BRE Piling

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Construction Health and Safety

PILING

Section 8F

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8F - 2 June 2010

AcknowledgementSpecial Acknowledgement is made to the Federation ofPiling Specialists (FPS) for their invaluable assistance inthe preparation of this section

CONTENTS

PILING 8F-3General precautions 8F-3

Use of Cranes with piling 8F-4Materials handling 8F-5

PILING TECHNIQUES 8F-5Driven piling 8F-5Driven Precast 8F-5Driven cast-in situ piling 8F-5Driven sheet piling 8F-5Gate systems 8F-5Pitching sheet piles 8F-5Sheet piling methods 8F-5

Extracting sheet piles 8F-6Piling Hammers 8F-6Double acting air hammers 8F-6Internal drop hammers 8F-6Helmets and inserts 8F-6Pile extraction 8F-6Rotary Bored piling 8F-6CFA (Continuous Flight Auger) Piling 8F-7Extraction of pile casings 8F-7Mini Piling 8F-8Tripod bored piling 8F-8Piling from barges and pontoons 8F-8Other techniques 8F-8

CHECKLIST for piling method statements 8F-8

REFERENCES 8F-9


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Piling operations can give rise to different hazardsdependent upon the type of piling being undertaken.Certain hazards are, however, generally common on alltypes of piling and the following gives both the generalprecautions to be taken and the special precautions relatingto the different types of piling.

General precautionsa) For all types of piling it is essential that a working

surface designed to support the plant & equipmentsafely when working and moving, is provided.Failure of the Working Platform (piling mat) accounts for30% of dangerous occurrences involving pilingequipment. Any such failure is potentially fatal.It is important that the responsibility for design,construction and maintenance of the working platform isestablished and agreed, before work commences.Use of the Federation of Piling Specialists WorkingPlatform Certificate (WPC), is recommended. Thisconfirms that the working platform has been properlydesigned and constructed in the accordance with the

design, and will be adequately maintained to ensure theintegrity of the platform is maintained. Guidance on thelatest best practice in relation to working platform designis available on the FPS web site (www.fps.org.uk).Piling contractors will provide details of their equipmentto assist contractors in constructing suitable access andworking surface in the piling area. Piling contractors areto ensure that their access and work area remainssuitable and in good order.

b) Piling contractors normally operate under a Permit to dig/ pile system issued by the Principal Contractor (PC)stating that it is safe to pile in the defined area. Prior topiling, all underground services in the area should belocated and marked where they cannot be rendered safe.It is important that the PC consults the statutory authoritiesin the area on these matters. A check should also becarried out to ensure that there are no cellars,underground watercourses, ground conditions or madeup or soft ground, etc., which could create hazardsduring the operation. Consideration must also be given topotential instability, which may be caused by the weather.

c) Where the site is contaminated, consideration must begiven to the type of piling used and additional welfarefacilities provided (see Section 31 - Contaminated Sites).Appropriate and timely information must be madeavailable to the piling contractor so that a suitablemethod statement can be prepared and implemented inadvance of work commencing. Consideration will alsoneed to be given to environmental aspects associated

with the work.d) Piling contractors should be requested to provide anappropriate written method statement. A generalchecklist for the production and checking of such methodstatements is provided at the end of this section. It isessential that induction training and information specificto the method statement is provided to piling operativesand where necessary other contractors on site.

e) Particular attention should be given to planning activitiesconcurrent with piling including identifying safe workingzones and pedestrian and traffic access routes. Inaddition the planning of the location of the pilesthemselves must take into account adjacent buildingsand the condition of the structures involved.

f) All persons working on piling operations must wear

appropriate PPE as identified in the method statement.(Section 18).g) When piling from a pontoon or adjacent to water, a

suitable and sufficient risk assessment must be carriedout identifying appropriate control measures e.g..life

jackets lifebuoys, safety boat, a rescue plan andequipment available along with sufficient personneltrained in its use. ( Section 8E Working Over Water)

h) Where fluid concrete is used provision for the washingout of static plant and delivery vehicles must be made,as the watercourses and drains must be protected

against pollution. (Section 34-23 - Environment).i) Rated capacity indicators / limiters ( RCI/L) see page 9-

22 are not required to be fitted on piling rigs when usedfor normal piling operations. Likewise, an RCI/L - is notrequired when a rig is being used to erect another rig,provided that the weight of components is accuratelyknown and does not exceed 75% of the safe workingload (SWL) of the rig. However, if a rig with a SWL ofmore than one tonne is used for general liftingoperations, such as the loading and transport ofmaterials on site, it must be fitted with an RCI/L.

j) Machine operators must be at least 18 years of age,trained, competent, medically fit and authorised by sitemanagement to operate the machine. The operator mustbe in possession of a current, appropriate Construction

Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS) card issued by theCITB or is a nominated person undergoing a supervisedtraining program.

k) Piling rigs are classed as lifting equipment and thereforerequire a thorough examination at least once in everytwelve month period. When rigs are erected at a site aninspection should take place to ensure that all lockingpins etc are firmly in place. This inspection must berecorded. Where a piling rig has a man riding platformfitted this must be examined at least every 6 month.Inspections and maintenance must also be carried out atsuitable intervals. Any lifting accessories, chains, slings,shackles etc. would require a thorough examination atleast every 6 months.

l) Piling rigs and cranes should only travel on slopes atgradients approved by the machine manufacturer and"slew pins" must be used in theses circumstances toreduce the risk of overturning.

m) Generally, guards must be fitted to the dangerous partsof the rig however, as one of the principal elements ofthe equipment, the auger, (see fig 1) is itself a dangerouspart and this presentsoperational difficulties.Further details onguarding are containedlater in this section and inguidance published by theFederation of PilingSpecialists. This is correct

at time of going to press.The matter is under reviewand it is recommendedthat the latest situationshould be ascertainedfrom the FPS.

n) Ordnance. Unexplodedordnance (UXO), largelyoriginating from WorldWar 2 bombing,continues to have thecapacity to maim and killlong after it has beenexposed to theenvironment. It is

estimated that of the manythousands of bombs thatfell on major cities andindustrial areas, 10% ofhigh explosive ordnance

PILING

8F - 3June 2010

Fig 1. Auger guarding andmechanised cleaning(Picture by Bachy Soletenche Ltd)


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8F - 4 June 2010

and as much as 50% of incendiary devices failed toexplode. These continue to present a potentially serioushazard to construction workers, property and thirdparties. Brown field sites that were previously MoD landare also high risk locations, especially if they were usedfor training purposes. Whilst these comprise the majorareas of risk, UXO are found in the most unexpectedplaces such as beaches where ordnance is washed upfollowing post war dumping and the action ofunderwater currents and wave action over many years.See section 8B-3 Excavation for full guidance.

o) Piling adjacent to a railwayWhere piling is to take place on or adjacent to NetworkRail Managed Infrastructure but is not on or near theline (i.e. within 3m of the closest running line) the workshould be planned and managed in accordance withNetwork Rail Company Standard NR/L3/INI/CP0063Piling adjacent to the running line. This standard ismandatory from June 2010 and sets out the proceduresto be put in place where, in the event of failure ormishandling, any part of the equipment in use or its loadmay fall within 3m of the closest running line. Thisstandard enables piling to proceed whilst the railway isstill operational without resorting to possessions andisolations. The standard has been developed byNetwork Rail in association with the FPS.When piling on or near the line possessions (andisolations where appropriate) will be necessary.

Use of Cranes with pilingIt is important to differentiate between cranes and piling

rigs.Cranes are widely used conventionally for load handling

in association with piling activities. Some techniques (e.g.sheet piling) also use cranes to install piles and removethem.a) Piling rigs are either purpose made machines or cranes

specially adapted for piling by the fitting of masts /leaders and / or sub assemblies to power boringequipment.

b) Cranes must be selected and used in accordance withBS 7121 and with the Lifting Operations and LiftingEquipment Regulations 1998 (see Section 9 - LiftingOperations).

c) Cranes, which have been employed on piling dutiesshould be subjected to a thorough examination beforebeing returned to general lifting operations.

d) Any crane used for raising or lowering people must befitted with a dead man's handle and the descent must beeffectively controlled. Properly constructed man carryingcages, designed to prevent crushing and falls of peoplethat are unable to spin or tip, must be used. The cages

should be regularly and carefully inspected. Any itemof lifting equipment used to carry persons must bethoroughly examined by a competent person at sixmonthly intervals.


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8F - 5June 2010

Materials handlinga) Materials handling is generally carried out by crane,

forklift or excavator. Where this is the case refer tosections 9 and 19 for relevant guidance on their safeuse

b) Piles and other materials should be stacked safely onground of equal bearing ability, with safe access forsubsequent removal and use in mind.

c) Circular objects should be chocked to prevent rolling.d) Where there are marked lifting points they should be

used. Bundles must never be lifted by their security ties,suitable slings must be used.

e) Flat and bundled items (e.g. sheet piles, bundles ofreinforcement) must be lifted with the correct liftingaccessories and spacers placed between layers so thatchains etc. can be safely removed after setting down.

f) Hand tag lines should be used for long or bulky itemswhich are likely to spin, especially in windy conditions.(see "Pitching sheet piles").

PILING TECHNIQUES

Driven piling

Specialist piling rigs incorporating a leader or mast whichguides the pile driving hammer and driving head are used.Due to the intense hammering process of driven piling anincreased risk is present, larger exclusion zones arenormally required with this type of piling. No spoil isgenerated with this type of piling. The selection of piledriving methods should take account of good practice asdescribed in the Control of Noise at Work Regulations2005.

Driven PrecastPrecast concrete reinforced piles are fitted to the drivinghead, pitched at the required position by the rig and drivento the required depth.. Piles may be extended to meettechnical criteria.

a) All machinery should be in good condition and no liftingequipment should be used unless there are currentrecords of thorough examination and whereappropriate, testing of the equipment in existence.

b) All control levers on the piling rig should be clearlymarked to indicate their purpose and mode ofoperation.

c) Persons not directly involved must stand well clear at alltimes when the rig is operating.

d) Hearing protection is likely to be required, details ofwhich should be within the method statement.

e) When piles are extended by welding full precautions fortemporarily securing the additional length and weldingmust be observed.

f) When piles are extended using proprietary jointing

systems the manufacturer's safety and technicalprocedures must be followed.g) Where persons have to approach the rig mast and the

raised hammer for alignment and, or maintenancepurposes the hammer must be secured to prevent itsunintentional release.

Driven cast-in-situ pilingThis discipline uses the same specialist piling rigs as pre-cast piling and generally, precautions applied to pre-castpiling will also be applicable for cast-in-situ pilinga) The process involves driving a steel tube fitted with a

sacrificial piling shoe at the bottom into the ground to therequired depth.

b) Access is gained to the top of the driven tube by way of

manriding platforms which forms part of the rig.c) The pile cage is placed into the driven tube using theauxiliary winch guided by the leading hand from theworking platform.

d) The auxiliary winch is then used to raise the concrete skipwhich is emptied into the tube to the required level. Thetube can then be withdrawn.

Driven sheet pilingThe assessment of risk must consider the following inconnection with the sheet piling process.a) How the position and verticality is maintained during

driving.b) How piles pitched are held in position until driving takes

place.c) How access is provided for any essential working at

height.d) What method of installation is to be used.

Gate systemsa) Depending on length of pile it is possible to use single

guide frames but this is not recommended on lengthsabove 4m.

b) A single gate system will benefit from a shallow guidetrench being dug for the short piles to be located into asthey are interlocked.

c) A twin support system will usually consist of two levelsof guide frames supported on purpose made trestleswhich not only take the weight of the guide frames butprovide safe access + egress onto the platform. This isrequired so that operatives can align each pile throughthe guide frames prior to the toe being accuratelypositioned using a device such as a toe jack.

d) The guides are usually made from 610 x 305 x238kg/m steel beams with tensioned wire handrails at2 levels.

e) Permanent ladder access must be secure and extendabove the gates sufficiently to provide a safe handhold.

f) When piling is progressing and temporary or partdriven piles are used to support the gate system purposemade hanging brackets are used and any weldingrequired should only be carried out using competent and

suitably trained welders.Pitching sheet pilesa) It is good practise to consider the method of pile

pitching.b) If pitching holes are to be burnt in the sheet piles they

should be far enough from the top to give adequatestrength to allowing lifting from the horizontal stack tothe vertical pitching position to be done safely with theaid of a properly manufactured and tested QuickRelease Shackle (QRS).

c) Typical hole size would be 40mm diameter with thecentre at 140mm from the top of pile.

d) No piles should be lifted into the vertical position untilthere is 100% certainty that the pin in the QRS is

properly engaged and that there is no danger of therelease rope becoming snagged or being blown aroundin the wind and subsequently becoming inaccessible(using heavy duty tape is recommended.) Tying a weightto the rope is not good practice as it could causesnagging or hit somebody as it is lifted into position bythe crane)

e) Interlocking piles together at height must not proceeduntil a suitable risk assessment has taken place and alloperatives have been briefed on the chosen method.

f) Available safe options are: the use of a MEWP, pilethreader, manriding basket, pitch + drive.

g) When using a MEWP or manriding basket theoperative should wear a harness at all times with a short

fixed lanyard secured to the equipment.

Sheet Piling methodsa) Impact hammersI. suitable ear protection must always be worn and a zone


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established around the equipment where suitableprotection is mandatory.

II. the driving cap must be suitable suitable for the sectionof pile being driven otherwise equipment damage willoccur and the cap could shatter putting everybody in thearea at risk of injury from flying metal.

III. hoses/cables must be checked daily for damage as thiscould result in oil leakage or equipment malfunction.

IV. a rope must be used to guide the hammer into positionand to ensure the crane is no longer supporting it beforestarting up as this will result in serious shock loadingsimposed throughout the jib.

V. piles must not be overdriven beyond manufacturersrecommendations as this will damage the hammer andpossibly buckle the pile head making it difficult toremove the equipment without a cutting torch.

VI. guide lines on refusal are 12 Blows/25mm forcontinuous driving with 20 Blows/25mm accepted for ashort period of 2 minutes in order to substantiate theset

VII.manufacturers recommendations on the safe use of theequipment should be checked and understood by thepiling team.

b) Vibratory equipment the hydraulic clamps must be fully engaged before

starting up the Vibratory Hammer, (usually indicated bya light on the control panel)

the hammer should be started on low vibration andincreased as the ground conditions offer moreresistance.

the vibration levels should be slowly decreased as therequired level is approached. Full speed to stop shouldnot be undertaken in a single sudden action.

ensure there is slack on the lifting strop because if thepile encounters a pocket of low resistance it will causeshock loading to the crane and strop as the rate ofpenetration increases rapidly in an erratic manner.

the pile should not be touched when vibratory driving isbeing applied.

c) Pressing equipment Many pile press techniques operate whilst fixed to

previously installed piles. In these cases it is importantthat the stability of the piles is considered and that thepiles will provide a stable platform for piling operations.This includes both the stability provided by groundresistance and also the strength of the pile section itself.

If the piling equipment is located on the installed sheetpiles then the height above platform can beconsiderable. In these cases the access and workingarea for staff should be carefully considered.

Extracting sheet piles Crane selection for Vibratory methods must makeallowance for the combined weight of the vibro+ Pile +expected force required to overcome ground resistancearound the buried pile.

Selection of hydraulic extraction methods: e.g.,Tosa/Giken or Rig mounted Press must have sufficientforce to extract the piles using hydraulic pressure andreaction from existing piles as an anchor

Multi-fall Hook Block should be used at all times. A check rope should be anchored to an adjacent pile to

stop any whiplash of the crane jib should the pile headfail during the extraction process.

A vibro hammer should not be used for extraction if itdoes not have check valves capable of maintaining jaw

pressure in the event of a burst pipe or sudden pumpfailure. Wherever possible a method should be used which

reduces the need for operatives to work at height.

Piling Hammersa) The recommendations of BS 5228 Pt. 4: Code of

practice for noise control applicable to pilingoperations, should be closely followed.

b) Hammers, and in particular all clamping bolts, shouldbe regularly inspected and a record kept.

c) Use guide rope when positioning a hammer.d) Stand clear when starting and operating.e) ALL personnel should be at ground level during pile

driving .f) Should the piston of a hammer jam, the trip-lever should

be pulled to the open position before removing thehammer from the pile.

g) Damaged high-pressure airlines or high voltage cables,feeding the hammer, can present a serious hazard topersons working in the vicinity of the operation.Therefore it is important to keep supply lines/cablesunder constant observation to avoid damage bytrapping or from sharp objects.

Double acting air hammers

a) All hose couplings should be properly manufactured andmatched. The joining of rubber pipes to brass spigotsshould be by clamp and not hose clips.

b) Ensure that the oil bottle/filter lid is secure.

Internal drop hammersa) Always place a swivel between the hammer and hoist rope.b) Attachment of a hoist rope should always be done using

a properly matched anchor and pear; the dead end ofthe rope should be secured to itself using a bulldog clipor other approved means.

c) Intermediate linking shackle pins should be secured.d) Hoist ropes should be inspected regularly during piling

operations and a record of inspections kept.

Helmets and insertsPile helmets or crowns must be well constructed, strong

enough and free from defect. Should packing or spacers beneeded, they should be drilled, tapped and screwed, tosecure in place, and then be welded. Remember that anywelds to a solid cast helmet will eventually crack.

Rotary Bored pilingThis technique involves specialist piling equipment that

bores a hole which, depending on ground conditions maybe lined (cased). Relatively short rotating boring tools areused which are withdrawn from the ground fully loadedwith spoil. Once the tool is above the ground the rig iscommonly slewed off the bore and the spoil is discharged.

Reinforcement bars and concrete are placed in the holeand any temporary casing is extracted to complete theprocess.a) Personnel not directly involved with the activity should be

kept clear at all times, particularly from the boring andspin off (spoil discharge) areas.

Positioning auger with a guard in position(Picture courtesy of Bachy Soletenche Ltd)


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b) Fixed guarding to Rotary Bored Piling Augers is notpracticable due to the nature of the equipment. A riskassessment should be carried out to identify the size ofthe controlled zone around the auger. This must take intoaccount the slew radius of the piling rig whendischarging spoil.

c) A banksman must be in attendance at all times while thepiling rig is active and must be given authority andresponsibility to ensure only authorised persons arepermitted within the controlled zone. No person ispermitted within the zone while the auger is rotating (thisprecludes manual cleaning of the auger). Should anymanual intervention be required the auger must bestopped. An excavator can be used within the zone forthe purposes of clearing spoil but only under thebanksmans supervision. All persons entering thecontrolled zone must be properly informed andinstructed on the risks associated with this operation. Thebanksman must be a trained CPCS slinger signaller andhave had a minimum of the equivalent of one dayssafety training in the previous 12 months. The banksmanmust be identified.

d) To remove spoil from the auger the loaded auger shouldbe carefully slewed off the pile position to the dischargepoint in a controlled manner. When the auger is beingspun off it should be as close to the ground as possible tominimise the spread of spoil and the auger spin speedshould be only sufficient to empty the tool so as to

minimise the spread of spoil.e) Spoil from bores should be kept clear of the banksmansworking area and access to the borehole.

f) Open bores must be fitted with a cover or other suitable

protection to prevent people falling into them. Commonpractices include leaving the casing 1m above workingplatform level and the auger or other boring tool in theborehole.

g) Freshly completed piles must be marked individually orin blocks to minimise trip hazards from reinforcementand soft concrete. They should be backfilled with asuitable fill to maintain the piling mat integrity, as soonas technically possible, remembering that soft spots mustremain highlighted for the safety of people and plantstability.

h) In the majority of circumstances there is no need for aperson to enter a pile bore/shaft and this should beavoided. Remote means of inspection and sampling thesides of shafts should be used wherever possible.

i) Where entry into a pile bore / shaft is unavoidable therecommendations of British Standard BS 8008 must befollowed.

CFA (Continuous Flight Auger) PilingWith this technique specialist piling rigs screw an auger

into the ground the full depth of the pile bore. Concrete isthen pumped through the hollow auger stem and spoil isremoved as the auger is withdrawn. Reinforcement is

placed in the bore after concreting.a) The majority of rigs used for this type of piling have a

certain amount of guarding achieved by extending thegate (guide), which is used to maintain the position ofthe augers. However this gate does need to be openedto allow the piling rig to achieve its full depth and tofacilitate the rigging of the augers and the gate will notallow work immediately adjacent to structures,especially in corners. Opening of the gates must be keptto a minimum and where practicable designed out, inany case opening should only be carried out when theauger is stationary.

b) A risk assessment should be carried out to identify thesize of the controlled zone around the auger. at eachpile location. A banksman must be in attendance at all

times while the piling rig is active and must be givenauthority and responsibility to ensure only authorisedpersons are permitted within the zone. No person ispermitted within the zone while the auger is rotating (thisprecludes manual cleaning of the auger). Should anymanual intervention be required the auger must bestopped. An excavator can be used within the zone forthe purposes of clearing spoil but only under thebanksmans supervision All persons entering thecontrolled zone must be properly informed andinstructed on the risks associated with the CFA pilingoperation. The banksman must be a trained CPCSslinger signaller and have had a minimum of theequivalent of one days safety training in the previous 12months. The banksman must be identified.

c) Spoil must be removed at a low level. Nowadays mostrigs are fitted with mechanical / automatic augercleaning devices. These should be suitable for theground conditions and applicable auger size to ensureadequate cleaning of the auger, thus preventing spoilrising to height.

d) All control levers on the piling rig should be clearlymarked to indicate their purpose and mode ofoperation.

e) When ropes are subject to heavy wear, they must befrequently inspected and changed as necessary.

f) Similarly, the auger section joints and their wedges mustbe inspected on a daily basis for excessive wear.

g) Freshly completed piles must be marked individually orin blocks to minimise trip hazards from reinforcementand soft concrete. They should be backfilled as soon astechnically possible, remembering that soft spots mustremain highlighted for the safety of people and plantstability.

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Auger guarding and mechanised cleaning(Picture courtesy of Bachy Soletenche Ltd)

The guard forms a natural resting position for thebanksman, this position is away from the auger.(Picture courtesy of Bachy Soletenche Ltd)


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Extraction of pile casingsThis is a high risk process which requires careful

technical planning and supervision by competent personswho know when to stop and seek further advice.

The crane involved must be working well within its safeworking load with all rope falls being used on the hookblock. The driver of the crane must be experienced, used tooperating the machine and competent.

The cranes hoisting mechanism alone, should be used toextract the casing. Use of the derricking system coupledwith creeping the crane nearer and nearer to the pile mustbe avoided as jib and other, more serious, damage mayoccur. When oscillators or other accessories are used witha piling rig they must be compatible and the manufacturersinstructions must be available on site. The advice in this typeof guide must be followed.

Mini PilingThe FPS differentiates between Mini Piling and other

bored piles on the basis of the rig having no cab in whichthe operator sits at the controls. Mini Piling rigs may beemployed to construct small vertical or near vertical piles ofup to 600mm diameter, the depth of the pile being

achieved by adding lengths of drill string in sections.a) The bore is advanced to the required depth using anauger (either CFA or kelly). Casings may also be used toprovide support. To permit concrete or grout to beintroduced the tool is either withdrawn or the materialscan be pumped through the stem of the tools in a similarfashion to CFA piling.

b) The key requirement is to have adequate guardingarrangements in place. This generally means that aninterlocked guard should be in place. Further guidancecan be found in the - FPS Notes for guidance on PUWER(regulations 11 & 12) Guarding and cleaning of augerson piling operations.

Tripod bored piling

A tripod is set up over the pile position and various toolsare used to advance boring. These are raised and droppedby a rope winch attached to the tripod. Casings are driven

to line the bore, their depth varying with ground conditions.Spoil is removed as boring progresses. Reinforcement andconcrete is placed before the casings are withdrawn.a) Each tripod leg must be identity marked and every

tripod and winch marked with its safe working load(SWL). Identity marks must correspond with theexamination records.

b) Ropes should be secured with suitable fastenings, e.g.bulldog clips. Where appropriate, properly constructedsaddles or hard eyes should be used.

c) Knots must not be tied in any rope used for lifting.d) The tripod legs must not be overspread or overloaded.

The base plates should be adequate and secured toprevent any accidental movement of the rig.

e) Only the correct pins should be used in the sheerlegs(tripod).

f) All parts of the winch should be effectively guarded,although it is acknowledged that access to the winchdrum is required to enable the rope to be pushed acrossthe drum during a gear change.

g) Constant attention must be paid to the condition of rope,which should be changed as soon as it becomesnecessary.

h) When a rope/chain block is being used to extract thecasings, the capacity of the block must not exceed thecapacity of the rig.

i) Under no circumstances must there be less than 2 fullturns of the rope on the winch drum at any time.

j) Brakes and other locking devices and bars must bemaintained in good condition

Piling from barges and pontoonsThe use of lifting appliances on barges and pontoons is

covered under Lifting Operations, (see Section 9 - liftingoperations and lifting equipment) .

Other techniquesThere are many other piling techniques in the market

place. Most are variants of the mainstream techniquesdescribed above. Individual suppliers should be contactedfor specific details.

8F - 8 June 2010

Piling method statements should normallyinclude the following so far as is relevant inthe circumstances :- Name and address of the piling contractor. Name and address of the site to which the method

statement relates. Names of the supervisor/foreman and appointed safetyadviser and arrangements for monitoring the work.

Description of the work to be carried out including thenumber, type and size of piles and the method ofplacing.

Duration of the work. Hours of work. Nature of the soil including details of any contamination

present and the precautions to be taken. Access and Piling mat arrangements. Details of the methods of locating and avoiding any

existing underground services, whether or not theirpresence if known.

The presence and conditions of adjacent structures

Details of the personnel to be used and their training/experience.

- Arrangements for the provision of a safe place of workand safe access/ egress including work at height.

Details of plant and equipment to be used together withconfirmation that all necessary records will be providedon site.

Details of auger cleaning device used and auger or drillguarding provided.

Confirmation that man access will not be permitted tounder reamed pile shafts. The precautions to be taken to reduce the exposure of

operatives to noise and to reduce environmental noise Details of the PPE to be provided to personnel. Arrangements for protecting openings. Arrangements for the storage / stockpiling of materials. Welfare arrangements Actions required to reduce manual handling of casings

etc

Note :-This checklist is intended to aid the production andapproval of method statements. It is not an exhaustive listof every possible issue that may need to be addressed for

any given task.Refer to Section 1 for general information on methodstatements.

CHECKLIST FOR PILING METHOD STATEMENTS


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REFERENCES

LegislationLifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998The Work at Height Regulations 2005The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005

Approved Codes of PracticeL 22 Safe use of work equipment ACOP and

guidanceL 113 Safe use of lifting equipment ACOP and

guidanceNetwork Rail Company Standard

NR/L3/INI/CP0063 Piling adjacent to therunning line

British StandardsBS EN 996:1996 Piling Equipment - Safety requirementsBS EN 791:1996 Drill rigs - SafetyBS 2830 Suspended safety chairs and cradles

for use in the construction industryBS 5228 Code of practice for noise control onconstruction and open sites

BS 8008 Guide to Safety precautions andprocedures for the construction anddescent of machine-bored shafts forpiling and other purposes

BS 7121 Code of practice for the use of cranes

GuidanceBRE 'Working platforms for tracked plant: good practiceguide to the design, installation, maintenance and repair ofground-supported working platforms'Safety of Piling Sites ISBN 1 85751 0003 revised 1999 -(CITB )HS(G) 47 Avoiding dangers from underground servicesFPS Notes for guidance on PUWER (Regulations 11 & 12)in relation to guarding and cleaning augers in pilingoperationsBritish Drilling Association; Guidance for protection ofpersons from rotating parts and ejected or falling materialinvolved in the drilling process. - (FPS)CIRIA Report C681

Information sourcesFPS - Federation of Piling Specialists, Forum court,83 Copers Cope Road, Beckenham, Kent. BR3 1NRCITB Publications, Bircham Newton, King's Lynn,Norfolk, PE31 6RH

Training aidsVideos: "Be Alive to Safety" and "Stay Alive to Safety"

- (CITB Publications or FPS)Toolbox talks (set of 47 piling related) - (FPS)

The above reference material is available from:Construction Industry Publications Ltd.,c/o BTB Mailflight Ltd, 2B Viking Industrial Estate,Hudson Road, Bedford MK41 0QBTel: 0870 078 4400Fax: 0870 078 4401email: [email protected]


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