MAR/Specific/TBT-MAR-007

Piling in Water (Marine)

Marine & Coastal Works › Specific › Piling in Water (Marine)

Presenter		Project
Location		Date

Marine piling involves driving or boring piles through water into the seabed or river bed below.
Operations take place from barges, jack-up platforms, pontoons, or temporary staging over water.
Drowning is the primary risk; all personnel must wear personal flotation devices at all times.
Tidal conditions dictate working windows; piling may only be possible during certain tide states.
Marine piling rigs are heavy and must be secured against vessel movement, waves, and current.
Noise from marine piling can exceed 120 dB and requires hearing protection zones on the vessel.
Environmental restrictions may limit piling during fish spawning seasons or marine mammal activity.
Transfer between vessels and working platforms is a high-risk activity requiring controlled procedures.
LOLER 1998 applies to all crane and rig lifts; lifting over water increases the consequences of failure.
Weather and sea state monitoring is essential with defined stop-work criteria for wave height and wind.

Prevent drowning	Working over water with heavy plant and unstable platforms creates immediate drowning risk if anyone enters the water.
Vessel stability	Piling forces, wave action, and load shifts can destabilise barges and platforms, risking capsize and total loss.
Environmental law	Marine piling requires environmental permits. Breaching protected species conditions leads to prosecution and project shutdown.

Don't

Wear a personal flotation device at all times when working over water.
Check tidal windows and weather forecasts before starting each piling shift.
Secure the piling rig against vessel movement, waves, and tidal current.
Establish man overboard procedures and position rescue equipment on the vessel.
Use controlled transfer procedures for moving between vessels and platforms.
Enforce hearing protection zones around the piling rig during driving.
Monitor environmental restrictions including marine mammal observation requirements.
Ensure all lifts comply with LOLER including over-water risk assessments.
Define stop-work criteria for wave height, wind speed, and tidal conditions.
Brief the full team on emergency procedures including vessel evacuation.

See also: Marine Works Safety Awareness | Tidal Working Procedures

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