Social Benefits Of Pipe Bursting: A View From The Field

Excavations are limited on a pipe bursting project as opposed to an open trench over the entire pipeline.

Trench cave-ins have killed thousands and seriously injured personnel due to the numerous exposures during traditional trenching, causing compounded safety risks for workers and the public at large, and all resulting from inadequate trench box placement. Remember this is not driven by employee negligence, but by the approach and the margins. A typical pipe burst layout consists of two small excavations on adjacent ends of the proposed install. These pits are properly constructed with extended presence and proper machine function, which in turn provides a safe work zone for all parties involved. Employees are not constantly being exposed to changing trench conditions.

Social benefits of pipe bursting are plentiful throughout the construction consideration spectrum. Pipe bursting can provide more bang for your buck by keeping employees safer, reducing traffic disruption, providing increased capacity, preserving the environment in sensitive areas, keeping adjacent utilities undisturbed, reducing restoration costs, decreasing carbon footprints and risks associated with disturbing massive quantities of soil, and is also business friendly. Pipe bursting provides residents a great relief to the headaches of typical open-cut construction.

Coming in March: Pipe bursting myths and misconceptions.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
IPBA (NASSCO), (410) 486-3500, www.nassco.org