Ground disturbance can be a necessary part of most land development projects, but it's also a potential source of risk and negative impacts on the environment. Ground disturbances can have serious consequences for ecosystems and human health if they’re not managed properly. Ground disturbances can also have secondary risks if they’re not well managed. If you’re considering developing a property near a wetland, river, or other sensitive area, or if you’re designing a construction project that will disturb ground, it’s important to understand the risks associated with ground disturbances. These risks can have serious implications for your project’s timeline, budget, and other critical factors. In most cases, these risks can be reduced or eliminated by implementing strategic mitigation measures before or during construction. That said, it’s important to understand the potential hazards associated with these risks so that you can make informed decisions throughout the project’s lifecycle and avoid potential challenges down the road. We’ve outlined some of the main risks of ground disturbance below so that you can learn more about how they might affect your project and how you can best manage them to protect your investment and stakeholders.
Soil Quality and Erosion Risk
When soil is disturbed during construction, it can become vulnerable to erosion and other forms of degradation. This can lead to expensive and time-consuming clean-up efforts, as well as fines from regulatory agencies. There are several ways that you can minimize erosion and degradation of soil quality during construction. First, avoid working in wet or saturated soil whenever possible. If you have limited space to perform the necessary work and you must disturb wet soil, you should also use soil protection and erosion control techniques to prevent erosion. Finally, if you’re working in a sensitive area like a wetland or waterway, you should always follow strict setback regulations to minimize the risk of causing soil degradation.
Biotic Risk
Biotic risk is the potential for harm to organisms, plants, or animals due to construction activities. There are a number of ways in which you can avoid or mitigate the risk of biological contamination during construction. First, you can select appropriate construction materials to avoid biological contamination from entering the materials. You can also use biocides and other methods of sterilizing tools and work areas to reduce the risk of biological contamination. Additionally, you can avoid working in sensitive areas like wetlands, floodplains, and riparian areas whenever possible.
Chemical Contamination Risk
Chemical contamination can occur when construction materials come into contact with toxic chemicals. This can occur when materials are transported to the site and when materials are used on-site. Some of the most common types of chemicals that are used in construction are pesticides, herbicides, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). To avoid the risk of chemical contamination, you should use construction materials that are uncontaminated and that have a long-lasting effect. You should also follow strict construction practices to avoid mixing different types of materials.
Water Quality Risk
Water quality risk is the potential for contamination of surface water or groundwater from construction activities. There are a number of ways to avoid or mitigate the risk of water quality contamination during construction. First, you can select appropriate construction materials to avoid water quality contamination from entering the materials. You can also use water quality protection techniques like biocides and water quality sensors to reduce the risk of water quality contamination. Finally, you can avoid working in sensitive areas like wetlands or waterways whenever possible.
Human Ecological Risk
Human ecological risk is the potential for harm to humans from construction activities. There are several ways to avoid or mitigate the risk of human ecological contamination during construction. First, you can select appropriate construction materials to avoid human ecological contamination from entering the materials. You can also use engineering controls and personal protective devices to reduce the risk of human ecological contamination. Finally, you can avoid working in sensitive areas like wetlands or waterways whenever possible.
Ground Stability Risk
Ground stability risk is the potential for a construction site to lose support and become unstable. This can be a serious risk, as it can lead to serious accidents and injuries during construction. There are several ways to avoid or mitigate the risk of ground stability loss during construction. First, you can select appropriate construction materials to avoid ground stability loss from entering the materials. You can also use ground stability monitoring techniques like GPS and roping to reduce the risk of ground stability loss. Finally, you can avoid working in sensitive areas like wetlands or waterways whenever possible.
Conclusion
Ground disturbances can be a necessary part of most land development projects, but they also have the potential to cause serious and costly environmental and human health impacts. Fortunately, there are several ways to limit or avoid these risks during construction. First, you can select appropriate construction materials to avoid contamination of soil, water, and air. You can also use engineering controls and personal protective devices to limit the risk of contamination. Finally, you can avoid working in sensitive areas like wetlands or waterways whenever possible.