Over the last years, the implementation of new regulations for the protection of heritage assets at the national and provincial level made it necessary the inclusion of archaeologists and paleontologists in work teams to conduct soil movement tasks for the development of various types of work. The participation of experts coming from these fields for the planning and launching of road, extractive and construction projects has proven to be useful to both ensure the preservation of cultural and natural assets and to minimize the conflicts arising from their putting at risk, damage or destruction.
However, the presence of these professionals has raised some difficulties as, in general, they are not familiar with the basic security and hygiene standards to be respected within this context. But in this regard, no university training includes technical training for archaeologists and paleontologists. This implies that even experts with years of experience and a remarkable background can make mistakes and consequently, generate risks on site. In addition, it must be taken into account that there is a lack of familiarity of each of the parties with the type of task performed by the other ones and the corresponding methodological requirements.
Drawbacks of this kind can be avoided if, before starting the work, those actors involved clearly state the objectives of each one’s task, the methodologies they intend to apply to achieve them and the type of protection that is essential to perform the work properly.
Learning more about the specifics, the alternatives of scientific work (that is, what needs to be recovered, how to identify it, how time-consuming this action can be, how the task information is recorded, etc) can make it easier the organization of a general schedule of activities that respects the needs of the work as well as the ones of the construction workers. It will, subsequently, prevent the digging works, demolition or construction work from being interrupted so as to be able to complete an archaeological or paleontological intervention or else one of expertise or impact assessment, which could have been started and completed before the arrival of the first machine at the site.
In the event that scientific teams should conduct rescue or monitoring tasks simultaneously with the progress of the work, their performance should meet the same standards demanded from any other contractor, including the use of PPE and the maintenance of security distances with machinery in operation. If a finding demanded a task that made it necessary to perform a potentially risky action for the scientific team or for the detected material, that situation should have to be reported to the construction management, so that the activity can be stopped and/ or be able to reorganize the tasks so that archeologists or paleontologists are allowed to safely conclude the recovery of the remains that have been found.
Currently, the development of efficient work requires to overcome old prejudices that considered the presence of the researchers in the field as an unavoidable delayed factor, or the mere compliance with one more legal obligation. Instead, this task in the current context should be understood as a tool to favour the continuity of the work by ensuring the respect for the current regulations, while contributing to the recovery and rescue of patrimonial assets, whose protection interests the local community.
– A work plan must be submitted by the scientific team before starting work so that it can be coordinated with the rest of the work staff.
– The work of archaeologists and paleontologists must at all times observe the guidelines of the security and hygiene plan of the work, within the framework of the task development.
– The development of the baseline and the assessment of the patrimonial potential of a site or an area are actions that must be carried out (started and finished) before starting the project, so that the results that have been achieved can be entered into its planning. Once the work is in progress, the scientific work is focused, instead, on the monitoring detection of unexpected findings, and in its eventual rescue and/or record.
Advantages and benefits of including professional archaeologists and paleontologists in interventions involving soil movements:
– To have an early diagnosis of the patrimonial potential of the area where the project will be developed, which enables a better planning of the work.
– To have at one’s disposal specific information about the type of finding that is expected will make it possible the optimization of time and resources in the performance of the project so that damage and/or destruction of patrimonial assets can be avoided. Or else, an adequate design of mitigation measures is allowed in case of damage.
– To avoid cost overruns derived from closures and delays resulting from the violation of current regulations as regards the patrimonial protection as well as potential legal conflicts.
Grupo Adama Arqueología is an interdisciplinary team made up of professionals trained and with expertise in the development of impact assessment projects and those related to the management of archaeological and paleontological sites. Its members have expertise in developing expert tasks and rescue in active works, working in coordination with their staff and following the established safety standards. Moreover, they offer specific training, advice for the development of management and impact mitigation plans, as well as comprehensive plans of excavation, monitoring and control/follow-up of the work.
The objective of El Viento Blanco Foundation, with the collaboration of Grupo Adama, is to give advice on the design and implementation of specific action plans that will enable firms and institutions, since the beginning of the activities, to move forward with their tasks within the framework of strict compliance with current legislation as regards heritage protection.
Fundación El Viento Blanco
www.elvientoblanco.org.ar
http://elvientoblanco.blogspot.com
+54 9 299 6377677 – 6303938
