Vonage current situation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Vonage current situation - Essay Example The company claims that its technology is unique as it allows higher flexibility, more features, low cost and ease in operation and size. It has reached higher number of customers due to announcement of free unlimited calling to landline phones in all cities and locations in more than 60 countries. It also provides important facilities like call waiting and call forwarding at an affordable price. It is in touch with all the customers of different nations through web and it connects to people in USA through national retailers like Best Buy and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Recently it launched Vonage Mobile which is its first mobile calling service and it is considered to be a free downloadable service that enables low cost international calling through cellular network or Wi-Fi. Vonage Holdings Corp. has its headquarter in Holmdel, New Jersey. Its financial status has been improved considerably relative to previous year. Though its operating revenue recorded for the second quarter i.e. April-June 2009 was lesser ($222 million) than that recorded in second quarter of 2008 ($227.5 million), it recorded a net profit of $2.28 million in 2009 compared to a net loss of $6.88 million in 2008. This is due to reduction in operating expenses in 2009. The average monthly direct costs of telephony services per line was reduced to $6.76 in 2008 from $7.22 in 2009 resulting in reduction in operating expenditure which in turn resulted in higher net profit. Vonage has gone to public in May 2006 though IPO for raising $250 million and registered as public company with New York Stock Exchange. Around 13.5% of its shares were sold to the public and 60 % of its shares were retained with the directors of the company. It was quoted at $1.76 on 7th October 2009. Its 52 week high and low values were $2.63 and $0.31 respectively which indicate that the

Assignment 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Assignment 1 - Essay Example Experts predict that technology in the next 25 years will revolutionize the world to something never seen before. They predict that quantum technology will be possible such that the computers will be able to harness the power of the atom to help in performing computational tasks. The current computers are electronic and therefore they only store information in 1’s or 0’s but with this technology it will be possible to store both and this will increase processing capability (The Observer). Another prediction that is made is that our smart phones that we use today will have the power of a super computer at that time surpassing the capabilities of the servers that we have today. The phones will also have increased memory and the capability to connect to a high powered network that it will be easy for anyone to access massive kinds of information. It will also be possible to store all your information in a back-up cloud so that in case it is lost you only need to identify yourself and you have all your information (Gates). Another prediction is that I will be possible to speak to your computer such that there will be no need for a key board or a mouse, you will talk to the computer and tell it to perform a given operation with ease. It will be possible to use natural language on computers as they will be able to learn and recognize their errors and mistakes. For example the Watson system developed by IBM that interacts with humans is one such example of what to expect in the future (Marsan). It is also predicted that everything will be digitized and accessible over the internet from personal information to corporate information, to history and education. All these will be scanned and stored on the internet and they will be searchable. The content will also be personalized so that an individual will receive the article, books, music or even movies that march their interest. This storage on the internet will mark the death of certain kinds

Compare the way the Aztecs dealt with Cortes to the way the Powhatans Essay

Compare the way the Aztecs dealt with Cortes to the way the Powhatans dealt with the English - Essay Example In both cases, there was an uprising as a retaliation to the enemy’s act, but after incorporating the enemy in the society. For example, Carrasco and Sessions (229) assert that Cortes was welcomed by the Motecuhzoma. The Aztec ruler offered the Spaniards with high-class accommodations, touring them around the gardens, city, marketplace, and zoo something which the people did not want. A rebellion rose up when Cortes’ second-in-command in the Aztec capital murdered a group of unarmed warriors and priests at the Main Temple of Tenochtitlan. The Aztecs, under the leadership of Cuitlahuac led a massive attack in the night of June 1520 driving the Spaniards out of the town. Kupperman (174) argues that the Powhatanss incorporated the English settlers as clients so as to learn their economic and political arrangements. This made the English think they had submitted to King James which was not so. In both conquests, there were numerous casualties. White notes that during the Aztec’s resistance, â€Å"over 2,000 Tlaxcalan soldiers and 500 Spaniards were killed in the battle† (467). The Powhatans riddled the colonists with arrows, killing 347 settlers. Divine intervention was also used to fight off the enemy. The soothsayers informed Aztec emperor Montezuma II as well as the people of calamities to come. The Powhatans hatched the plan to attack the English settlers based on their religion. In both native groups, the captives were tortured and humiliated. The Aztecs ate the flesh of the enemies they had captured in the battle (Carrasco and Sessions 231). The Aztecs carried out campaigns to capture the enemy warriors for sacrifice and humiliation as much for killing on the battlefield. The Powhatans performed rituals on the captured enemies and killed them (Axtell 67). Captain John Smith, in December 1607, was almost executed by the king after being captured. The Aztec empire used conquests, wealth, a series of alliances, forced payments of the

Assignment 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Assignment 1 - Essay Example Experts predict that technology in the next 25 years will revolutionize the world to something never seen before. They predict that quantum technology will be possible such that the computers will be able to harness the power of the atom to help in performing computational tasks. The current computers are electronic and therefore they only store information in 1’s or 0’s but with this technology it will be possible to store both and this will increase processing capability (The Observer). Another prediction that is made is that our smart phones that we use today will have the power of a super computer at that time surpassing the capabilities of the servers that we have today. The phones will also have increased memory and the capability to connect to a high powered network that it will be easy for anyone to access massive kinds of information. It will also be possible to store all your information in a back-up cloud so that in case it is lost you only need to identify yourself and you have all your information (Gates). Another prediction is that I will be possible to speak to your computer such that there will be no need for a key board or a mouse, you will talk to the computer and tell it to perform a given operation with ease. It will be possible to use natural language on computers as they will be able to learn and recognize their errors and mistakes. For example the Watson system developed by IBM that interacts with humans is one such example of what to expect in the future (Marsan). It is also predicted that everything will be digitized and accessible over the internet from personal information to corporate information, to history and education. All these will be scanned and stored on the internet and they will be searchable. The content will also be personalized so that an individual will receive the article, books, music or even movies that march their interest. This storage on the internet will mark the death of certain kinds

Homesite Report Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Homesite Report - Research Paper Example e oceans; the destruction they leave in their wake is devastating as was witnessed during the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004 where 230000 people lost their lives and property worth billions of dollars lost and the Japanese tsunami that led to the destruction of nuclear power plants leading to loss of lives and severe environmental degradation (Nanto 15)  Ã‚  Additionally, active volcanoes pose a major threat to those who live near them, since the possibility of property being buried under volcanic ash is always real. Wildfires are a major threat since once they start, they are difficult to contain and they have often led to major losses as witnessed in the Greek forest fires in 2009 (Amiridis et al. 6)  The other natural disaster that is likely to affect residents adversely is drought, which reduces the value of property and increases the cost of living. To make the right decision about where to settle, one has to look at the likelihood of any of these happening.  Having consider ed all these factors, three cities were found to be the most suitable.  Ã‚   The 2012 United Nations world risk report listed Qatar as the safest country from natural disasters, out of 173 countries worldwide (ADW 4)  Doha is the capital city of Qatar, which is in the Middle East. The country is located in a geologic setting, which makes it less susceptible to earthquakes. It’s tectonically gentle and the country, being one of the biggest oil and gas producers in the world, has the financial muscle which it has used to install six earthquake sensors that further reduces the possibility of residents being caught unawares (USGS) Being in the desert and receiving very little rain throughout the year, the risk of flooding and landslides in Doha is virtually nonexistent. Due to its geologic setting, the country is also not susceptible to tsunamis. The vegetation in Qatar is quite sparse thus making it rather difficult to sustain wildfires. The country does not have active volcanoes, thus

Anti Head Lice Essay Example for Free

Anti Head Lice Essay Abstract. The present study focused on the separation and identification of the active compounds against head lice from the hexane extract of Annona squamosa L seed. Chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques revealed that two major compounds of the hexane seed extract were oleic acid and triglyceride with one oleate ester. The yields of these compounds were 13.25% and 7.74% dry weight, respectively. The compounds were tested in vitro against head lice, comparing to the crude hexane extract of the seed. The triglyceride with one oleate ester and the crude hexane extract diluted with coconut oil 1:1. These compounds were found to kill all tested head lice in 49, 11 and 30 minutes, respectively. The triglyceride ester can be used as a marker for quantitative analysis of the active compound for quality control of the raw material A. squamosa seed and its extract. This first finding will be useful for quality assessment and the chemical stability of the antihead lice preparation from this plant. INTRODUCTION Annona squamosa L. (Custard apple) is a plant belonging to the family Annonaceae. It is popularly cultivated in all parts of Thailand, especially in the northeast, as a sweet fruit. The seed of this plant is well known for killing head lice in many countries (Boonyaprapasara, 1998). The human head louse (Pediculus humanus capitis) is a small insect causing a public health problem, especially in poor sanitary conditions. In Thailand, research has shown the anti-head lice activity of A. squamosa. Puapatanakul (1980) reported that the extract of custard apple seeds in coconut oil at the ratio of 1:2 can kill 98% of head lice within two hours, while the leaf extract shows less potency. Gritsanapan et al (1996) found that the petroleum ether extract of the leaves and seeds dissolved in coconut oil at a ratio of 1:1, kill 90% of head lice in vitro by 53 and 26 minutes, respectively. A 20% cream (oil/ water) preparation of petroleum ether extract of custard apple seeds can kill 93% of head lice Correspondence: Wandee Gritsanapan, Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, 447 Si Ayutthaya Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand. Tel: +66 (0) 2644-8677 ext 1500, 5530; Fax: +66 (0) 2644-8701 E-mail: [emailprotected] 532 within 3 hours (Areekul and Chaikledkaew, 1994, personal communication). Gritsanapan et al (1996), reported that 20 g of 20% freshly prepared cream can kill 94.5Â ±9.1% of head lice within 3 hours of application to school girls’ hair. Tiangda et al (2000) found the cream preparation of custard apple seed is biologically stable for at least 12 months. However, it is easier to control the quality and stability of the preparation by quantitative analysis of the active chemical components. The active compounds of A. squamosa seed extract have not been reported elsewhere. The present study, therefore, is focused on the isolation and identification of the anti-head lice components in the seeds of A. squamosa. MATERIALS AND METHODS Preparation of plant extracts A. squamosa seeds were purchased from Pak Chong District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand in October 2004. The samples were identified by comparison with the herbarium at Forest Herbarium, Department of National Parks, Wild-life and Plant Conservation, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Bangkok. The voucher specimen (WAS 0704) has been deposited at the Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol UniVol 37 No. 3 May 2006 A NTI-HEAD L ICE EFFECT OF A. SQUAMOSA versity, Bangkok, Thailand. The seeds were washed and dried in a hot air oven at 55Â ºC for 24 hours. The dried seeds were ground in an electric mill. Extraction and separation of major compounds The powdered seeds of A. squamosa (1.1 kg) were macerated with hexane (23 l) for three days at room temperature. The mixture was filtered and the filtrate was concentrated by a rotary evaporator and evaporated in a hot water bath until a constant weight (282.4 g) was obtained. The extract (75 g) was separated using silica gel column chromatography (400 g silica). Hexane (CH2Cl2 (1:1) 100% CH 2Cl 2 : CH 2Cl2 : MeOH (1:1)) was used as an eluent. Fifty milliliter fractions were collected and the fractions with the same TLC pattern (SiGF 254 hexane: ethyl acetate 10:3) were combined. The fractions containing two major spots (R f 0.20 and 0.72) were eluted in 100% CH2Cl2 fractions. To isolate pure compounds, the fractions containing major compounds were combined and concentrated. The mixture wa s further fractionated using silica gel column chromatography (200 g). Isocratic elution by hexane: ethyl acetate (10:3) was performed (approximately 25 ml per fraction). The fractions with the same TLC pattern were combined to yield five fractions. The second and fourth fractions gave compound AS1 (38.7 g) and compound AS2 (22.6 g), respectively. Compounds AS1 and AS2 were purified to give pure compounds. Testing for anti-head lice activity of pure compounds and crude extract The hexane extract and the two major pure compounds were tested for anti-head lice activity according to the method of McCage (2002). The extract and pure compounds were separately dissolved in coconut oil at dilutions of 1:1 to 1:8 w:w. The same amount of each solution (0.05 ml) was put in a Petri dish and spread in a thin layer over a 2 cm2 area. Seven equal sized head lice collected from school girls’ hair were placed in the Petri dish containing solutions of the extract and the two major pure compounds. Non-moving head lice, which were determined as dead lice, were counted every 5 minutes until all the lice were dead. A commercial anti-head Vol 37 No. 3 May 2006 lice cream, Hexinâ„ ¢, which is gamma benzene hexachloride (1% w/w) and coconut oil were used as a positive and negative controls, respectively. RESULTS Compound AS1 was a pale yellow oil, yielded 13.25% w/w of dried seeds. TLC (SiGF254, hexane:ethyl acetate 10:3) had an Rf value of 0.20 (Fig 1). The EI mass spectrum had a molecular ion peak at m/z 283.2 [M+1] and a prominent peak at m/z 264.3. The IR spectrum of compound AS1 revealed absorption peaks at 3000-2930 (O-H stretch), 2850 (C-H stretch), and 1700 (C=O stretch, carboxylic) cm-1. The 1H NMR spectrum of compound AS1 indicated the presence of one methyl proton at ÃŽ ´ 0.90 (3H, t, H-18); a methylene proton group at ÃŽ ´ 1.26 (20H, m, H-4-7 and H-12-17); two methylene proton groups at ÃŽ ´1.65 (2H, m, H-3); four methylene proton groups at ÃŽ ´ 2.00 (4H, m, H-8, 11); two methylene proton groups at ÃŽ ´ 2.35 (2H, t, H-2); two olefinic methane proton groups at ÃŽ ´ 5.35 (2H, m, H-9,10) and the broad peak of a hydroxyl proton at ÃŽ ´ 10.15 (1H). The 13C NMR spectrum and Distortionless Enhancement by Polarization Transfer (DEPT) exhibited 16 carbon resonances, revealing the presence of thirteen methylene carbons, one methyl carbon, two olefinic methine carbons and one carbonyl carbon. These spectral data suggested that compound AS1 was a fatty acid. Comparing the NMR spectra of compound AS1 with Aldrich Library (1993) of 13C and 1H FT NMR spectra, confirmed the molecular structure of AS1 was an oleic acid (Fig 2). Compound AS2 was also pale yellow oil, yielded 7.74% w/w of dried seeds. The Rf value (SiGF254, hexane: ethyl acetate 10:3) was 0.72 (Fig 1).The 1H NMR spectrum looked similer to the AS1 spectrum, with additional signals at ÃŽ ´ 4.15 and 4.30. The IR spectrum of compound AS2 showed bands at 2925 (C-H stretch) and 1746 (C=O stretch, ester) cm-1. 533 S OUTHEAST ASIAN J T ROP MED P UBLIC H EALTH Table 1 Head lice killing time of the crude extract and pure compounds from Annona squamosa seeds (n=3). Test sample Dilution (w:w) Killing time (min) 30.67Â ±4.04 34.33Â ±4.04 41.00Â ±3.61 55.00Â ±5.00 49.33Â ±3.06 54.67Â ±5.51 59.00Â ±6.56 61.33Â ±4.16 11.00Â ±1.00 12.00Â ±2.00 16.00Â ±1.00 22.33Â ±2.52 180 180 1 2 3 Hexane crude extract 1:1 1:2 1:4 1:8 Oleic acid (AS1) 1:1 1:2 1:4 1:8 Triglyceride with one oleate ester (AS2) 1:1 1:2 1:4 1:8 Coconut oil (-ve control) Not diluted Hexinâ„ ¢ (+ve control) Not diluted 1 = AS1, 2 = AS2, 3 = hexane crude extract. Fig 1–TLC chromatogram of AS1, AS2 and hexane crude extract. H After comparing the NMR spectra of compound AS2 with Aldrich Library (1913) of 13C and 1 H FT NMR spectra, compound AS2 was felt to be a triglyceride with one oleate ester (Fig 2). The hexane crude extract of compound AS1 (oleic acid) and compound AS2 (triglyceride with one oleate ester) from Annona squamosa seeds showed in vitro anti-head lice activity as summarized in the Table 1. The data show that the triglyceride with one oleate ester was the most active compound against head lice. It killed all tested head lice within 11 minutes when diluted with coconut oil to a ratio of 1:1. Both the Hexinâ„ ¢ and the coconut oil killed all the head lice within a period of 180 minutes. H COOH (CH2) 7 H3C (CH2) 7 Oleic acid O CH2O CHO CH2O C R1 R2 Oleate Triglyceride with one oleate ester R 1, R2 = H/ other fatty acid Fig 2–Structure of separated compounds from Annona squamosa seed. DISCUSSION The triglyceride with one oleate ester in coconut oil (1:1) was significantly more active against head lice than gamma benzene hexachloride 1% cream and the hexane crude extract. These data are supported by previous reports (Gritsanapan et al, 1996; Tiangda et al. 534 2000). This result is useful for the standardization of Annona squamosa seed and its extract. The active compound may be used for the qualitative assessment of the chemical stability of the custard apple cream preparation. This is the a first report of the active anti-head lice components from A. squamosa seeds. Vol 37 No. 3 May 2006 A NTI-HEAD L ICE EFFECT OF A. SQUAMOSA REFERENCES Aldrich Chemical Co, Inc. The Aldrich Library of 13C and 1H FT NMR Spectra. 1st ed, 1993. Boonyaprapasara N, Chokchaicharoenporn O, eds. Samunprai Maipuenbaan. Vol. 2. Bangkok: Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, 1998: 454 (in Thai). Gritsanapan W, Somanabandhu A, Titirungruang C, Lertchaiporn M. A study on the antiparasitic activities and chemical constituents of extracts from the leaves and seeds of custard apple (Annona squamosa Linn.). Proceedings of Third NRCT- JSPS Joint Seminar, 1996: 209-15. McCage CM, Ward SM, Paling CA, Fisher DA, Flynn PJ, McLaughlin. Development of a paw paw herbal shampoo for the removal of head lice. Phytomedicine 2002; 9: 743-8. Puapatanakul O. Clinical studies of Annona squamosa seeds and leaves for the treatment of head lice. 1980: 37 pp (in Thai). T iangda C, Gritsanapan W, Sookvanichsilp N, Limchalearn A. Antihead-lice activity of Annona squamosa seed extract. Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health 2000;31 (suppl 1): 174-7. Vol 37 No. 3 May 2006

Demolition of steel manufacturing plant

Demolition of steel manufacturing plant Introduction This report is to outline the demolition of an existing steel manufacturing plant between Sheffield and Rotherham, all buildings on the brownfield site will be demolished. The client is a major internet mail order retailer who requires a handling and distribution warehouse on the site. The report will show potential hazards that may be found on the site and precautionary measures are needed. This will involve removing the existing buildings found on the site and that adequate provisions are made to assure the local authority that any potential hazardous are removed safely and correctly from the site. The report will also contain a specification of a suitable foundation answer for the new building, and a suitable frame solution. There will be a solution for the cladding system, a method of construction for the concrete floor slab for the new building. The building will have a gross area of 13,000m2 which will incorporate high bay racking which will be used for storage of the retail products. Within the design a 600m2 office accommodation is required on site for the staff to operate the facility. The new building will be a close as possible to the boundary to allow space for vehicular access to and from the site. Demolition Under section 80 of the 1980 Building Act anyone intending to carry out demolition is required to notify the council. This outline Method Statement and all detailed Method Statements produced will be in accordance with BS 6187. Site personnel Contracts manager Safety advisor Full Time Site Manager Demolition Site Supervisor Co-ordinator Demolition operatives Plant operators Working Hours The standard working hours for a construction company are 07.30 17.30 Monday Friday. Weekend working is only arranged as necessary and by agreement with both the client and Local Authority. It is understood that restrictions on site working hours are as detailed below, and therefore conclude that the standard hours of work fall within the prescribed timings; Weekdays 7.00 19.00 Saturdays 9.00 12.00 Sundays and Bank Holidays No Work Ground Site Survey Level and water depth were inspected in this survey, as this will cause difficulties in the design of the foundation and retaining structure if there is a water table. However, from the survey it can be assumed that ground water table is not present. A Type 3 Full Access Sampling Identification Survey (Demolition/Refurbishment Surveys), should be carried out to locate and describe, as far as it is practicable, all asbestos containing materials (ACMs) in the building and may involve some destructive inspection, to gain access to all areas in the building, some may be difficult to reach or are hidden from sight. A full sampling program is undertaken to identify possibly ACMs and estimates of the volume and surface area of ACMs. Services Services are known to exist in the bordering footpaths/roads and enter the site. All services to the buildings to be demolished are to be disconnected at or beyond the site boundary prior to works commencing. The local gas and electricity suppliers will be informed for the proposed working period with the client and all statutory undertakers are to ensure that all services are identified and isolated or their positions marked as required. It is recommended that a CAT scan should be carried out before commencing of the works to locate the possibility of rouge services within the site area. If there are any services within the site which are to remain live, they will need to be assessed and protected as necessary. Carefully controlled hand excavated trial pits will be carried out as necessary to prove and verify exact location and nature of recorded services. Soft Strip A soft internal strip of the building must firstly undertaken before the main demolition the buildings are removed. All areas will be inspected prior to the works commencing. Soft strip of all flammable materials will be undertaken. The soft strip will normally undertake with hand tools. During the soft strip all operatives will be advised to be vigilant for hazardous substances or materials. Any hazardous substances or materials found shall be brought to the attention of the site supervisor who will asses these and arrange for the appropriate action to be undertaken. All necessary PPE will be provided and worn during the soft strip. Access to the roof should be limited to lowest possible practical necessity. Mechanical and demolition will be carried out where it is safe to do, as it is always the preferred method. Soft strip material arising will be disposed of via suitable skips with record maintained regarding identification and disposal. Any materials that can be re-cycled or re-used will separate from the general waste. TheManual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (as amended) set no specific requirements such as weight limits (ref). Although it sets out no limit common sense should prevail that when lifting heavier items it should be done in teams. Movements on and off site are to be fully supervised by the ground operative at all times. Damping down measures in the form of a hand held water spray system may be adopted should the need arise. All runoff water from the suppression operations is to be channelled to the nearest low point of the building footprint. The basements are to act as soakaways for the runoff water. The constant monitoring of dust will be carried out and all necessary suppression will be implemented as determined by the site supervisor. All materials are to be removed to licensed disposal points via sheeted transport with full documentation being supplied upon completion of the works. Hard Demolition There are two main methods of demolition which are available for this type of demolition works to be carried out, they are piecemeal and deliberate explosive collapse. Piecemeal demolition involves the process of using cranes and other equipment to dismantle the building, it is a more controlled method of demolition which allows for any materials which can salvaged and re used within the project. However, it may take longer to complete the necessary works which could in turn delay the project. Demolition of buildings or structure by hand-held tools such as electric or pneumatic breakers, sometimes as a preliminary to using other methods, should be carried out, where practicable, in the reverse order to the original construction sequence. Lifting appliances may be necessary to hold larger structural members during cutting and for lowering severed structural members and other debris. Chutes may be used to discharge debris into a vehicle or hopper. Foundations would normally be grubbed up by excavation machines. When any part of a building is being demolished by a balling machine, pusher arm or similar equipment, only the machine operator and banksman should be allowed close to the working area. The cabs of all machines should be strong enough to protect the operator against the fall of debris. In particular, the windscreen and rooflight should be of shatterproof material and guarded by a grille of steel bars or a substantial mesh. The deliberate collapse of the whole or part of a building or structure requires particularly high standards of planning, supervisions and execution, and careful consideration of its effect on other parts of the structure or on adjacent buildings or structures. A surrounding clear area and exclusion zone are required to protect both personnel and property from the fall of the structure itself and debris which may be thrown up by the impact. The collapse is usually achieved either by removing key structural elements (e.g. with explosive charges) or by wire rope pulling at a high level to overturn the structure. The possible modes of failure must be studied to ensure that the method selected will produce the required pattern of collapse. If the operation is not successful, the remaining structure may be extremely dangerous for the completion of the demolition. It is therefore, recommended that the most appropriate way of dismantling the building will be through the piecemeal method of demolition. This will be the most cost effective way of dismantling the buildings. It also ensures that all of the materials that are removed can go through the re-use and re-cycle waste management system. Once the activities involved in the demolition take place, the tools and equipment required to carry out the work can be defined, these will include cranes of various types, transport equipment, bolting equipment, welding equipment including cables, guns and drying ovens, electric generators, hydraulic jacks, measuring equipment and miscellaneous equipments. The heaviest or highest element to be dismantled, or the part which requires the greatest lifting capacity (radius-weight) determines the minimum crane capacity to be used. The first stage of the hard demolition stage is to removal of the roof system. The roof system consists of steel corrugated sheeting and in order to remove the material scaffolding will need to be erected, any work carried out manually on the roof will have to have fall arrest systems in place. The next stage will be the removal of the existing cladding system on the walls of the building. This will again removed manually and may also involve the use crane machinery to safely remove the material away from the building. Subsequently the steel frame will be dismantled with the steel frame roof trusses needing to be removed first. This will involve the use carnage machinery which will be operated by a qualified Slinger with a valid CSCS card, at all times when the crane is being operated it must supervised by the site supervisor. After the trusses have been removed the steel stanchions can be removed, they must first be securely attached the crane and then the bolts can be removed manually from the foundations. All the steel removed will be salvaged and under the waste plan it will sold to a scrap yard. Lastly the concrete ground floor will be broken up and removed. The concrete will need to be grubbed first, this concrete will then be used as part of the base course for the new building foundations. This will be achieved by the use of a mobile crusher to convert the concrete into base course. This process will involve large amounts dust produced and a high degree of noise, this will be covered in section 2 of the report which will include all of the safety considerations and PPEs to be worn during the demolition stage. Hazardous materials Identification and removal of asbestos containing materials (ACMs) will be carried out prior to our commencement on site. However, given the age of the structures it is envisaged that some ACMs will remain undetected until the soft strip and main demolition works are progressed. Site Managers, Supervisors and Operatives will be briefed in this regard and a process is to be established between K D C, the client and his asbestos surveyor to minimise the potential hazard of any asbestos discovered during the works and also the potential delay to the contract. Other hazards have been identified in terms of lead paint, oil containing excessive levels of PCBs and also refrigerant from Air Conditioning systems. Samples of paint will be taken as required in order to assess any lead content if needed. In the event this registers positive, respirators with the appropriate filters will be issued. Oils will be sampled at the earliest opportunity and drained and disposed of through a licensed undertaker. Air conditioning units and associated pipe work will be de-gassed by a specialist contractor at the earliest opportunity. Arsenic is one of the likely contaminants which may be found from the ground site survey, if found in this instance then Approved Document Part C Section 2.3 of Building Regulations should be followed. Personal protective equipment All site personnel will be issued with standard personal protective equipment. Each operative will have general protection issued by the Site Supervisor dependent upon the work in hand. Safety wear will comprise of the following: Hard hats, ear and eye defenders, nasal protection against high volume of dust, dermal protection to exposed vulnerable areas and footwear against risk of penetration and impact, high visibility vests/jackets. Site perimeter Warning notices and restricted area notices will be positioned at vantage points. The permanent working area is to be protected and scaffold in accordance with the clients requirements prior to main demolition works commencing. Solid barriers will be in place to all site boundaries through the provision of either timber hoarding, solid heras type fencing or utilisation of existing boundary walls. The inner perimeter of the working area is to receive a further block and mesh hoarding as necessary to demark active demolition zones or protected services. Elevations which front public rights of way will have sentries in attendance when needed. During plant demolition the management of pedestrians and traffic will be implemented by the contractor jointly with the client/County Council/Local Highways Authority. Access and egress to the workface will be via designated routes. These will be agreed and implemented by our site supervisor. The existing road system is to be followed in accordance with the traffic management scheme to be adopted. All plant will be delivered to site by road going low loader, with no plant movements carried out on existing roadway to ensure that the road surface and also existing below ground sewers/drainage is not damaged through displacement. Workforce protection Areas of risk directly beneath the demolition area will be cordoned off and clearly segregated from third parties. Barriers are to be erected complete with warning signs. All temporary barriers and signs etc. will be constantly checked and maintained before and during each working day by the Site Supervisors. All areas of safety will be constantly evaluated with attention to detail being given the utmost concern at all times. Any secondary lighting required within the site will be the responsibility of, and provided by, the contractor in a safe and secure manner. The positioning of any lights will be in liaison with the client. The position of any lighting will be such that there is no risk imported to the adjacent operational properties. Dust noise reduction strategy Noise levels will be monitored during the course of the works. It is accepted that noise cannot be eliminated entirely, but reasonable steps will be taken to reduce any adverse effects of noise generated by the works. Previous works of this nature have been carried out and have had noise assessments produced. A table summary of these results is shown below for reference. The nature of the works and type of structures will allow controlled sectional removal of structural elements using remotely operated plant. The nature and capability of the plant proposed to be used is such that all operations will be carried out with the minimum of noise and emissions generated on the site. All of the contractors Plant and Machinery should have engines compliant with emission regulations EU Stage 3. In addition all exhaust gases are mixed with intake air to reduce particle matter and Nitrogen emissions. The location of all plant and machinery, specifically crushing plant, will be positioned as far as is reasonably practicable from sensitive receptors, specifically members of the public and adjacent residential properties. As a matter of course all plant and machinery will have the engines turned off when idling. Anticipated noise levels Activity Noise produced at Source Noise produced at site boundary Demolition Breaking slabs Crushing 93db(A) 103db(A) 89db(A) 80db(A) 85db(A) 75db(A) Suitable Foundation Solution Before deciding on a suitable foundation solution a frame proposal for the building must be provided. A large span steel portal will be used for the design of the building with a cladding system attached to this frame. It can be determined from this that the best solution for the foundation would be a pad foundation. The columns of steel framework transfer their load to the foundation by means of the base plates. The foundation bolts constitutes the unifying element between foundation and framework. In cases where the columns transfer compressive stress only, the bolts are used to locate the column correctly. The office space provided will require separate foundations, this is since it will be a cavity wall construction. Therefore, a strip foundation solution is required to spread the load from the walls uniformly. The depth of the strip foundation should be at least 0.75m according NHBC 2008 Standards Section 4.4, with the foundation spread having to be at least the width of the wall, when building on rock at 2m depth. When carrying pit excavations for the foundations it is important to ensure there is an earth support barrier. This can achieved with the use steel interlocking sheeting around the pit. Suitable Frame Proposal The most appropriate solution for the frame proposal will be multi-span large frame steel portals, a large span portal frame can span from 15m to 60m. Spacing between the frames can from 6m to 12m with the roof pitch having a low pitch between 15Â ° to 18Â °. Within the design it should incorporate high bay racking. Therefore, it is advised the portal frame should include lattice members made for lateral support, which will be required particularly in the instance of longer span frames. Multi-span portal frames are suitable for wide buildings and are economical in material usage and labour contribution. An example of the multi-span steel portal frame has been provided.