5 Tips for Earthworks and Landscaping in Nigeria

Earthworks and landscaping is a set of construction activities that involves shaping the earth to create smaller or larger depressions, moving soil from one location to another, excavating for underground structures, grading land for new construction, installing drainage systems and more. It is also known as geo-technical engineering and it deals with making changes to the surface of the earth by digging up soil, moving it around with trucks, excavating it and even covering it with vegetation. It is a process that requires specialized equipment and professionals who understand the specific challenges of working on locations where heavy machinery cannot access easily. This article outlines tips that can help you get started in this niche as an earthworks contractor.

Know the difference between roughing and finishing

Both roughing and finishing are types of earthworks. When you are conducting roughing, the earthworks contractor is excavating a surface. When you are conducting finishing, the earthworks contractor is finishing the surface of an excavation. This difference is important because it determines the equipment you need to use. Roughing requires large machinery, while finishing can be done with smaller equipment. Both types of earthworks can also be done simultaneously. When conducting finishing in your earthworks project, you must be careful to avoid spoiling existing underground utilities. To do this, you can make use of ground penetrating radar. You can also use utility marking flags to mark the location of utilities so they are visible.

Hiring the right equipment

When you hire equipment for your earthwork, you will want to make sure you hire the right equipment for the job. This means having the right machine for the type of earthwork you are doing and hiring machines that are in good operating condition. If you are going to hire a backhoe, for example, make sure to look for a machine with a short boom length. This will make it easier for the machine to get into tighter spaces. For your earthwork, you may also want to consider hiring a vibratory plate compactor. This machine uses vibrations to settle the soil you have excavated on a site so you can grade it. It can also be used to compact loose or sandy soil so you can install a new concrete surface.

Look for quality control measures

While conducting your earthworks project, look for ways to implement quality control measures. To do this, use a measuring wheel to measure the length and width of the excavation site, as well as the depth. This way, you can be sure you are creating the correct dimensions. For the excavation, you must wear a dust respirator. This will help protect you and your employees from exposure to silica dust. For excavating and moving soil, you will want to use a clamshell bucket or a shovel. For larger excavations, you can use a backhoe. Be sure to use a bucket that is at least 6 inches wide to avoid tearing up the ground unnecessarily.

Ensure safety practices are in place

Earthworks projects are inherently dangerous, especially when working with heavy equipment. Make sure your workers are wearing the right safety gear and that they are following safety guidelines. This way, you can avoid accidents and keep your workers safe. If your workers are operating heavy machinery, they need to be wearing the appropriate PPE: eye protection, hearing protection and a respirator, as well as gloves and long pants. They should also be trained in the equipment they are operating.

Things to look out for in a contract

When awarding the contract for your earthworks project, make sure you look for certain things in the contract. For instance, you need to make sure that the contractor has workers’ compensation and general liability insurance. This will protect you in case there is an accident on site and someone is injured. You also want to make sure the contractor has liability insurance for your equipment if they damage it. And finally, make sure the contract includes an agreement about who is responsible for what. This includes who will be responsible for removing the excavated soil and who will pay for any damage caused to public property.

Summing up

Earthworks projects are challenging and require specialized equipment. To get started in this field, you will need to become familiar with the types of equipment used, how to hire the right equipment, and how to implement quality control measures. You will also want to look out for certain things in a contractor’s contract when awarding the job.