HEALTH AND SAFETY DURING TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION

DRILL AND BLAST

INDEX:
Tunnel map in the project

Risk Assessment

Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)

Tunnel access control

Gas Monitoring System

Driving and Traffic on Tunnel

Tunnel work in the Danger zone

Explosives

Tunnel Construction Cycle

Emergency installations
Self Rescue equipment

Test ✶ Required
Tunnels at the Project

Picture of roject
Risk, Evaluation and Assessment

⮚ A risk assessment is carried out to detect the risk associated with an

action, activity, system or situation. The purpose of analysis is to provide a
basis for decisions. Based on the analysis, a risk assessment can then be
carried out and choose not to carry out the activity or implement
measures that reduce the risk to make an activity viable and avoid harm.

⮚ The risk assessment may be performed by answering three basic

questions:
1. What can go wrong?
2. What is the probability that unwanted events occur?
3. What consequences could the adverse events result?
Personal Protective Equipment
(PPE)
Minimum requirements to
PPE:
 Tunnel ID-tag
⮚ Helmet with hearing
protectors and flashlight
⮚ Safety shoes
⮚ Reflective Clothing - Class 3
⮚ Eye protection
⮚ Gloves

 Others - mentioned in SJA for

different tasks.
Tunnel Access Control
⮚ Tunnel ID-tag is mandatory to whoever goes
into the tunnel.
⮚ Tunnel ID-tag is personal, visitor tags
are distributed by tunnel supervisors
or site engineer.
⮚ Radio and Wi-Fi communications available.
GAS MONITORING SYSTEM

📫 Gas tester installed along the stretch of the tunnel

to guarantee the air quality into the tunnel. ( 7
Gases )
📫 Personal gas meter available for exceptional works.
 Driving at site
Seat belts is mandatory: Speed limit at site:
⮚ In all vehicles when driving
at site
⮚ Park in the evacuation
direction and leave the
parking light on tunnel
Use of mobile phone is
prohibited while driving
Traffic in tunnel
Critical steps / risk Measures
⮚ Accessing tunnel: ⮚ All access to the tunnel must be
coordinated with the area manager, and
✔ Traffic accident or hit between if not reachable the team leader of the
man/machine harming driver shift.
and/or walkers ⮚ Anyone accessing the tunnel during
✔ Falling into ditches due to uneven critical phases must
ground, darkness, slippery a) get permission in advance
ground/steps etc. b) get the necessary information about the
activity in the tunnel to secure that access is
✔ Entering unauthorized/unsafe done in a safe manner
areas - trespassing fences/barriers c) communicate with the line manager in the
tunnel prior to/when entering
d) If not: Access is prohibited!
⮚ No one(excluding supervisors/foreman)
shall enter the risk /operation area for
the loader, including safety margin
Sign in the tunnel entrance
 General about the tunnel
✔ High reliable communication
system is installed inside the
tunnel.
✔ A ventilation system supplying
the tunnel with fresh air is
installed in the tunnel.
✔ The temporary ventilation
hose shall end approx. 50 m
from the blast front.
✔ Lighting shall be established to
ensure illumination along the
stretch of the tunnel
Work of the tunnel face – “Danger zone”
Defined as the area between the supports of the booms to the drilling jumbo
and the tunnel face

✔ Dangers in the “danger zone ⮚ Personnel is not allowed to stay

includes: within the ‘danger zone’ while
⮚ very high noise level drilling (blast holes and other
drilling) is in progress
⮚ rock falls and rock faults
⮚ Charging must not occur while
⮚ rotating drill steel and moving
drilling is in progress
booms
⮚ risk to drill into explosives (from
the previous round) that have
not detonated
⮚ crushing hazard
⮚ Shotcrete fallout
Explosives
⮚ Emulsion Explosive: consist of oxidizer Measures
solution droplets suspended in
⮚ Procedure for the handling of
continuous fuel phase
explosives shall be followed during
⮚ Advantages using Emulsion Explosive transportation along public roads
⮚ Explosives are stored on surface behind
fencing with intruder alarm to avoid
forced entry and theft.
⮚ Detonators shall be stored separately
from the explosive until charging of
holes
⮚ Smoking is strictly forbidden in the
presence of explosive material
⮚ Destruction of explosives shall be made
in accordance with instructions
provided by the manufacturer
Tunnel Construction Cycle

- Grouting and Pre-grouting

- Surveying
- Drilling
- Charging
- Blasting
- Ventilation
- Mucking (Removal of blasted Rocks)
- Scaling of loose rocks
- Rock Support
- Shotcrete
Grouting and Pre-grouting

Measures
Critical steps / risk
1. All injection pipes must be secured with chain, and
1. Downfall behind the tunnel face the chain must always be attached in 2 anchor points.
2. When the tunnel face is secured by The chain must be tightened.
shotcrete: Uncontrolled pressure build- 2. Visual inspection
up behind the shotcrete 3. a) Drainage holes should be drilled through the
concrete
3. Changing injection lines, a pressurized b) Injection pipes should be opened
line disconnected by mistake.
4. Color codes on each line, pump and hose
4. Operate the injection rig. Danger of 5. Continuous cleaning the floor
falling down due to slippery floor. 6. Grouting operator shall use googles or face shield
5. Splash into eyes 7. Use respirators protection or powered air respirator
6. Skin contact with grouting cement (pH and gloves
11-14)
Drilling

Critical steps / risks Measures

✔ Drilling into remaining explosives ⮚ Visual check to be performed after each
blast
✔ Holes collapsing
⮚ Drilling shall be executed accordingly to
✔ Crushing hazard shotplan.
✔ Shotcrete fallout ⮚ All works shall be carried out in accordance
✔ Uncontrolled movements of the drill with plan.
jumbo ⮚ Avoid staying close to drilling machines in
operation
✔ Inaccurate navigation of drill jumbo
⮚ Establish positive contact with the operator
✔ High noise levels before approaching the drill jumbo
✔ Exposure to oil mist from leakages ⮚ Ventilation with necessary capacity to
from hydraulic systems establish a clean atmosphere
Charging

Critical steps / risk Measures

1. Downfall from the tunnel face 1. Scaling and visual inspection
2. The charge plan or the ignition is 2. The charge plan and procedure
thoroughly examined.
wrongly executed
3. Good communication, remember it is
3. Parallel work operations forbidden to carry out the charging
4. Working above ground when drilling is going on.
4. Charging over 2 m above ground is
done from work platform.
5. “Charging” This is the responsibility of
the blaster team, nobody else should
touch explosive components.
Blasting
Critical steps / risk
✔ People inside the hazard zone ⮚ Acoustic signal is used to
Measures
✔ Debris hitting roads or machinery
✔ Debris damaging installations
alert before blasting
✔ Misfired round (partial ⮚ It shall be ensured that
detonation)
adjacent power lines
✔ Charge doesn't detonate
cannot ignite the charge
⮚ It is essential to follow
the blasting plan
Blasting: Communication Plan

Follow the Blasting Plan and the safety instruction given by the Blasting Manager
Notification for SMS

- 30 min. Before blasting - https://nabovarsling.no/sotra555/abonner

- 1 min. Alarm up to the blasting.

Evacuation of the area prior blasting.

Tunnel must be closed to entrance. Access control monitoring (Tag device) from
outside the tunnel.
 Mucking

Critical steps / risks Measures

✔ Exposure to gas and dust including α- ⮚ Watering of the muck pile with large
quartz if present in rock amount of water
✔ Exposure to diesel exhaust ⮚ Ventilation with sufficient capacity before
✔ While loading, great strain on resuming to work after blasting
machines and personnel due to ⮚ Avoid unnecessary presence in the
extreme energy during the operation blasting cloud
✔ Downfall at wheeled loader ⮚ Use respiratory protective equipment
✔ Collision when in the blasting cloud
⮚ Windows kept closed and air intake is
closed during transport through the cloud
 Pedestrian access prohibited during
mucking
⮚ Sufficient lighting
Scaling - shall be performed by machinery, followed by
manual scaling

Critical steps / risks Measures

✔ Rock fall and grit spray from ⮚ Systematic scaling
crushed rock ⮚ Water spraying during scaling
✔ dust ⮚ Good lights on the scaling
✔ high noise level machine
✔ Vibrations ⮚ Closed and noise-proof cabin
⮚ Tiltable cabin
⮚ Hearing protectors, protective
safety glasses and respirator
when close to scaling machine
Rock bolts - platforms
Critical step / risk Measures
✔ People below the work platform ⮚ Staying under the work platform is not
permitted
✔ Miss-positioned bolts ⮚ Chin strap to be used when working at heights
✔ Ergonomic injuries ⮚ Ventilation with sufficient capacity
✔ Exposure to cement mortar for ⮚ Shift leader/ Geologist assesses the face
bonding or grouting bolts ⮚ Ergonomic arrangement of work. Follow up
from company health service
⮚ Personal protective equipment as goggle and
gloves
⮚ First-aid kit and eyewash kit
⮚ Respiratory protective devices when mixing
cement
Shotcrete
Critical step / risk Measures
✔ Downfall of concrete ⮚ No one under the shotcrete until
the early strength is achieved
✔ Exposure to high dust ⮚ Ventilation with sufficient capacity
concentrations ⮚ Use respiratory protective devices,
✔ High noise levels face and skin protection when
working with or close to shotcreting
✔ Corrosive hazards ⮚ Routines for proper handling of
chemicals should be established
⮚ Avoid unnecessary presence of crew
in polluted atmosphere (during and
immediately after spraying)
Non-routine workers inside tunnel

Critical steps / risk Measures

✔ Not daily workers in the ⮚ Infrequent / temporary
tunnel, and the permanent workers must be extra
tunnel workers may not be careful making the
aware of their presence in permanent tunnel workers
the tunnel. This increases (Supervisor and Foreman)
the risk for incidents and aware of their presence.
accidents.
Visitors
Critical step / risks Measures
✔ Visitors entering unsafe areas, falling ⮚ Limit the visitor group size (number of
into ditches etc. as they are not people)
familiar with the site ⮚ Complete visitor information about site
✔ Emergency situations: safety
• Before entering – check that there ⮚ Never leave visitors alone
is sufficient space in rescue ⮚ In emergency situation, make sure there is
chambers sufficient space in the rescue chambers for
• Increased probability of injury or visitors
harm, as visitors are not trained for ⮚ Visitors' contact person must be careful
emergency situations on site. making the tunnel workers aware of their
✔ Risks of accident and injuries increase presence
as the regular workers may not be ⮚ Make the visitors aware about the tunnel
aware of their presence conditions in case they suffer from
claustrophobia
Emergency installation
Emergency installation
Emergency

▪ Walking/ escape routes is installed along the entire tunnel length.

▪ Tunnel illuminated along the entire length.

▪ Rescue chamber are established in the tunnel.
▪ Self rescuer is a compact respiratory protection equipment which may be
used in emergency situations where the atmosphere may be oxygen
deficient or contain toxic contaminants.
SELF-RESCUES
• Self-rescue is mandatory for all those accessing the tunnel.

• When you want to enter, pick up yours at the office and check
that everything is in order, as seen on the next slide with the
video of instructions for use
SELF-RESCUE

DEZEGA. 1PVM KS donning - YouTube

Rescue Chamber
▪ A Rescue chamber is a sealed environment built to sustain
life during an emergency or hazardous situation. They
provide a secure area with shelter, water, and breathable
air, where workers can remain until rescued or the hazard
subsides.
▪ Typically, capacity can vary between 8/10 people and
operating time can be adjusted between 8 and 72 hours.
▪ All workers must be familiar with the rescue chamber instructions.
SELF-RESCUE
Specifications:
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