DAM/General/TBT-DAM-026
Embankment Dam Construction Safety
Dams, Reservoirs & Flood Defence › General › Embankment Dam Construction Safety
Toolbox Talk
Embankment Dam Construction Safety
Embankment dam construction involves placing and compacting large volumes of earthfill or rockfill to create a water-retaining structure. The work combines heavy earthworks plant movements, slope stability risks, and the hazard of working near rising water levels behind the embankment. Quality control of compaction and core placement is critical to structural integrity. This talk covers the key safety requirements for embankment dam construction.
Key Hazards
Slope instability during fill placement causing embankment slide failure
Workers struck by heavy earthmoving plant on the dam embankment
Flooding from rising reservoir levels breaching incomplete embankment sections
Compaction equipment overturning on steep slopes during fill placement
Control Measures
- Follow the dam engineer's specified fill placement sequence and compaction requirements exactly.
- Maintain clear segregation between plant haul routes and pedestrian access on the embankment.
- Monitor the upstream water level continuously and set stop-work triggers for high water events.
- Ensure slopes are constructed at the angles specified in the design and inspected after each lift.
- Restrict plant operation on slopes to machines rated for the gradient and ground conditions.
- Install monitoring instruments including settlement plates and piezometers as the fill progresses.
- Brief all operatives on the emergency plan for rapid water level rise or embankment instability.
- Ensure the supervising engineer inspects the core and filter zones at the specified hold points.
- Record all compaction test results and material placement records for the dam safety file.
Remember
- Follow the dam engineer's fill placement sequence and compaction requirements exactly
- Monitor upstream water levels continuously and stop work if trigger levels are reached
- Maintain clear segregation between plant and pedestrians on the embankment at all times
- The supervising engineer must inspect core and filter zones at every specified hold point
- Record all compaction results and placement data for the dam safety file
Applicable Legislation: Reservoirs Act 1975 · CDM 2015 · Flood and Water Management Act 2010 · BS 6031:2009 (Code of Practice for Earthworks)
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