ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING
Environmental monitoring of noise, dust and vibration can be a legal requirement on construction and demolition sites. Swantest can provide a reliable service to monitor these conditions and produce a detailed report based on the findings.
Using the latest monitoring equipment and software which is calibrated and updated regularly, we can set up monitoring points based on our client’s needs. By carrying out an initial site visit to determine baseline readings we can record any surrounding influencing factors. These can include adjacent construction sites, heavy traffic passing by, air traffic etc. We have experienced engineers who can take these factors into account and set trigger level based on your site specification. Thereafter we can monitor weekly or fortnightly for set periods of time; generally 15 – 60 minutes per location.
Alternatively if you require full 24/7 monitors we can supply these and set them up. These can be linked to a live web based system which allows you to view the monitoring data remotely from your office, laptop of mobile phone device. There are options to record for set time intervals throughout the day.
Environmental monitoring forms an integral part of any site QA system and is vital to demonstrate the project is compliant.
All environmental monitoring is carried out in accordance with BS 5228-1: 2009 and A1:2014, BS6742-1:2008 and the current legislation of environmental protection.
Monitoring
Baseline
The site will have been monitored pre demolition. This is to give an idea of how much background factors (ambient noise/dust/vibration) are in this area. Before start work we take notes of surrounding factors, such as surrounding building sites, busy vehicle/pedestrian traffic, passing trains, passing air traffic, all of these factors add to these results giving the baseline. This baseline will show how much noise is in the surrounding area before start the project.
Trigger Levels
Trigger levels are the limit of which one of the elements (noise/dust/vibration) cannot exceed external to the hoarding. Trigger levels are agreed with the local council, depending on site location and monitoring locations (outside or/and inside a building), according to the client requirements. The trigger level is then the agreed point where we are making too much noise, dust or vibration and we can then take this and reduce the element that is breaking the trigger level.
Once the project starts we will then monitor weekly/fortnightly (depending on the projects requirements). At each receptor point we will monitor for 5/10/15/60 minutes (site specific) in different locations around the site. These readings are taken from the perimeter of the site so we will then in essence be given a snapshot of what the public would experience whilst walking past the site or local residences would experience. This then allows to try the best to minimize noise, dust and vibration to not disturb the neighbours.
Equipment
Noise Monitoring
Noise Monitor: SVANTEK 971 with a ½” Prepolarized Condenser Microphone.
Noise monitoring is measured in LAeq (equivalent continuous sound level), this gives us an average dB(A) over a set amount of time. This would then be put onto a graph with a trigger level and baseline to compare.
Dust Monitoring
Dust Monitor: EVM 7.
Dust monitoring is measured in PM 10 (particles of matter with an aerodynamic diameter les or equal of 10 micrometres) in mg/m3 of air. This measures liquid or solid particles founded in the air. The average of this measures will be put into a graph to be compared against the trigger level.
Vibration Equipment
Vibration Monitor: SV 106 Six-channel Human Vibration Meter and Analyser with Ground Vibration Sensor SV 207B.
For vibration monitoring are measured Peak, Peak-Peak, MTVV (maximum transient vibration value) in terms of acceleration (m/s2), and VDV (vibration dose value) in m/s1,75. The readings are posted on to a document where you can see the peak vibration and a chart on which you can see all the results.