Managing flooding on construction sites

Flooding can be a serious issue in some parts of the UK. Whether it is from river or sea water, many places are at risk of extreme levels in certain conditions, with a significant number of these located around the southern and most northern parts of England.

The Environment Agency rates the flood risk not just on the likelihood of rising water levels, but also the amount of damage they could cause to local communities. Although the risk of reservoir flooding is rare, those located near these expanses of water are warned to be aware of the matter as information on potentially affected locations can be extremely useful.

An interactive flood map is available online from the organisation. It details the extent of a flood with a one per cent chance of happening in any year in the case of river flooding in the highlighted flood zones. In the case of flooding from the sea, the map shows the extent of a flood with a 0.5 per cent chance of happening in any 12-month period.

Flooding can affect residential properties, businesses and, of course, contractors working on a building site. Householders and enterprises will want to ensure their insurance policy covers them in the event of an emergency, while there are numerous defences they can put in place to try and protect their premises should the worst happen.

Some may be protected by community defences, but other people may want to establish their own measures for an extra layer of protection.

However, building contractors have other things to consider, as consultations have to be held between the relevant authorities for sizeable developments located in certain at-risk parts of the country. This guide aims to highlight these and show how Speedy can help in the event of an emergency.