Support that fits the activity on the ground.
Watching briefs may be considered for excavation, trenching, trial pits or other activities where the assessment supports this form of mitigation. The engineer’s coverage must reflect the work fronts, visibility, methods and programme. One person cannot be assumed to provide effective oversight of several simultaneous activities.
Before mobilisation, the project team should agree responsibilities, working hours, briefing arrangements, reporting and the actions required if something unexpected is encountered. A watching brief does not prove that all buried ordnance has been located and is not an automatic substitute for another survey or mitigation measure.
What the scope can include
- An agreed scope of site coverage and interfaces
- Specialist input to the site briefing
- A record of activities covered and relevant observations
- Clear reporting and escalation arrangements
What we need from you
- UXO risk assessment and mitigation recommendations
- Daily activities, work fronts and planned depths
- Site location, access and induction requirements
- Programme, shift pattern and expected duration
Can a watching brief cover drilling and piling?
Support for drilling and piling needs its own scope. The assessment, methods and investigation depths determine the appropriate controls; a generic watching brief should not be assumed to cover every intrusive activity.