
11 per cent of Britain sits on coal fields, of which 15 per cent is considered High Risk. These risks range from gradual subsidence from underground workings to the catastrophic collapse of a shaft.
A Coal Mining Risk Assessment identifies site-specific hazards associated with the extraction of coal. It then suggests potential mitigation strategies that can render the site safe and stable for the proposed development.
Risks from mine workings are by no means limited to coalfields. Many areas of the UK have a significant mining heritage for the extraction of natural resources. These range from iron and other metal ores to non-metallic workings extracting chalk and aggregates. All of these can also pose a risk to existing and proposed developments where present.
Soiltechnics have strong experience in preparing mining risk assessments and we recommend this is undertaken in conjunction with a Desk Study.