Assessing risks posed by hazardous ground gases to buildings

Following the high profile gas explosions at Loscoe and Abbeystead during the 1980s, a number of reports were published in the 1990s on the measurement of ground gases, the assessment of risk such gases may present along with the measures that can be employed to mitigate these risks. More recent guidance has focused on licensed landfill sites but there is a need for up-to-date guidance relevant to existing or planned development. This book gives up-to-date advice on all these aspects. The guidance it contains consolidates good practice in investigation, the collection of relevant data and monitoring programmes in a risk-based approach to gas contaminated land. A step-wise approach to risk assessment is described. This guidance aims to ensure a consistent approach to decision making, particularly with respect to the need for, and scope of, remedial/protective design measures while remaining flexible enough to be relevant to site-specific and development variabilities.