Cheap UXO Risk Assessments Can Result in Expensive Projects!

ZeticaUXO have just reviewed a detailed UXO risk assessment report for a large area of London.  The report provided by another UXO specialist confirmed that large areas of the site had not been bombed, but it concluded that the whole site required extensive UXO risk mitigation works.  As a result, the contractor developing the site prepared a costly risk mitigation phase of works.

The lack of corroborative sources of information, limited historical aerial photographs and lack of in depth research on bombing incidents, meant that the report could only conclude a high UXB risk due to lack of evidence to the contrary.

An ‘err-on-the-side-of-caution’ approach is unfortunately the only result when there is insufficient emphasis placed on the record gathering stage of research.

Strangely, the report did zone the site as having low through to high risk zones.  Yet the same risk mitigation was recommended for all works.

Our conclusion is simple:

• Cheap UXO risk assessments can mean expensive UXO risk mitigation!
• Saving £200 on a desk study and risk assessment in the short term can end up leaving a risk mitigation bill stretching to tens of thousands of pounds.