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AGS Awards 2020

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Below are the list of recipients of this year’s AGS Awards. We would like to thank all Working Group participants for their hard work over the last year in raising standards across the industry and increasing the profile of the AGS on the whole.

AGS Safety WG Award
Madeleine Bardsley
Madeleine has been a stalwart of the SWG for a number of years and her experience and knowledge of working on contamination sites has been invaluable in producing and reviewing a wide range of publications and guidance documents. Madeleine is a regular attendee at our quarterly meetings and is always keen to be fully involved in the lively and frank discussions.

AGS Safety WG Award
Steve Everton
Steve is a very active member of the SWG and has been a committee member for several years. Steve has been recently involved in providing further input into the updated asbestos risk assessment working in collaboration with the CLWG. Lately, Steve has been instrumental in our current view of the safety of trial pitting from a working at height perspective and is currently working on analysing the questionnaire shared throughout our industry with future magazine articles. Steve also delivered a thought provoking presentation at the recent “Safety in Mind” conference on the subject of trial pitting.

AGS Safety WG Commendation
Roseanna Bloxham
Rosey is a relatively new member of the SWG committee, but has quickly established herself as a key member of the team. Rosey has contributed and worked on new and current safety guidance. Notably, Rosey delivered an excellent workshop using Lego at the recent “Safety in Mind” conference with a follow-up article in the recent e-magazine.

AGS Business Practice WG Award
David Hutchinson
Although David is the newest member of the Business Practice Working Group, joining in 2019, he has already proved to be a very valuable member of the team. He has been prolific in providing analysis key to the endeavours of the group and has produced several documents in a very timely manner for review and publishing. We thank him very much for his continued willing and cheerful assistance to the AGS overall and to the Business Practice Working Group in particular.

AGS Business Practice WG Award
Neil Parry
It goes without saying that Neil, as Past Chair and a long-standing AGS contributor, has provided a great deal of value to the Association over the years and his dedication to the AGS cause has been consistent and diligent since 2007. Neil has previously led the Business Practice Working Group and remains an active member, contributing greatly to AGS governance and marketing and providing valuable insight at meetings.

AGS Business Practice WG Commendation
Ken Marsh
For unfailing support and diligence in participation to Business Practice activities for many years in addition to his responsibilities as AGS Treasurer. Ken has provided invaluable advice and input to the strategy of the AGS through Business Practice contribution.

AGS Loss Prevention WG Award
Jo Strange
This is to reflect Jo’s long standing and active contribution to the LPWG over more than 10 years. Jo has been involved in the research and preparation of the Loss Prevention Guidance, Newsletter articles and some Loss Prevention Alerts. Jo has always been generous with her time and always helpful in reviewing and commenting upon many and various documents published by the LPWG. Her comments are always kind, useful and improve the advice. In particular, Jo was a great Chair of the Loss Prevention conference earlier this year and is repeating her contribution in Manchester this coming January. On the basis of all of this contribution, I would very much like to recognise Jo’s significant contribution to the LPWG with an AGS Award.

AGS Data Management WG Award
Roger Chandler
Roger Chandler joined the AGS Data Management Group in 1999. The group has proposed him for this Award in recognition of his tireless work on behalf of the AGS at conferences and elsewhere in promoting use of the AGS ‘Electronic Transfer of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Data’ format (data transfer format).

Over the last 20 years he also has been very active in promoting the AGS Format throughout the world, including Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong, but especially in the USA. In 2005, Roger was invited to join a group there which was tasked with creating a global geotechnical data exchange format. Their plan was to use AGS 3.1 as the basis for their XML format. Whilst DIGGSml now has a good following in the United States, the UK was unable to make a workable version for its users and in 2010 our paths diverged and AGS 4.0 was created. Roger has maintained his ties to the US project and gives us regular updates on its development.

In his new role as Director Geotechnical Information Management at Bentley Systems, he is no longer able to attend all our meetings, but we still hope to see him occasionally.

AGS Executive Award
Vivien Dent
Viv has led the Contaminated Land Working Group with vigour and enthusiasm and has always been an active member of the Executive Committee. Viv has been instrumental in helping the AGS to develop and deliver extremely high standard conferences and has persuaded high level speakers to be involved. She has also continually encouraged her working group to produce interesting and informative articles for the AGS Magazine helping to keep the members aware of the working group activities, issues and hot topics. She is a great ambassador for the AGS and clearly enjoys her work and long may this continue.

News

AGS Video Competition – The Results

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Following on from our hugely successful photography competition, in winter 2019, the AGS launched a video competition to view the industry’s most creative clips.

A whole range of videos were submitted from members including recordings of rigs, ground improvement projects, geology models and concrete testing. The AGS Officers had the difficult task of reviewing each of the entries, and have shortlisted three outstanding clips:

1ST PLACE: In Situ Site Investigation, Rail Rig Time-Lapse Video

A time-lapse video which shows the simplicity of using CPTs on a railway using an RRV from the on-tracking process. Tests were completed either side of a bridge abutment to provide information about the ground material in order to rebuild a bridge.

2ND PLACE: Harrison Group Environmental Limited, Geology Model Video

A geology model representation of an investigated feature. The clip showed how data can be interpreted from geology “sticks” at each investigation location into triangulated surfaces. The resulting output helped to explain what occurred in the area and could be analysed further with tools such as section profiling.

3RD PLACE: Jones Bros and BWB Consulting, Sheet Piling and Ground Improvement Project

A short video showcasing sheet piling and ground improvement works on a geotechnically challenging project along a dual carriageway link road in Wigan.

Congratulations to In Situ Site Investigation who have won a Fortum and Masons Tanner Hamper worth £85. The hamper features an assortment of Fortnum’s classics, including sweet and savoury jars, a tea tin, biscuits and confectionery delights. Harrison Group Environmental Limited and Jones Bros & BWB Consulting, have each won a bottle of Champagne.

The AGS would like to thank all those who took the time to enter the video competition. The overall standard of entries was extremely high, and the judging panel found the task challenging in shortlisting the top three entries.

 

 

News Safety

AGS Guidance on Safe Ground Investigations in Light of COVID-19

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COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) which is commonly spread through coughing and sneezing, through close personal contact or touching an object or surface (fomite) that has the virus on it and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth without having first cleaned your hands.

The AGS Safety group has developed this guidance in anticipation of a general return to site to carry out geotechnical, contaminated land and other ground investigation activities.  It will be reviewed and revised in the coming weeks in line with government and industry advice.  Readers are encouraged to make comments, offer suggestions and send in photographs of site work that can be added to the document.

 Any suggestions for modifications to equipment need to have been fully risk assessed for any risks they introduce. For instance, screens fitted to rigs reduce the ability to hear each other and Perspex scratches very easily and also goes opaque quite rapidly, reducing visibility. Likewise lifting “extensions” can introduce additional manual handling risks.

 This guidance is based on UK Government and CLC advice. The Government issued generic guidance on 11 May 2020: Working safely during COVID-19 in construction and other outdoor work: Guidance for employers, employees and the self-employed.  Other restrictions and advice may apply in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland however this guidance is intended to apply throughout the UK.  The Construction Leadership Council (CLC), on 19 May 2020, issued Site Operating Procedures (SOP) version 4 based on this Government guidance.  The key premise of this guidance is to stick as close as possible to the CLC v4 guidance as possible noting the CLC reminder to comply with the latest Government advice on Coronavirus (Covid-19) at all times.

The guidance can be downloaded here.

If you have any comments or suggestions for the guidance, please email ags@ags.org.uk.

News

AGS Magazine: May 2020

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The Association of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Specialists are pleased to announce the May 2020 issue of their publication; AGS Magazine. To view the magazine click here.

This free, publication focuses on geotechnics, engineering geology and geoenvironmental engineering as well as the work and achievements of the AGS.

There are a number of excellent articles in this month’s issue including;
FIDIC Emerald Book and Geotechnical Baseline Reports – Page 4
20 Years of SiLC – Page 6
AGS Members versus COVID-19 – Page 9
The Geotechnical Asset Owners Forum – Page 12
We’re going on a bear hunt… Safe access onto GI sites – Page 14
Q&A with Mark Beastall of SOCOTEC – Page 22

Advertising opportunities are available within future issues of the publication. To view rates and opportunities please view our media pack by clicking HERE.

If you have a news story, article, case study or event which you’d like to tell our editorial team about please email ags@ags.org.uk. Articles should act as opinion pieces and not directly advertise a company. Please note that the publication of editorial and advertising content is subject to the discretion of the editorial board.

News

AGS Magazine: March/April 2020

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The Association of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Specialists are pleased to announce the March/April 2020 issue of their publication; AGS Magazine. To view the magazine click here.

This free, publication focuses on geotechnics, engineering geology and geoenvironmental engineering as well as the work and achievements of the AGS.

There are a number of excellent articles in this month’s issue including;
Update from the AGS regarding COVID-19 – Page 4
Are traditional sampling techniques really that bad? – Page 6
A Candid Look at Responses to SiLC Membership Questionnaire 2019 – Page 12
AGS Guide to Occupational Stress – Page 16
Q&A with Chaido Doulala-Rigby (Yuli) of Tensar International – Page 22

Advertising opportunities are available within future issues of the publication. To view rates and opportunities please view our media pack by clicking HERE.

If you have a news story, article, case study or event which you’d like to tell our editorial team about please email ags@ags.org.uk. Articles should act as opinion pieces and not directly advertise a company. Please note that the publication of editorial and advertising content is subject to the discretion of the editorial board.

News

Update from the AGS regarding COVID-19

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With the ongoing situation of COVID-19, the AGS would like to remind AGS members of the current guidance. Businesses and workplaces should encourage their employees to work at home, wherever possible; if someone becomes unwell in the workplace with a new, continuous cough or a high temperature, they should be sent home and advised to follow the advice to stay at home for 14 days and employees should be reminded to wash their hands for 20 seconds more frequently.

The AGS are continually reviewing the situation and the decision has been made to postpone all AGS 2020 events; AGS Annual Conference (which was due to take place on 2nd April), Laboratories, Instrumentation and Monitoring Conference (which was due to take place on 15th July) and Data Management (which was due to take place on 23rd September, but has now been moved to 22nd September 2021). Further details about all three conferences will be released in due course.

For those who attend AGS Working Group meetings, we will be using remote and conferencing technologies to hold these meetings until further notice and details of these will be circulated with the meeting notification as usual.

The AGS Secretariat are currently working remotely, but we are checking our voicemail twice daily and aim to get back to you as soon as we can. We can also be contacted by email ags@ags.org.uk.

News

Important Notice: AGS Annual Conference 2020 Postponed

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The AGS have taken the decision to postpone the AGS Annual Conference to later on this year.

After much discussion, The AGS have decided to postpone due to the current spread of COVID-19. This will help to reduce the risk to all involved, and we wanted to give you as much advance warning as possible.

The AGS are looking to hold the conference later in the year and further details will be announced in due course.

News

AGS Magazine – February 2020

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The Association of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Specialists are pleased to announce the February 2020 issue of their publication; AGS Magazine. To view the magazine click here.

This free, publication focuses on geotechnics, engineering geology and geoenvironmental engineering as well as the work and achievements of the AGS.

There are a number of excellent articles in this month’s issue including;
AGS Annual Conference 2020 – Page 4
On Stoney Ground: Re-Visited – Page 8
AGS Commercial Risks and How to Manage Them: Conference Review – Page 12
Health and Safety – Lego style – Page 14
Emergency rescue from a trial pit: Are you prepared? – Page 16
Q&A with Phil Crowcroft of ERM – Page 20

Advertising opportunities are available within future issues of the publication. To view rates and opportunities please view our media pack by clicking HERE.

If you have a news story, article, case study or event which you’d like to tell our editorial team about please email ags@ags.org.uk. Articles should act as opinion pieces and not directly advertise a company. Please note that the publication of editorial and advertising content is subject to the discretion of the editorial board.

News Loss Prevention

AGS LPWG Input to NEC4 Professional Services Contract

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The Loss Prevention Working Group has been in communication with the NEC4 drafting committee regarding the extent of professional indemnity insurance cover required under the Professional Services Contract.  NEC are to provide additional guidance on how to complete Contract Data for the insurances within the published guidance notes. At present, guidance on this insurance in Volume 2 simply recommends that the advice of an insurance specialist be obtained. NEC now propose to add the following.

When insurance cover is restricted for certain work required under the contract, for example advice in relation to land affected by contamination where an aggregate limit has been imposed, the compiler should include the entry “….. in respect of each claim without limit to the number of claims, but subject to an aggregate limit of …. In respect of claims relating to …”. The same approach should be followed where other restrictions are placed on the cover which Consultants are able to obtain for services under the contract.

This will allow consultants to be covered by their usual policies which usually limit cover relating to contamination to be in the annual aggregate.

Neil Parry, Director at Geotechnical Engineering on behalf of the AGS Loss Prevention Working Group

News

AGS Magazine: December 2019 / January 2020

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The Association of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Specialists are pleased to announce the December 2019 / January 2020 issue of their publication; AGS Magazine. To view the magazine click here.

This free, publication focuses on geotechnics, engineering geology and geoenvironmental engineering as well as the work and achievements of the AGS.

There are a number of excellent articles in this month’s issue including;
New AGS Members in 2019 – Page 4
AGS Safety in Mind Conference – Review – Page 6
Mindfulness & Meditation – Page 10
Collateral Warranties: Reliance and Limiting Liability – Page 14
Q&A with Neil Parry of Geotechnical Engineering – Page 18
Standards Update: November 2019 – Page 22

Advertising opportunities are available within future issues of the publication. To view rates and opportunities please view our media pack by clicking HERE.

If you have a news story, article, case study or event which you’d like to tell our editorial team about please email ags@ags.org.uk. Articles should act as opinion pieces and not directly advertise a company. Please note that the publication of editorial and advertising content is subject to the discretion of the editorial board.

News

AGS Magazine: November 2019

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The Association of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Specialists are pleased to announce the November issue of their publication; AGS Magazine. To view the magazine click here.

This free, publication focuses on geotechnics, engineering geology and geoenvironmental engineering as well as the work and achievements of the AGS.

There are a number of excellent articles in this month’s issue including;
AGS Video Competition – Page 4
Loss Prevention Alert 69: Objectives and scope – Page 5
“Easy” Safety Conversations – Page 6
The Value in Ground Engineering – Page 10
Q&A with Dr Claire Stone of i2 Analytical – Page 14
Working Group Focus: Data Management – Page 17

Advertising opportunities are available within future issues of the publication. To view rates and opportunities please view our media pack by clicking HERE.

If you have a news story, article, case study or event which you’d like to tell our editorial team about please email ags@ags.org.uk. Articles should act as opinion pieces and not directly advertise a company. Please note that the publication of editorial and advertising content is subject to the discretion of the editorial board.

News

AGS Magazine: September/October 2019

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The Association of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Specialists are pleased to announce the September/October issue of their publication; AGS Magazine. To view the magazine click HERE.

This free, publication focuses on geotechnics, engineering geology and geoenvironmental engineering as well as the work and achievements of the AGS.

There are a number of excellent articles in this month’s issue including;
2020 AGS Sponsorship Packages – Page 4
AGS Commercial Risks & How to Manage Them Conference 2020 – Page 6
Reducing risk and preventing claims on complex brownfield residential sites – Page 8
Manual Handling Operations – Have you assessed your risk? – Page 14
Safety and technical concerns of using a DCP – Page 18
AGS Guide to Working on Rail Infrastructure – Page 24
Q&A with Adam Latimer of Ian Farmer Associates – Page 28
Working Group Focus: Loss Prevention – Page 31

Advertising opportunities are available within future issues of the publication. To view rates and opportunities please view our media pack by clicking HERE.

If you have a news story, article, case study or event which you’d like to tell our editorial team about please email ags@ags.org.uk. Articles should act as opinion pieces and not directly advertise a company. Please note that the publication of editorial and advertising content is subject to the discretion of the editorial board.