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Fire & Flood Restoration
Prevent flooding being a drain
Recent flooding has caused havoc across the UK. On site, managers are responsible
for their employees. So it’s important to prevent flooding, and know how to tackle it.
The HSE gives advice on how to assess workplaces and make improvements
f drainage is poor on roadways, footpaths and hardstandings on into an existing sewerage system – this may be a private system or
I
site, water will build up on the road surface and affect movement one which is controlled by the local water authority. Alternatively, the
around the site. This is called ponding, or standing water. Ponding water may go into: a local watercourse such as a ditch, stream or river;
can damage the road surface, and in cold weather can result in ice. a pond; the sea; or a soakaway, which will hold the water while it
This is a particular problem where the road is not surfaced or if the soaks into the ground.
road surface is already in a poor condition. These outfall methods will all require consultation with the local
Water will tend to pond if the road surface doesn’t have enough water authority or drainage board, and also the Environment Agency.
slope across it or if the surface is uneven or potholed. Drainage The drainage outfall from your site may have to include equipment
systems can become blocked if they aren’t properly maintained and to prevent the local drainage system from being contaminated with
regularly cleaned. Leaves and litter will block drainage grids, and roots petrol, oil or other chemicals which may be spilled on your site.
can grow into broken drains and cause blockages. If your site has no Surface run-off will include firefighting water. Specialist design
formal drainage you will be relying on water to run off into soft services will be required to make sure that the system is appropriate
ground and soak away naturally.This may not be enough, especially in for your site. On larger sites, where large quantities of water are
wet periods or if you have areas where the water can’t easily run off drained, a retention or balancing pond (or similar) may be required as
onto soft ground. Also the drains on part of your system to regulate the
your site may not be in the right flow of water from the site and help
places to collect water, and any with water quality.
changes to the site layout can lead
to changes in the path that water Snap to it
will take. Is your site in an area Carry out a visual inspection of your
which is subject to flooding from site to look for problems with
nearby rivers and streams? Dry drainage. Walk around the premises,
stream beds can become torrents make notes and take photographs of
in wet weather. Check that flood any problems such as areas of
prevention mounds are intact standing water. Mark the problem
(contact the Environment Agency areas on a site plan (you may be able
or use local knowledge). to get a plan showing the drainage
One solution is to lay a new on your site). Does your site use
road surface to allow water to potential pollutants? The
drain off more easily. Simply Environment Agency recommends
repairing potholes or damaged that all industrial sites using potentially
areas can help reduce the amount of damage which might occur in polluting liquids have an accurate and up-to-date drainage plan. This
the future. (For more information about drainage problems see the should identify both surface and foul water systems.You may need to
information sheet Road surfaces WPT28). arrange for a site drainage survey. In a site drainage survey, drains are
inspected by a specialist company. They lift manholes and use dye
Keep it clean tracing, flow meters, pH and ammonia meters to establish how the
Drainage systems need regular maintenance to make sure that they system operates. CCTV might be used to detect lost or blocked
work properly. Clean gullies regularly to remove the debris that drains.
collects in them. Cracked and broken pipes should be repaired and
roots removed.You could use specialist drainage contractors to do Where to get help
this, or your local council may provide this service. Temporary roads If you have a problem with drainage, you might be able to fix it
should follow the natural contours of the ground, as far as possible, so yourself, e.g. cleaning a blocked drain. If you are unsure, speak to your
that natural drainage is working for you, not against you. Water health and safety workplace representative or contact HSE for advice.
running away to the side of a road is likely to cause less damage than It may be more cost effective to have a professional assess your site
if it is allowed to run along the road. and carry out the work, e.g. a specialist drainage engineer. New
If the existing drainage system is inadequate, or if your site doesn’t drainage systems will need formal consent from the relevant
have any existing drainage, there are several methods you can use to authorities.You can also get advice by speaking to other similar local
improve your drainage, including; gullies and pipes, kerb drains, businesses – look for examples of good practice. Contact your local
channel drains, and filter drains. Permeable surfacing is another trade association or Chamber of Commerce for recommended local
method. Several surfacing products are available which allow water suppliers or look in the Yellow Pages for listings of drainage
to pass through the surface, removing the need for traditional contractors.
drainage systems. The water is then either allowed to soak into the HSE priced and free publications can be viewed online or ordered
ground or is collected below the surface and carried into a piped from www.hse.gov.uk or
42820 or cleaning-matters.co.uk/enquiry
system. The most common method of disposing of surface water is telephone them for information. Tel:01787 881165
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