What is BS 8008 - piling shaft safety about?  
Construction work comes with inherent risks. Mitigating these risks is a priority for project managers, engineers, and builders so that life and assets are safeguarded. BS 8008 discusses safety precautions and procedures for the construction and descent of machine-bored shafts for piling and other purposes. BS 8008 details best practices to identify the measures that need to be taken to ensure the health and safety of workers.
BS 8008 provides guidance on the safety precautions and procedures involved in instances where it is required to lower personnel into a shaft that is machine bored and not less than 750 mm in diameter.
Note: BS 8008 does not cover the descent of hand-dug shafts lined progressively as excavation proceeds, for which reference ought to be made to BS 6164.
Who is BS 8008 - piling shaft safety for? 
BS 8008 on safety precautions and procedures for piling construction safety is useful for: 
- Builders / real estate developers
- Infrastructure / construction companies
- Construction project managers / engineers
- Contractors
- Health and safety regulatory bodies
- Trade bodies
- Quality control personnel
Why should you use BS 8008 - piling shaft safety?  
Bored piles are a type of construction foundation that supports structures by shifting their weight to layers of soil or rock with appropriate bearing capacity and settling characteristics.
BS 8008 helps you to reduce the possibility of accidents occurring by drawing attention to the hazards involved.
Possible hazards include:
- Previous constructions (old foundations, walls, tunnels, buried services, etc.)
- Weak ground
- Strata with the potential to weaken rapidly, e.g., fissured clay
- Permeable water-bearing strata
- High water pressure below the envisaged base level and tidal waters
- Existing boreholes
- Toxic or flammable materials and gases
BS 8008 provides guidelines for conducting a ground investigation of construction sites. BS 8008 specifies tests and equipment to ensure that the ground is suitable for the planned building design.
BS 8008 guidelines include safety pointers for planning, personnel, training, plant and equipment, as well as general precautions to ensure that all operations in the field are undertaken in a safe and professional manner. Using BS 8008 guidelines, you save potential costs associated with safety hazards.
