AGS Magazine - November 2019

November 2019

The Value in Ground Engineering An insight into the value in Ground Engineering works and the continuing need to differentiate between best value and price.

Photo credit: Nabeel Bux, Coffey Geotechnics / ICD Brookfield

“EASY” SAFETY CONVERSATIONS

AGS Video Competition Announced

LOSS PREVENTION ALERT: OBJECTIVES & SCOPE

Using the TED technique to have open and transparent conversations about safety

Readers chance to submit their content to be featured in an upcoming AGS video

What needs to be agreed by the Client and Ground Engineering Specialist

ABOUT THE AGS

Chair’s Foreword This is the 14th issue of the AGS Magazine and I am immensely proud of what we have achieved so far, both in the delivery of high-quality, insightful content and also continually raising awareness for the AGS and the work we do to represent the geotechnical and geoenvironmental sectors.

However, the hard work doesn’t stop with the magazine - our team are working hard behind the scenes to successfully plan and deliver various AGS initiatives and events such as the upcoming AGS Safety in Mind Conference.

If you’d like to be involved with this event, please do get in touch.

Included in this issue of the AGS Magazine is the announcement that we will be running a Video Competition.

This competition will run along similar lines to the very successful Photography Competition and should hopefully produce some entertaining and insightful results. This is a great opportunity to not only contribute to the promotion of the AGS, but also get a little bit of brand recognition and free advertising for your own company! Full details can be 2

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found on Page 4 of this issue.

Also featured this month are articles from Quentin Emery of RyderMarsh OCAID Ltd and Patrick Cox of AECOM. Looking at the true value of ground engineering works, Patrick’s article is incredibly insightful and is a must-read for those of us interacting daily with Clients and how we as an industry can better explain the value high quality ground engineering works can provide in the long term.

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 nonprofit making trade association established to improve the profile and quality of geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering.

The membership comprises of 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.

EDITORIAL BOARD Julian Lovell, AGS Chair Ciaran Jennings, Forum Court Associates Katie Kennedy, Forum Court Associates Calum Spires, Equipe Group Neil Parry, GEL

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 and events received.

CONTACT US Association of Geotechnical & Geoenvironmental Specialists Forum Court, Office 205 Devonshire House Business Centre, 29-31 Elmfield Road Bromley, Kent, BR1 1LT

 ags@ags.org.uk

Julian Lovell AGS Chair

 020 8658 8212  Association of Geotechnical & Geoenvironmental Specialists  @agsgeotech www.ags.org.uk

Inside this month’s issue

Photo credit: Dominic Whitehead, Bridgeway Consulting Ltd

FEATURE PAGE 6

 COVER STORY PAGE 10  Patrick Cox of AECOM provides an insight into the true value in Ground Engineering works.

“Easy” Safety Conversations Tell, Explain & Describe - the TED technique that you can use to make your conversations easier. With the TED technique we ask questions that encourage the other person to open-up, and then we listen - this can be a great way to broach subjects like health & safety that can sometimes prove difficult. Quentin Emery, Principal Consultant at RyderMarsh OCAID Limited explains.

AGS Video Competition PAGE 4  Following the success of the Photography Competition, the AGS announce details of their new Video contest.

Loss Prevention Alert 69 PAGE 5  The need for well-defined objectives and scope agreed by the Client and Ground Engineering Specialist.

Q & A: DR CLAIRE STONE PAGE 14  The AGS Magazine conducts a Q & A with i2 Analytical’s Dr Claire Stone.

MORE INSIDE

PAGE 4



News in Short: Incl. Top 3 Publications

PAGE 17



AGS Working Group Update Data Management

PAGE 18



Events Incl. AGS Annual Conference

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News in Short AGS Video Competition Following on from the success of the first AGS Photography competition last year, the AGS are holding their first official video competition for the geotechnical and geoenvironmental industry.

We’re on the lookout for your most creative video clips, including labs testing, site operations, work in offices, training and drone footage, as the AGS are looking to create a video which represents the diversity of the geotechnical and geoenvironmental industry.

Entry into the competition is free and the winner of the competition will win a hamper basket from luxury retailer, Fortnum and Mason, and two runners up will receive a bottle of champagne.

All entries will be reviewed by the AGS Officers, who will decide on a shortlist and overall winner. Full details will be announced in the March/April 2020 issue of AGS Magazine.

VIDEO REQUIREMENTS The AGS are looking for high quality video clips of a geotechnical and geoenvironmental nature.

Video clips can include projects, laboratory testing, collaborative working and more. Videos featuring staff should demonstrate health and safety procedures are in place, if appropriate.

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HOW TO ENTER Please email across your video clips before Monday 3rd February 2020 with the below points listed to ags@ags.org.uk. Please list the email subject as ‘AGS Video Competition 2019’; •

A short description of what it showcases and where it was taken (up to 50 words)

•

Credit information (if applicable)

•

Your full name

•

Company name

•

Postal address

TERMS AND CONDITIONS •

There is no limit to the number of videos you enter.

•

The deadline for entries is Monday 3rd February 2020.

•

Entry into the competition is free

•

Applicants must be aged 18 or over.

•

Video clips should be sent in standard video format.

•

Applicants must be based in the UK.

•

The photographer must have full copyright of all entered videos.

•

All videos entered may be reproduced by the AGS and used in future AGS event and marketing literature without prior notice.

This may include usage across the AGS’ social media channels, inclusion in the AGS Magazine and on the AGS website. The clips may also be edited by the AGS.

Loss Prevention Alert 69: The need for welldefined objectives and scope agreed by the Client and Ground Engineering Specialist Over the last couple of years several AGS members have encountered contractual difficulties arising from the absence, or poor definition, of the objectives or scope of their work. In some cases, this has led to substantial claims in legal disputes, in others a breakdown in the relationship with the client.

A common cause of disagreement (and in some cases legal dispute) between a client and the ground engineering specialist is a gap between the client’s expectations of the final product from a site investigation (most commonly a report) and that actually published by the specialist. Sometimes that gap results from a shortcoming in the execution of the sitework or in the drafting of the report. However, more often it results from a lack of clarity or agreement between the parties regarding the objectives or scope of the work / report.

LPA 69 has brought together some of these experiences, provided some examples of common issues and proposed some simple good practice measures to avoid such disputes,

namely; 1.

Before you commence work, put in writing your understanding of the agreed objective(s) and the scope of work necessary to meet those objectives.

2.

Ensure the title of your work is appropriate by referring to the relevant standards and reflects the scope and methodology of the work.

3.

In your report, include a statement of the agreed objective(s) and scope of the work.

All practitioners are recommended to read the full text of LPA 69 (it is only 1500 words), to publicise or otherwise transmit this out to their teams, and (hopefully) to avoid these potential pitfalls in their future work. LPA 69 can be downloaded for free on the AGS website.

This topic of scope and objectives is one of the areas being covered at the half-day AGS Commercial Risks and How to Manage Them Conference which is taking place on Wednesday 22nd January 2020 at the Manchester Conference Centre in Manchester. For further information on the conference and to book your place to attend, please visit the AGS website or email ags@ags.org.uk.

Update contributed by Hugh Mallett, Technical Director BuroHappold Engineering

The top three AGS publications for October 2019 1. AGS Guidance on Waste Classification for Soils - A Practitioners Guide 2. AGS Guide to Ground Investigation Reports 3. AGS Guide: The Selection of Geotechnical Soil Laboratory Testing To download the publications for free; click here.

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Photo credit: Dominic Whitehead, Bridgeway Consulting Ltd

“Easy” Safety Conversations

T

he phone rings, it’s our seventeen year-old daughter’s school. They have excluded Mandy and sent her home.

She has been caught “selling” her homework to kids in her class.

4. Concentrate on the positive ……. We never realised how entrepreneurial she was!

Just as we hang up the phone Mandy comes through the front door.

The first two options above are likely to negatively affect the relationship with her, and probably won’t solve the issue/ problem.

Options 3 and 4 avoid dealing with the problem, and therefore won’t solve it either.

What are we going to say/ do?

So what can we do?

1. Tell her off/ punish her

5. We can choose the right time to have the conversation …. Maybe we have to calm down after the conversation with the school before we can have an effective conversation with her about it. Then we need to discuss what happened in a private and comfortable setting. We can

2. Ask her why she did what she did in a very parental style (raised voice/ pointing finger etc), and then do 1 above.

3. Do nothing, ignore what the school has reported, for fear of conflict

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Photo credit: Philip Norville, Van Elle / Strata Geotechnics

needed two nights homework to ask for Mandy’s side Again only copy in a week. Wow! Mandy of the story, and listen has earned well over £100 in carefully to what she through calm has to say. We can questioning, where we a week with the expense of virtually no time, effort and use open questions aim to elicit as much energy on her part.

(Who, What, When, information as possible, Where, How, Why Whilst a part of us might without blame, can we (curious not accusing) and Which) to elicit as find out the real reason, be impressed by the entrepreneurial nature much information as rather than jumping to displayed here, we would also possible. We can probe conclusions. been concerned about what around the undesired Mandy was doing with £100 behaviour to try to find out a week, when there are no as much as possible the reasons behind it. visible signs of her having spent a lot of money.

We can then move the conversation on to Maybe she’s been bullied for the money, or has the consequences of this behaviour, with a habit she needs to feed!

“What if?” questions. We can also introduce praise and encouragement for the desired Again only through calm questioning, behaviour(s). where we aim to elicit as much information

“

So, let’s say that Mandy was selling her homework for £1 per subject per night’s homework. When we probe a bit deeper we find out that she was selling it across 5 subjects and to twelve of her classmates, each of whom

as possible, without blame, can we find out the real reason, rather than jumping to conclusions. One way to do this is to use the TED technique. Where we might ask “Tell me some more about that?”, or “Explain how that

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would work?”, or “Describe what success would look like here?” With the TED technique we ask questions that encourage the other person to open-up, and then we listen …… remembering the 30:70 rule (where they talk more than twice as much as us).

the TED “ With technique we

ask questions that encourage the other person to open-up, and then we listen …… remembering the 30:70 rule (where they talk more than twice as much as us).

It turns out that Mandy was trying to raise £700 for a car, so she could give her mum a lift to/ and from work in the evenings and save her standing at bus-stops in the dark and rain. We can then discuss with her the consequences of her actions, for example she could be permanently excluded from school and the knock-on consequences this could have on her gaining qualifications and the job/ career/ study opportunities she wants. Also that her classmates won’t learn if they merely “copy” her homework, and will therefore probably fail their exams. Then we can ask about other ways that Mandy could earn £700. She may suggest being paid to “tutor” her classmates so that not only do they hand in correct homework, but have also learnt the subject when it comes to exam time, and therefore stand a better chance of passing. She may also suggest doing jobs

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around the house that we could pay her for. Notice how the suggestions should come from her? People commit more strongly when it’s their own idea/suggestion.

With options 1 to 4 above we were fulfilling one of the strongest habitual behaviour patterns known … the Parent: Child relationship. With Option 5 we were instigating an Adult to Adult conversation. With

this option, we: •

Gain an understanding of the reasons behind a specific behaviour (desired or not),

•

Praise, reward, share desired behaviours,

•

Identify ways to change the environment (Physical and Cultural) to help prevent undesired behaviours,

•

Discuss the consequences of undesired behaviour(s), and therefore gain commitment from the person not to repeat them, and

•

Encourage the adoption of desired behaviours.

Photo credit: Steve Wray, Structural Soils

These are just some of the potential benefits of having effective Safety Conversations. Others include keeping people mindful, engaging them, giving them ownership and asking for their ideas and input.

So that’s the theory – what about the practice?

Well, it is a skill that can be taught and developed – and I do! Whilst it’s best done in a workshop environment here’s a principle and top five tips that will help you have those conversations you’re tempted to put off.

The general principle is that we need to start by looking at human nature and understanding human behaviour, communication is most effective if the context is understood. So, start from the mindset -that for almost every behaviour, there is always a reason 1. The main focus of an effective safety conversation is to be “curious”. To find out “why” people have behaved the way they have, so that: (i) If it’s good we can look to share it, and positively reinforce it through praise, encouragement and/ or reward. (ii) If it’s not good we can investigate the root cause(s) and change the environment in an effort to make improvements. Through

effective questioning and support we can also elicit a glad , not grudging promise, to do it differently next time.

2. There are different types of Safety conversations and it’s important to pick the appropriate type. Pre-work and Post Incident are just two of them, and their very different styles and content, will be more/ less effective depending upon the situation.

3. Make time to practice, preferably in an “emotionally safe” environment with people you can trust.

4. Feedback is key and two-way of course so you need to practice: (a) Receiving feedback on safety conversations facilitated, (b) Giving feedback to others on safety conversations observed, and 5. Build a useful checklist of the steps to holding an effective safety conversation to keep as a handy reference to refer to when you’re planning your next conversation.

Article contributed by Quentin Emery Principal Consultant RyderMarsh OCAID Limited

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Photo credit: Nabeel Bux, Coffey Geotechnics / ICD Brookfield

The Value in Ground Engineering

N

ow more than twenty years ago in his review in rethinking construction, Egan said that the construction industry at its best is excellent, but at the time of his review there was concern that it was underachieving and needed to deliver more inherent value.

His conclusions also highlighted that the industry in general needs to educate and help its clients to differentiate between best value and price. The same conclusions apply to the Ground Engineering industry, in fact more so since unlike other products of construction

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built out of the ground, almost all our work is usually concealed from sight, in the ground.

For us as an industry then, there really is an imperative to be able to provide evidence and compelling description of our value. Without doubt we are aware of this and often internally discuss this, but our mission is to take this external and present the evidence in terms and language that is understood by our clients and multi-disciplinary partners who hopefully become our advocates.

So, what is value? Clearly value is not necessarily the lowest cost or the quickest

solution. A straw poll of leaders in major infrastructure yielded responses along the lines of value being ‘…the most effective way to achieve an outcome with legacy being important…’ This description highlights need for definition of outcome to measure ultimate success, optioneering to assess the most efficient or effective

“

It’s arguably the journey to the outcome and downstream legacy benefits where we need to work most to ensure that counterparts and clients understand the value of our work.

approaches to get there, and an eye on the timeline and downstream benefits. It’s arguably the journey to the outcome and downstream legacy benefits where we need to work most to ensure that counterparts and clients understand the value of our work.

Certainly, in the public sector, delivery of an outcome is rightly increasingly emphasising

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

“

In doing so this raised the more than just simply cost Our industry profile of the geosynthetics with a move away from just regularly industry principally through transactional business to makes substantial the presentation of case integrated, collaborative contributions in all studies quantifying cost, outcomes-focused delivery. the Capitals areas, time and environmental Social value is often benefits by evaluation mentioned in tender criteria and especially in the against more conventional for ground engineering work, circular economy, construction approaches. but a blended approach but would benefit The guidance was presented considering all of the from work, perhaps in an accessible way with Capitals is the direction most appropriately information that clients and of travel in major project the developer market could procurement, these being initiated by the AGS, to human, manufactured, measure and document relate to by including nontechnical information and financial, natural, social and outcomes more quantification in directly intellectual. Our industry explicitly against these relevant terms, these being regularly makes substantial criteria... mainly financial savings. contributions in all the Capitals areas, and especially in Quantifying the benefits, the circular economy, but would benefit from the information was compelling mainly work, perhaps most appropriately initiated by from identifying, especially in time and cost the AGS, to measure and document outcomes terms, the advantages of re-using site-won more explicitly against these criteria in an spoil which would otherwise have been array of common project tasks, building a body sent to landfill and substituted for imported of compelling case study evidence. This would higher specification aggregates as well as need to be accessible in the widest sense, kept high carbon steel and concrete. Case studies current and be in those common areas that the included back analysis of actual construction target audience can easily relate to in language of environmental, financial and carbon cost they appreciate. Doing so would probably place of works including a grade separated highway us at the forefront of the construction industry interchange, a noise/environmental bund, ahead of our colleagues in other related retaining walls and fill platforms as compared disciplines but we need it more given our to the delivery of the initial design. The study benefits to a project are usually less obvious as did present challenges in compiling evidence in noted above, unlike architecture, structural or that initial design information was sometimes civil engineering. not developed in detail and required reasonable assumptions in quantities to derive A decade ago the Waste Resources Action environmental and financial costs. However, Programme (WRAP) initiated a study with the outcomes were nevertheless clear in terms similar intent, advocating for the use of of potential benefits. geosystems in civil engineering applications.

The primary objective was reduction of Refreshed and expanded upon, this approach wastage but this was to be achieved by could be used as a template for building greater knowledge and use of engineered information on the benefits that the ground geosystems (geosynthetics) as actually engineering industry brings, by utilising case selected alternative options to conventional studies underpinning common themes with ground engineering construction approaches.

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Photo credit: Leon Hawley, AECOM

clients. Current conversations within our industry are commonly too internally-focused, and availability of this type of information is invaluable to allow us to take our regular conversations externally and talk in those terms clients, counterparts, developers and, for that matter, the general public understand.

Generally, the industry has a wealth of experience in the benefits of various ground engineering tasks which are almost waiting to be documented.

Case studies could include several case studies valuing a focused and appropriate site investigation versus the usual acknowledgement by decision-makers on the ‘need for boreholes’ without understanding the specific direct downstream benefits these provide in risk mitigation and options for geotechnical design and the opportunities for more sustainable or innovative solutions. They may also include common work in optimising retaining walls through further analysis and the direct opportunity to slim down or shallow the wall through more analysis. Ground improvement is essentially entirely directed to optimisation of shallow foundations and surely would be more commonly used or requested if information on applicability and advantages was better described in a non-technical and quantified way. Earthworks and re-use of materials is an area where there is perhaps

most to gain through this approach.

In summary then, surely with the tools and knowledge we now have and routinely use, the time is ripe for us to take the initiative and move one step further in talking about value with our clients, regularly including specific value statements in our work, describing short term investment for longer term gain, development of non-technical guidance documents to demystify the industry, surveying our clients to let them know we’re serious in focusing on our customers and solicit areas for work to improve our offering, creating a collective compendium of quantified case studies identifying the value that the ground engineering industry contributes to society including the value ground engineering can bring to enhancing sustainable solutions.

Some of this the AGS has certainly initiated but is this not a wider role for the AGS to initiate through a working party or similar?

Remembering the sage-like but obvious conclusion from Egan, we as specialists need to educate and help our clients differentiate between value and lowest price.

Article contributed by Patrick Cox Director Major Projects AECOM

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Q & A with...

Dr Claire Stone

(MRSC)

Job Title: Quality Manager Company: i2 Analytical Ltd Brief Biography: Having decided at an early age that I wanted to work in analytical sciences in the environmental field, I was lucky enough to undertake an Analytical and Environmental Chemistry degree. Having completed my degree, I then studied for a PhD in Analytical Chemistry and through this work and postdoctoral work specialised in metals analysis, quality control/assurance and other inorganic analytical techniques. Having joined i2 in 2006, I first worked I was first employed as a method development chemist, I then went on to run the inorganic analysis departments, before becoming Quality Manager in 2009.

What or who inspired you to join the geotechnical industry?

It’s hard to say – I’ve wanted to be involved in this type of work for so long I don’t think I can

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honestly remember who or what first inspired me to do it!

What does a typical day entail?

accreditation of this particular technique is the project I’m most proud of. This is an innovative solution to provide additional lines of evidence for customers who may face challenges when dealing with asbestos contaminated sites.

As well as managing my Quality team to ensure all our laboratories are maintaining our accreditation and extending our scope of testing to ISO 17025 and MCERTS, I also work closely with our What are the most Technical challenging teams to aspects of Being a senior develop novel your role? and innovative chemist, I Ensuring the solutions also speak to our both in terms customers about any highest quality standards are of analytical challenging sites or met whilst methods and problems they have ensuring techniques. that the Being a senior and look to work chemist, I also with them to produce work carried out by the speak to our a cost effective whole of i2 is customers analysis proposition. commercially about any fit for purpose. challenging sites or problems What AGS Working they have and look to work Groups are you a Member with them to produce a cost of and what are your effective analysis proposition.

“

Are there any projects which you’re particularly proud to have been a part of?

The “asbestos dustiness” method development and

current focuses?

I’m a member of both the Laboratories Working Group and the Contaminated Land Working Group and my current focus is on bringing more environmental chemistry

input to the Laboratories group and ensuring that labs are well represented on the Contaminated Land group.

Personally I’m looking at the challenges of deviating samples in respect to both geotechnical and geoenvironmental analysis – an analysis is only as good as the sample provided!

What do you enjoy most about being an AGS Member?

The AGS events are always enjoyable and I was lucky enough to speak at one of them – having a presentation really well received by such a

diverse audience has certainly made these events my favourite aspect of being an AGS member.

What do you find beneficial about being an AGS Member?

Being involved with a wide range of disciplines working in the geotechnical sector means that both personally and professionally strong relationships can develop and through collaboration more opportunities and challenges present themselves.

Why do you feel the AGS is important to the industry?

The AGS provides a focal group to work through a variety of challenges within the sector and I think the fact that it’s run by the members for the members gives it a great strength.

What changes would you like to see implemented in the geotechnical industry?

I would like to see more practical cross discipline experience in the people involved in the industry. I think that by appreciating and understanding the impact of others work and roles the whole industry would benefit.

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AGS Working Group Focus

Data Management Overview

Photo credit: Geotechnics Ltd

Jackie Bland, Leader of the Data Management Working Group, has provided an update on the top issues the Data Management Working Group discussed at their last meeting which took place on 18th September 2019.

1. Release of AGS4.1 The Data Management Working Group are in the process of working on AGS4.1 which is due to be released at the AGS Data Format Conference in 2020. As standards are changing, the group need to ensure that all data can be transferred between relevant parties. We also need to be aware that perhaps different methodologies may be required in future for transferring this data.

The update to AGS4.1 is important to members of the

AGS because frustratingly large costs can be incurred in bespoke system design where there are no appropriate or specific locations within the format to store the data.

It’s preferable that everyone follows a standard within the industry and therefore the same update can be applied to all software packages capable of receiving or producing AGS digital data.

2. Release of AGSi AGSi is almost ready for beta publication in 2020. AGSi has been developed by the Data Management Working Group over the last few years. It provides the ability to move the ground model in a structured way between parties and will hopefully reduce the meetings, sheets of paper and the requirement for the same software package. This also continues our groups’ desire to continue to be truly be software agnostic or software independent.

3. The AGS Data Format Conference 2020 The Data Management Working Group are in the early stages of organising the AGS

Data Format Conference 2020 which will be taking place on Wednesday 23rd September 2020 and will be returning to the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham.

Sponsorship opportunities for the conference are already available and make sure to keep an eye out for future issue of the AGS Magazine and on the AGS website for registration details and speaker line-up.

4. Registered Users of Data Format There are now 87 registered companies of AGS Data Format.

As a reminder, it is now a requirement to be a registered user of AGS Data Format if your company supplies or receives AGS Data. Also, we ask that, if you are a consumer of AGS data, you check that any company supplying you with AGS data is shown on the list of registered users. To register as a Data Format user, email ags@ags.org.uk for further information. .

If you wish to attend AGS Data Management Working Group meetings, please contact the AGS Secretariat by emailing ags@ags.org.uk.

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Upcoming Events

AGS Annual Conference Date: Thursday 2nd April 2020 Location: National Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham The AGS are pleased to announce that their Annual Conference is taking place on Thursday 2nd April 2020 at the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham.

This full day seminar will focus on the work and achievements of the AGS and see expert speakers present on geotechnical and geoenvironmental topics and summarise lessons learnt.

The full agenda and speakers will be confirmed in due course. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

TICKETS A limited number of delegates per AGS member company may attend the conference free of charge. The number of complimentary tickets provided are dependent on the number of practitioners in your company – please see Table on the registration form. Additional tickets may be purchased for £60 (plus VAT) per AGS Member. Non-members may attend for £120 (plus VAT). If you wish to attend, then please email ags@ags.org.uk for a booking form.

SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES Promote your organisation, services and skills – take advantage of one of our great sponsorship opportunities, which include benefits such as exhibition stands, advertising space and more.

To register your attendance or for details on our available sponsorship packages, please contact Joanna Franaszczuk at ags@ags.org.uk or click here to visit the AGS website.

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AGS Safety in Mind Conference Date: Thursday 21st November 2019 Location: National Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham This full day conference will focus on topics of interest such as occupational health, mental health, the challenges of HSE investigation and dangers associated in working around pipelines. There will also be two break-out workshops to allow delegates to participate in more intimate round-table discussions.

TICKETS Tickets will be priced at £145 for AGS Members and £215 for non-members, and will include catering and refreshments. Prices exclude VAT. Event registration closes on Friday 1st November. If you wish to attend, then please email ags@ags.org.uk for a booking form.

SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES - STILL AVAILABLE Promote your organisation, services and skills – take advantage of one of our great sponsorship opportunities, which include benefits such as exhibition stands, advertising space and more.

To register your attendance or for details on our available sponsorship packages, please contact Joanna Franaszczuk at ags@ags.org.uk or click here to visit the AGS website.

AGS Commercial Risks & How to Manage Them Conference 2020 Date: Wednesday 22nd January 2020 Location: The Manchester Conference Centre, Manchester This CPD conference, which will provide a focus on the management of commercial risks, is aimed at both junior and experienced ground engineers, who are interested in improving their knowledge and skills within this sector. The event will also be relevant to practitioners approaching Chartership, as well as those in smaller practices where there may be limited or no in-house legally qualified sources of help or advice. The conference will end at 4:30pm.

Chaired by Jo Strange, Technical Director at CGL, attending delegates will be provided with an introduction of the guidance and advice provided by the AGS Loss Prevention Working Group, with particular attention being given to recent hot topics.

TICKETS AGS members may attend for £70, whereas non-AGS Members may attend for £130. Prices exclude VAT. To confirm your attendance please email ags@ags.org.uk for a booking form. Spaces are limited so we recommend early booking. Application forms received after 8th January 2020 may not be accepted.

SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES Promote your organisation, services and skills – take advantage of one of our great sponsorship opportunities, which include benefits such as exhibition stands, advertising space and more.

To register your attendance or for details on our available sponsorship packages, please contact Joanna Franaszczuk at ags@ags.org.uk or click here to visit the AGS website.

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Training Courses

CL:AIRE 2019 training courses now available • E-Learning Courses : Brownfield Site investigation; Soil and Groundwater Risk Assessment; Sustainable Remediation Appraisal & Asbestos Awareness for Land Professionals https://www.claire.co.uk/commerce/112346-elearning •

CAR-SOIL

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Non Licensed Work for Land Professionals

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Non Licensed Work for Groundworkers

https://www.claire.co.uk/commerce/112352-asbestos-in-soil-and-construction-demolitionmaterials-training •

Verification of Gas Protection Systems

https://www.claire.co.uk/commerce/112374-gas-protection All courses (except elearning and gas verification) also available on a bespoke basis. Please go to Help Desk and provide your requirements: https://www.claire.co.uk/help-desk

Revised Training: Specialist Geotechnical Heath and Safety Courses 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 been revised and renewed for 2019.

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 include: • 19th – 21st November 2019 - IOSH Safe Supervision of Geotechnical Sites • 14th November 2019 - IOSH Working Safely (on Geotechnical Sites) • 19th December 2019 - IOSH Avoiding Danger from Underground Services Other health and safety courses include our latest H&S, asbestos-focussed course: •

12th November 2019 - Managing and working with Absestos Risk in Ground Investigation

Places on these courses can be booked online here, or via contacting Equipe on +44 (0)1295 670990 or info@equipegroup.com 20

Magazine

How to become a Member of the AGS 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 Senate meeting.

The deadline for the next round of completed applications isTuesday 31st December 2019.

AGS Chemical and Legal Helplines All Members of the Association of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Specialists are entitled to free chemical and contractual advice through the use of Loss Prevention Committee Members, Marquis & Lord and Beale & Co. For advice on chemical safety and best practice, Marquis & Lord will provide 30 minutes of free advice to all AGS Members.

Additionally, if you’re an AGS Member and are looking for legal advice, please contact Beale & Co and ask 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

LEGAL HELPLINE (Please quote Beale & Co ‘AGS Helpline’) Tel: +44 (0) 20 7469 0400 www.beale-law.com

Member Reporting Service for Industry Issues 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 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.

Disclaimer These articles 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, 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.

November 2019

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Advertising and Rates 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.

How to Advertise in the AGS Magazine The AGS Magazine is a free email publication which 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 10 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

Adversiting Requirements

Advert Sizes and Rates

All adverts should be sent in a PDF, PNG, JPEG, TIFF, PSD (Photoshop) or EPS (Illustrator) format.

 FULL PAGE W: 210mm H: 297mm RATE: £400  HALF PAGE W: 210mm H: 145mm RATE: £250  QUARTER PAGE

company name address contact number email

W: 105mm H: 145mm RATE: £160

logo

 DIRECTORY Company name, address, contact number, email and one logo.

RATE: £50

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All advertising artwork must be supplied in 114 dpi resolution.

Magazine

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.

Directory

ADVERTISE HERE FOR JUST £50

ADVERTISE HERE FOR JUST £50

AGS Dates for Your Diary Upcoming AGS Events AGS Safety Conference National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham Thursday 21st November 2019 For more information, contact ags@ags.org.uk

the AGS Commercial Risks and How to Manage Them Conference Manchester Conference Centre Wednesday 22nd January 2020 For more information, contact ags@ags.org.uk November 2019

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