Evaluation of Occupational Safety in the Operation and Maintenance Activities of Dams

Abstract

The accidents occurred during the operation/maintenance activities of US dams between 1984-2018 were analyzed from the OSHA database and 88 cases were selected. The objective of our study is to identify and investigate potential hazards and risk sources responsible for and affecting OHS performance in the operation/maintenance activities. Further, the factors responsible for injuries and fatalities happened during these activities are determined. It is found out that 5.2% of precaution negligence was related to the facility and wrong design and poor maintenance were the main negligence factors. The important point to be noted is that these negligence factors result in fatal accidents, albeit few. The results also show that machine safeguarding was not available or provided in most of the cases and 12.7% of those who had occupational accidents did not use appropriate PPE or did not use PPE at all.