Dam Instrumentation Installation

Dam instrumentation monitors the structural performance and safety of dams and reservoirs during and after construction.
Instruments include piezometers, inclinometers, settlement gauges, seepage weirs, and automated data loggers.
Installation often takes place on steep embankment slopes, inside shafts, and near deep water.
Drilling boreholes for instrument installation generates noise, dust, and uses water-based drilling fluids.
Cables and data lines from instruments are routed across the dam to readout cabinets and telemetry systems.
Working on dam crests and embankment slopes creates fall hazards into water or down steep faces.
The Reservoirs Act 1975 requires supervising engineers to specify instrumentation for dam safety monitoring.
Instruments must be protected from construction damage as they are needed throughout the dam operational life.
Access to installation locations may require rope access, MEWPs, or temporary access platforms.
CDM 2015 and water safety requirements both apply to instrumentation installation on dam projects.

Dam safety	Instrumentation provides early warning of dam distress. Damaged or missing instruments leave the dam unmonitored.
Working near water	Installation on dam crests, spillways, and reservoir edges creates immediate drowning risk from falls into deep water.
Slope hazards	Steep embankment slopes are unstable underfoot, especially when wet, causing falls and slides into the reservoir.

Do

Don't

Wear a personal flotation device when working on dam crests or near the reservoir.
Use rope access or MEWPs for instrument installation on steep embankment slopes.
Protect installed instruments from construction damage with guards and markers.
Drill boreholes for instruments using dust and fluid containment measures.
Route cables in protected ducts to prevent damage from plant and weather.
Brief the team on the water rescue plan before starting work near the reservoir.
Ensure safe access to each instrument location with appropriate fall protection.
Test instruments after installation to confirm they are reading correctly.
Record all instrument positions, depths, and calibration data for the supervising engineer.
Position rescue equipment including throw lines at the dam crest working area.

DON'T work on dam crests or embankments without wearing a flotation device.
DON'T walk on steep embankment slopes without secure footing and fall protection.
DON'T damage installed instruments with plant, vehicles, or construction activities.
DON'T route instrument cables across areas where plant traffic will sever them.
DON'T drill boreholes without controlling dust and containing drilling fluids.
DON'T access instrument locations near deep water without a rescue plan in place.
DON'T skip post-installation testing; faulty instruments provide no safety data.
DON'T leave instrument housings and cabinets unlocked where they can be vandalised.
DON'T work on reservoir spillways during high water or storm overflow events.
DON'T assume the embankment surface is stable; wet grass on slopes is treacherous.

See also: Dam and Reservoir Safety Awareness | Working Over Water

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