotechnical instrumentation is helping unlock greater insights for projects around the globe.
Our industry-leading inclinometers, extensometers and piezometers collect highly accurate and timely data that empowers better decisions and faster project delivery.
INCLINOMETERS | PORTABLE MEMS INCLINOMETER
committees and was a great way to acknowledge some of the achievements of GBA members over the past year.
On the last day of the conference, we were treated to an inspiring talk from Jim Abbott, a former league baseball pitcher who overcame a birth defect to become a pro pitcher and ball player, talking about making the most of what you have been given and to believe in who you are and what you can do.
Talks were also given on becoming a champion for our profession for future geoprofessionals and a presentation ‘Into the Unknown: How leadership, ingenuity and perseverance put a rover on Mars’, delivered by Adam Steltzer, leader and chief engineer NASA Mars 202 Mission. Our take home from that was to separate the ideas from the people to avoid unconscious bias.
We have come away from the GBA conference enthused and we are looking forward to our future collaboration with the GBA.
Our trip wasn’t all work and no play. The conference venue was next to Disneyland California!
On a free day we got to fly the Millennium Falcon and meet R2D2 before being captured by the ‘First Order’ – thankfully managing to escape the clutches of the evil ‘Kylo Ren’ and his stormtroopers.
‘Geokit’ STEM activity
Equipe Training's specialist geotechnical training courses are delivered both in person at our dedicated training facility just outside of Banbury, Oxfordshire, and also online via Zoom!
Available upcoming dates are provided below:
Î 25th September 2024 - Basic Foundation Design
Î 26th September 2024 - Further Foundation Design
Î 18th September 2024 - Professor David Norbury’s Soil Description Workshop
Î 19th September 2024 - Professor David Norbury’s Rock Description Workshop
Î 2nd October 2024 - Mastering the AGS Data Format
Î 15th October 2024 - Understanding and Scheduling Geotechnical Laboratory Tests
Places on these courses can be booked online here, or via contacting Equipe on +44 (0)1295 670990 or info@equipegroup.com
Equipe Training and their health and safety training partners RPA Safety Services and EB Safety
Solutions are delighted to announce their collection of specialist health and safety courses for the geotechnical market have resumed being delivered in person, as well as being delivered online where required.
These courses are approved and certified by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and meet the requirements of UK Health and Safety regulations for working on geotechnical and land drilling sites. Upcoming courses have limited numbers of places available in order to maintain social distancing within the classroom environment. Upcoming dates include:
Î 29th August 2024 - Safe Working on Geotechnical Sites
Î 4th September 2024 - IOSH Avoiding Danger from Underground Services
Î 10th – 12th September 2024 - IOSH Safe Supervision of Geotechnical Sites
Î 17th September 2024 - Managing and working with Asbestos Risk in GI (MARGI)
Places on these courses can be booked online here, or via contacting Equipe on +44 (0)1295 670990 or info@equipegroup.com
Delivered in partnership with RPA Safety Services
IOSH Safe Supervision of Geotechnical Sites (3 Days) - £495 + VAT
Learn in detail how to keep yourself and your on-site operatives safe in the field - industry SSSTS equivalent
IOSH Avoiding Danger from Underground Services - £175 + VAT
In accordance with the requirements and guidance set out within HSG47
Delivered in partnership with EB Safety Solutions & RPA Safety Services
MARGI - Managing & working with Asbestos Risk in Ground Investigation - £225 + VAT
Comprehensive guidance to deal with asbestos in a GI environment, including CAR 2012
Geotechnical Courses
Prof. David Norbury’s Soil Description Workshop - £295 + VAT
Providing a detailed approach to soil description practices and techniques
Prof. David Norbury’s Rock Description Workshop - £295 + VAT
Providing a detailed approach to rock description practices and techniques
Understanding and Scheduling Geotechnical Laboratory Tests - £250 + VAT
Detailed overview of processes involved in efficiently scheduling Geotechnical Laboratory Testing
Delivered in partnership with Plough Geotechnical
Basic Foundation Design - £250 + VAT
Shallow foundation overview for geotechnical practitioners and engineers
Further Foundation Design - £250 + VAT
Complex & deep pile foundations for geotechnical practitioners and engineers
Earthworks Design and Construction - £250 + VAT
A general overview of materials sourcing / selection for design & construction
Slope Stability Design - £250 + VAT
Comprehensive overview for geotechnical practitioners and engineers
An online advertising campaign within the AGS Magazine will help to build and increase industry awareness of your company’s profile, initiatives and offerings.
The AGS can help build a package to suit your needs and budget; whether it’s a series of adverts across multiple issues, a combination of event sponsorship and advertising, or a single advertorial.
The AGS Magazine is a free email publication that looks at a range of topical issues, insights and concerns, whilst publishing new guidance notes, working group activities and information on upcoming industry seminars.
With 6 issues each year, our subscribers include industry professionals such as practitioners, chartered specialists, senior decision makers and managing directors
To receive a media pack or to discuss advertising rates, please contact Caroline Kratz on 0208 658 8212 or email ags@ags.org.uk
H: 297mm
RATE: £400
W: 105mm
H: 145mm
RATE: £160
Company name, address, contact number, email and one logo.
RATE: £50
All adverts should be sent in a PDF, PNG, JPEG, TIFF, PSD (Photoshop) or EPS (Illustrator) format.
All advertising artwork must be supplied in 114 dpi resolution.
Artwork must be delivered to the AGS using the agreed artwork specification size listed left.
Artwork should be emailed to ags@ags.org. uk no later than 10 days prior to publication.
AGS Members all share a commitment to quality in the geotechnical and geoenvironmental industry. This has become widely recognised by clients, governmental bodies and other associations that touch issues to do with the ground.
We welcome both companies and individuals who want to be recognised for their quality of practice to join our growing membership of over 130 Members. We shape our industry, continually improve practice and collaborate on issues that affect us all; from clients, all the way through to the people who use the land and the buildings we help develop.
To become a Member of the AGS, please visit http://www.ags.org.uk/about/become-a-member and submit your application online. Please note that all membership applications are reviewed by the Membership Committee 6 weeks in advance of each quarterly Executive meeting. The deadline for the next round of completed applications is 8th August 2024.
All Members of the AGS are entitled to free introductory advice on chemical and legal/contractual matters from AGS Loss Prevention Group members, Marquis & Lord and Beale & Co.
For advice on chemical safety and best practice, Marquis & Lord will provide up to 30 minutes of free advice, for one issue, to any AGS Members.
Additionally, if you’re an AGS Member and are looking for legal advice, please contact Beale & Co and quote ‘AGS Helpline’ where the first 15 minutes of legal advice will be free of charge.
CHEMICAL SAFETY HELPLINE
Marquis & Lord
Tel: +44 (0) 121 288 2386
www.marquisandlord.com
(Please quote ‘AGS Helpline’)
LEGAL HELPLINE
Beale & Co
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7469 0400 www.beale-law.com
If you have any queries regarding AGS Data Format, there is a discussion forum on the AGS Data Format website, where queries can be posted and answered by the Data Format team.
If a Member has any issues with regard to Safety, Contaminated Land, Geotechnical, Instrumentation & Monitoring or Laboratories which you think the industry should be aware of please email ags@ags.org.uk, we will then forward your email to the relevant AGS Working Group.
All articles in the AGS Magazine are the opinions of the authors and are not intended to be a complete or comprehensive statement of the law, nor do they constitute legal or specialist advice. They are intended only to highlight current issues from date of publication that may be of interest. Neither the writer(s), nor the AGS, assumes any responsibility for any loss that may arise from accessing, or reliance on the material and all liability is disclaimed accordingly. Professional advice should be taken before applying the content of the articles to particular circumstances.