Hire and Rental News - February 2016

52 / 60

In his experience, it’s as important for
contractors to show they’re managing
noise as it is to actually do it.
UEA was engaged for part of the ongoing
Tasman Global Access (TGA) project, a
joint effort by several telecommunications
companies to improve New Zealand’s
internet connectivity by linking the
country with international networks
already servicing Australia. The proactive
deployment of noise control panels from
Echo Barrier has proved to be key in
keeping community–contractor relations
smooth throughout the job.
That job requires a big cable that will run
from Raglan, on New Zealand’s North
Island, across the Tasman Sea and into an
underground conduit drilled by UEA. The
other end of the conduit is at Wetherill
Street in suburban Narrabeen, on
Sydney’s usually quiet Northern Beaches.
To allow the new cable to connect to
Australia, UEA’s Vermeer D300 ‘maxi
rig’ would drill an 800m bore out to the
ocean floor, installing a steel conduit to
be left in situ for the cable. Once the bore
was finished, a diving company would
be brought in to install a termination
piece on the end of the drill string. The
undersea cable could then be linked to
the termination piece and later pulled
through the conduit into an access
chamber excavated on Wetherill Street.
The project required setting up a drill
site adjacent to homes and apartments.
Due to the sandy ground conditions, it
was initially thought the drilling would
have to be in operation 24 hours a day to
maintain steering, although once drilling
commenced it was found it could be
done in 14 hour shifts over six days with
no night works. Regardless, the team
recognised managing the community’s
expectations would be a critical factor in
successful project execution.
“We’re hands on with people,” Thomas
said. “We spoke to hundreds of people
around the area to make sure they knew
what was going on.”
Noise is frequently a sticking point in
community–project relations. To pre-
empt the issue, UEA consulted with
Echo Barrier to assess the site and
create a noise control design solution.
Echo Barrier also provided materials to
Noise control makes for a sound solution
“An important part of sound control is that it looks good,” Thomas Carolan, Senior
Project Manager for UEA, an Australian contractor and drilling specialist said.
support UEA’s
community
engagement,
including
case studies
demonstrating
the benefits of
noise control
on previous
projects.
“People want
to know how
the project will
address their
concerns, and
having a noise
solution design,
some case
studies, and a
responsive attitude provides residents
with comfort,” Echo Barrier Director Ray
Lee says.
A sound solution
Echo Barrier manufactures temporary
noise attenuation panels that are patent
protected. The special acoustic infill
absorbs sound rather than reflecting it.
According to the company, the panels
can reduce noise by up to 32dB.
Noise has impacts on both the contractor
and the community, according to Ray. It
can be a financial liability for a project,
with construction companies often
having to spend time dealing with
noise complaints that can cause work
stoppages and delays.
“On the other hand, from residents’ and
local businesses’ perspectives, excessive
noise from construction projects can
cause significant impacts, including loss
of sleep or an inability to work or study
for residents, as well as the potential loss
of revenue for local businesses,” Ray said.
“Keeping noise levels to a minimum is
about enhancing a company’s reputation
as a member of the community.”
Ray and Thomas collaborated to design
a solution that mitigated the impact on
residents. The design process required
assessing the noise sources on the
drilling site, any points of sound reflection
and the locations of sensitive receivers.
Echo Barrier’s panels are normally
attached to temporary fencing, but during
design the team recognised the large
machinery and surrounding apartment
buildings at Narrabeen would require
a scaffolding solution to create the 4m
height necessary to mitigate noise for
residents higher up. The final design also
included a special canopy and roof for the
particularly noisy drill mud recycling unit.
Light and man-portable, the panels were
affixed to the scaffolding with cable ties,
making them easy to put up and pull
down and a wall of noise barriers took
shape around the site in about 48 hours.
Once the project was underway, an
independent sound test showed an
average noise reduction of 18dB.
Anecdotal feedback from the community
confirmed the test results and the project
enjoyed smooth relations with the
community to a successful conclusion.
“We had one resident come out here and
ask when the job was going to start,”
Thomas said. “I told him we’re 25m into
it. He said ‘Is that as noisy as it gets?
We’ve heard nothing!’”
Thomas said the Echo Barrier noise
management solution had more than just
an audible effect. Echo Barrier panels
have a visual impact: a system of clearly
labelled noise control panels put up as
early as possible in the project sends a
signal to the community.
“When we’re gone, there’ll be just new
asphalt to show we were here.”
Contact: 02 8006 1131or visit website:
(Left – right) Thomas Carolan, senior project manager for UEA and Ray Lee,
Director of Echo Barrier Australia at the Narrabeen site
PORTABLES
HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS • FEBRUARY 2016 52