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Licensed Asbestos Remediation Following a Rising Main Collapse in Kent

The discovery of asbestos during an infrastructure project can immediately change the scope, risk profile and programme of the work. Following the collapse of a rising main in Kent, Cappagh Browne required a specialist contractor capable of managing licensed asbestos-containing materials within a complex civil engineering environment.

Standard drainage work could not continue until the asbestos risk had been properly assessed, controlled and remediated.

KD Asbestos established a controlled working environment, completed the licensed asbestos-removal phase and enabled the wider infrastructure repairs to proceed safely.

The complete £120,000 project was delivered within a three-week programme.

Asbestos Discovered During Infrastructure Works

The project began following the structural failure and collapse of a rising main.

Initial investigations identified licensed asbestos-containing materials associated with the failed asset. This introduced a serious additional hazard and prevented conventional excavation and drainage-remediation work from continuing.

The asbestos risk needed to be controlled before engineers could safely access, expose or repair the affected infrastructure.

This required careful coordination between the asbestos-removal operation and the wider civil engineering programme. The working environment also needed to accommodate restricted access, wastewater management and temporary measures required to keep the drainage system controlled.

Establishing a Controlled Asbestos Working Environment

KD’s licensed asbestos team designed and constructed a fully self-contained working environment around the affected area.

Establishing these controls allowed the licensed asbestos work to be undertaken without exposing other site personnel or compromising the surrounding working environment.

It also gave the wider project team a clearly managed route from the initial discovery through to clearance and the resumption of the infrastructure repairs.

Licensed Asbestos Removal and Remediation

Once the controlled environment had been established, KD’s licensed team completed the asbestos-remediation phase.

The work had to be carefully sequenced because the asbestos-containing materials were directly associated with failed drainage infrastructure. Removing the material could not be treated as an isolated operation; it needed to support the safe exposure, assessment and subsequent repair of the rising main.

KD managed the asbestos risks while coordinating with the drainage, tanker and civil engineering teams working across the wider project.

This integrated approach reduced the number of separate contractors requiring access to the controlled area and helped maintain clear responsibility for health, safety, communication and programme delivery.

Independent Monitoring and Clearance

Independent air monitoring and clearance testing formed an important part of the asbestos-remediation process.

The drainage and civil engineering phases could only proceed once the controlled asbestos work had been completed and the required clearance had been achieved.

This provided assurance that the affected area had been properly remediated and that follow-on teams could begin work under the agreed site controls.

Enabling the Wider Infrastructure Repair

Following completion and clearance of the licensed asbestos work, KD’s specialist drainage and civil engineering teams were able to continue investigating the failed network.

The subsequent infrastructure works included:

• Robotic CCTV investigation and condition assessment.
• Controlled excavation of collapsed assets.
• Tanker and temporary over-pumping support.
• Rehabilitation of 175 metres of pipework.
• Installation of 14 metres of new 300mm high-pressure pipework.
• Testing, commissioning and restoration of the network.

These works are covered in greater detail within the separate drainage-engineering case study. On this project, however, the critical first stage was the safe control and remediation of the asbestos-containing materials.

Without the specialist asbestos phase, the wider repair could not have proceeded safely.

Managing Asbestos Within a Live Civil Engineering Project

Asbestos remediation within an infrastructure environment can be considerably more complicated than removal from an accessible building component.

Potential challenges can include:

These conditions require more than a standard removal approach. The asbestos contractor must understand how its work affects the wider engineering programme and coordinate carefully with the principal contractor, site management and follow-on trades.

How the Project Progressed

Project Outcomes

KD successfully completed the licensed asbestos phase and supported the restoration of the failed infrastructure within the three-week programme.

Reducing Risk Through Integrated Project Delivery

When asbestos is discovered during drainage, utility or civil engineering works, appointing an isolated asbestos contractor can create additional coordination and communication challenges.

The asbestos-removal programme must integrate with excavation, temporary flow management, engineering access, repairs and final reinstatement.

KD’s combined experience allowed the asbestos risks and wider infrastructure requirements to be considered together.

For Cappagh Browne, this meant one coordinated programme and one accountable team managing the project from asbestos containment through to the restoration of the drainage network.

Do You Need Support With Asbestos-Containing Pipework?

Asbestos-containing materials can be discovered in drainage systems, service ducts, underground infrastructure, plant rooms and older industrial assets.

If suspect materials are identified, work should stop until the risks have been properly assessed and the appropriate controls established.

KD Asbestos supports commercial, industrial and civil engineering clients with:

• Licensed asbestos removal.
• Asbestos surveys and testing.
• Controlled asbestos enclosures.
• Asbestos pipework remediation.
• Asbestos waste collection and disposal.
• Air monitoring and clearance coordination.
• Complex projects involving multiple trades.
• Remediation within operational environments.