What are they doing ??

[ANDO2007]

Near where I live some industrial land has been cleared and all large chunks of rubble etc removed. the land looks flat now and they will build some shops. Now teams of about a dozen workmen have appeared all wandering around picking up by hand what I assume to be stones, putting them in small barrells and loading them on to the backs of lorries to take away. Surely there must be a machine that could do this ? Or are they doing something else ?? What are they picking up and why ?? HELP cos it's really bugging me !!

[vehelpfulguy]

Maybe they are picking up hazardous waste.

You say it was industrial land, maybe there was some lumps of chemical left that was used in the industrial process.

[brachiopod]

What industrial use did the land have previously?

It's probably a site or groundworks investigation. Prior to re-use, a survey would need to be done to ensure that the site has been properly cleared of all remnants of its previous use, and to determine whether any ground remediation is required (this would probaly already have been investigated from an early stage, but subsequent investigations continue to be made).

[tracerfire]

This is not a facetious answer....why don't you go over there & ask them? Worst thing they'll do is tell you to mind your own business, although possibly with a few F's thrown in for good measure :o)

[ANDO2007]

I was going over to ask them but the field is all dirty and I had just put on my new Pradas. Plus they were rough looking workmen not really my " kind ".

[knobbynonuts]

Its cheese