M&N Civil Engineering Ltd. undertook an intricate project within a live pharmaceutical plant, focusing on bulk excavation as part of the enabling works package. The excavated material was diligently managed, with disposal carried out offsite via trucks at various locations, each determined by material classification:

• Category B material was transported to IMS the Naul North Dublin.
• Category C material found its destination at Ballynagran landfill.
• Category D material was disposed of at Enva Portlaoise.

Throughout the tender process, M&N Civil Engineering Ltd. engaged with relevant stakeholders to explore the disposal options for these materials. Site visits were conducted at the designated landfill sites, allowing us to assess the sites and collect material samples. Following agreement on material classification, M&N Civil Engineering Ltd., in collaboration with environmental engineers, devised our excavation execution plan for the removal of 42,000 tonnes of contaminated material from the brownfield site.

Safety was paramount throughout the project. Given the potential risk of airborne asbestos fibers, the project site maintained constant asbestos monitoring. All personnel working within the site wore Tyvek suits for protection. M&N Civil Engineering Ltd. also established a manned wheel wash at the site entrance to ensure the correct allocation of material, and chain-of-custody dockets were signed before trucks left the site. A full-time road sweeper was onsite to maintain clean roads within the live pharmaceutical plant. All live road gullies were capped and sealed to prevent cross-contamination. Groundwater pumps were set up to manage surface water discharge from isolated upstream manholes to downstream manholes. These pumps operated on standby and were only needed during heavy rain. Dust suppression measures, including power washers, were implemented during dry weather periods, particularly where access for larger equipment was unsuitable.

The presence of numerous live services required the use of vacuum excavation to expose and locate these services, ensuring that our works did not impact the live services which remained functional. The following procedure was diligently followed for live service zones:

• Service drawings were reviewed by a member of the Site Management Team to locate underground services.
• Ground scanning was performed by an individual with a CSCS Ticket in Locating Underground Services, with findings documented in the Method Statement/Permit to Dig.
• A Permit to Dig was completed and signed by Site Management, Excavator Driver, and Spotter both at the commencement and completion of works.
• Task-specific Method Statement/Risk Assessment and Safe Plan of Action were completed and signed off by all involved in the task.
• Increased supervision was maintained during all excavation works to ensure compliance with safety protocols and agreed documentation.
• When digging around high voltage cables, contact with the ESB was established, and they provided on-site supervision if deemed necessary.
• A spotter was consistently appointed to oversee excavation works, and the Excavator Driver ceased operations if the spotter was unavailable.