Hmm I agree with all the comments especially ventilation/gas masks.

Dust dry conditions and if you happen to be working around building
contractors at the same time you have no hope of breathing actual air.

I  was working under Government House excavating material found by builders
putting in an underfloor heating system. Part of Government House is raised
on a network of limestone walls built out over a dropping natural ground
level. While we were excavating the undefloor spaces they were jack
hammering holes through the  limestone walls for their pipes. The air was
white with limestone dust. Not great working conditions.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Matthew Sterner" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, 1 May 2004 12:02 AM
Subject: Re: Underhouse Archaeology


> Well, why not. Don't normally like to chime in on these threads because
> being in the Southwest, everything is usually covered by the time I get to
> the office!
>
> Anyway, having directed excavations under several of the structures at the
> Goodwood Plantation in Tallahassee 10 years back, I need to emphasize a
few
> of the comments already made (all important, by the way). First, crew
safety
> is paramount. Structural stability, lighting, critters, and ventilation,
> ventilation, ventilation!! Some of you might be amazed that when it's 100
> degrees and 100 percent humidity outside, that the soil/sediment under
> structures is so dry that it can become airborne with the slightest motion
> or movement. And I can appreciate the reviewer's comment about using a
spray
> bottle to settle the dust, but it doesn't work. It just wets down the top
mm
> and as soon as you crawl through that layer, the wet soil is on you and
> you've exposed more dust. The two most important things are a chemical
> cartridge type protective mask and some sort of ventilation system to keep
> the air moving.
>
> And as Dan (Hughes) brought up in his response, pull people out at regular
> intervals. No matter how hard it may be to access, on of the Goodwood
under
> house excavations was so tight that I was the only one who could get in,
> make sure people get out to stretch and breath "good" air at regular
> intervals.
>
> And come to think of it, it would have been handy to have had
communications
> capabilities with my crew. Add radios or walkie talkies to the list of
> "essentials."
>
> Matthew Sterner
> Statistical Research, Inc.
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Daniel H. Weiskotten" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Thursday, April 29, 2004 7:16 PM
> Subject: Underhouse Archaeology
>
>
> > A few days ago I had the pleasure to visit Charles Pinckney National
> > Historic Site at Snee Farm northeast of Charleston, SC.  I was impressed
> at
> > the use of archaeology to tell the story of the plantation during
> > Pinckney's time, a necessity because none of Pinckney's buildings
remain.
> >
> > http://www.cr.nps.gov/seac/chpi/index.htm
> >
> > I was quite interested in the "underhouse" excavations as I have one
site
> > that lies under an existing building and I have another building that
has
> > been tested all around, but not under (although a mass of late 18th
> century
> > wine bottle fragments were found in the 1980s while enlarging the stairs
> to
> > the 20th century furnace room).
> >
> > What guidelines, techniques, clothing, dust masks, health issues, words
of
> > wisdom, etc., do listers have to share?
> >
> > I am well aware of black widows!
> >
> >         Dan W.
> >