Preliminary investigation

"A good start is half the work.

The spontaneous discovery of explosive remnants of war brings with it undesirable risks, costs and delays. It is therefore advisable to have a preliminary historical survey carried out prior to any planned soil excavation. A preliminary historical survey examines whether acts of war have occurred in the past, and if so, whether there is an increased risk of finding explosive remnants of war. This well-founded assessment is made on the basis of source analysis of, among other things, literature, archive documents and aerial photographs from the Second World War.

Reliable result due to high standard

At ECG, the preliminary investigation meets all the requirements set by the Certification Scheme for Preliminary Investigation and Risk Analysis (CS-VROO). We consult the prescribed sources as standard, and more! For each investigation, intensive use is made of archive documents and aerial photographs from various national and international archives. In this way, ECG guarantees a thorough preliminary investigation.

Would you like to take a look into the past yourself, like the historians of ECG do every day? With the slider below, you can easily view an area in 1945 and today and see the involvement in war acts.

"The Explosive Clearance Group's Preliminary Investigation Department is a professional and pleasant group of people to work with. The quality of the preliminary investigation and advice is high and complies with the most recent regulations. Besides the fact that we are very satisfied with the work of ECG, their work also contributes to the satisfaction of our own customers."

Lotje Egmond
Environmental Manager Sweco Nederland B.V.

Frequently asked questions

Why should I carry out a preliminary examination?

Because as a client you would like to know and control all the risks of your project before work starts. With a thorough preliminary investigation, you can act and you do not have to react afterwards.

Is a preliminary examination mandatory?

As a principal, you are obliged to make an inventory and evaluate all risks of a work site (RI&E). The subject of explosive remnants of war is also part of this. The Labour Inspectorate checks this and considers the preliminary investigation to be a fixed part of your risk inventory.

Can anyone conduct a preliminary examination?

Yes, you can, because the CS-VROO regulations are voluntary certification. ECG works in accordance with the guidelines of CS-VROO and thus guarantees the quality of research.

Does a preliminary examination provide guarantees?

A preliminary investigation does not guarantee that explosive remnants of war will or will not be found in a (sub)area. However, a thorough investigation does show where there is a factually substantiated probability of finding OO and where not.