MONITEX® Environmental & Personal Monitoring

The MONITEX range includes; dust monitors (PM10, PM2.5, PM1, or TSP sensors), noise monitors, gas monitors and vibration monitors.

Construction activities can generate excessive noise, dust, vibrations etc. which can negatively impact the environment, as well as those living and working nearby. It is therefore important to monitor these things to ensure that the impact is reduced as much as reasonably practicable.

BS 5288 is the code of practice for noise and vibration control on construction and open sites. Part 1 provides guidance on noise control and recommends the use of the ‘ABC method’ for determining threshold noise levels. This involves measuring existing ambient noise levels outside the dwellings and categorising them A, B or C, with the relevant threshold level derived from the category. For more information please refer to the full code of practice which is available to purchase on line.

Work Exposure Limits (WELs) are in place to protect workers from serious long-term health implications. Different substances affect us in different ways, therefore the limits vary from one substance to the next. Whilst continuous over exposure to dust is likely to affect our long-term health (causing COPD and lung cancer), acute over exposure to particularly volatile solvents could be fatal within minutes. By monitoring exposure levels, you can ensure that workers are kept safe both in the short term and long term.

To log into the RVT cloud based monitoring portal, click here.

Ahead of works taking place, it is advised that you make a Section 61 Application under The Control of Pollution Act 1974. This demonstrates to the Local Authority that you are taking a proactive approach towards reducing environmental impact. Once your Section 61 Application has been submitted, the local authority has 28 days to consent to it. If any works are carried out prior to the submission of the application, excluding any minor site preparation, the application will not be approved. Some local authorities will outline noise limits within section 61 consent or refer to a code of practice written by the local authority.

A section 61 is beneficial for several reasons, including:

•Avoidance of legal prosecution - it protects the developer from legal action being taken under Section 60 of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 or Section 80 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

•Positive public relations – it indicates that a contractor or developer has considered the impact that works could have on both the environment and local community, which is likely to strengthen the contractor or developer’s public image and reduce complaints from the community.

•Long-term capital gain – Obtaining Section 61 consent eliminates the risk of being issued a Section 60 notice which can impose requirements on:

- Plant or machinery that can or cannot be used on site;

- Hours during which work is to be carried out;

- Level of noise that may be emitted from the site, at a specified point on site or during specified hours.

Monitoring enables site supervisors to fully understand the noise, dust, gas, and vibratory risks associated with their project. By continuously monitoring hazards, potential harm can be minimised, and it is the only way to prove to local authorities that you are remaining within the specified limits. Failure to prove that local authority restrictions/regulatory requirements are being adhered to, could result in works being stopped until the contractor can prove that they have put adequate control measures in place. Failure to evidence an adequate monitoring programme can also result in fines and imprisonment.