GROUNDFORCE Shorco has supplied a range of trench boxes and associated safety products to enable George Leslie to carry out a waste water rising main development to make space for new infrastructure project in Cambuslang.
George Leslie had already installed 18m of Groundforce Shorco’s Premier trench boxes on the project when the first Covid lockdown kicked in. This enabled the company to review the requirements, backfill the excavation, and prepare to restart with Groundforce’s Standard trench boxes, which are significantly lighter than the larger Premier boxes, thereby providing greater flexibility and handling.
Work re-started in July and now more than 30 of the medium-duty standard base units, each with two top units to cater for the 4.5m deep trench, have been laid along 125m at the site close to Junction 2 of the M74. A further 160m will be laid when a new route for the remaining sewer pipes is finalised.
The Groundforce trench box bases, at 3.5m long and 2.6m high, were each supplemented by two 1.3m high top units, the EdgeSafe lightweight mesh barrier system, and ladder access points. Where services were encountered in the 1.2m wide excavation, this was supported with KD6 trench sheets and 3.9m long heavy duty hydraulic walers.
The Groundforce Standard boxes, which can be used in trenches up to 5.2m deep in conjunction with up to two top extension units, for Phases 1 and 2 of the development, had to be installed along a live road with lane closures in operation.
George Leslie site manager Craig Paterson said, “For the length of pipe we were putting in there were a lot of concrete foundations to dig out. This, plus the fact we had to maintain access for local businesses as there was no diversion possible, made it very challenging.
“But Groundforce was excellent throughout. We have a good working relationship with them, and their trench boxes do just what they say on the tin.”
Alan Best, Groundforce area manager, added, “We were involved in the design at a very early stage back in early 2020, prior to work ceasing in March due to the global pandemic. Early engagement and collaboration with the site team ensured that all aspects of ground support, edge protection, access and egress including emergency rescue equipment, completed the comprehensive brief.
“Further design work was then carried out in the summer of this year prior to the restart of the project. It was a challenging project, with only partial road closures and live traffic passing in close proximity to the excavation at all times.”
