Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) and Boring Risk Assessment

Product Overview

This risk assessment covers horizontal directional drilling and boring activities from planning and site establishment through drilling, pullback, maintenance and emergency response. It supports planning and risk management by identifying service, plant, excavation, drilling-fluid, atmosphere and worker-exposure hazards across the work sequence.

Activities & Risks Covered

This assessment addresses activities and risks including:

• Plan work using current service information, bore paths, permits and approved changes
• Establish the site with public, pedestrian, vehicle and plant separation measures
• Position drilling rigs and support plant while addressing stability, overhead and crush-zone hazards
• Manage entry pits, exit pits and excavations, including ground conditions, access and edge hazards
• Mix, pump and manage drilling fluids, hoses, slurry and wet work areas
• Control pilot drilling, bore paths, rotating equipment, stored energy, noise and communication
• Manage reaming, pullback and product installation activities, including line-of-fire and handling risks
• Assess restricted-space work in pits or chambers, including atmosphere, flooding and rescue access
• Manage dust, silica, noise, vibration, gases, fumes and low-oxygen exposure
• Control maintenance, breakdowns, unexpected movement and emergency response arrangements

Who is this for?

Suitable for contractors, workers, supervisors and businesses carrying out horizontal directional drilling, boring and associated site activities.

Activities & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

The template records model guidance used to inform the documented controls. Applicable WHS/OHS laws and adopted Codes vary by state or territory, so confirm the current local requirements when tailoring the assessment:

• Model guidance: Model Code of Practice: Managing risks of plant in the workplace — 4.1 Guarding plant; p. 39.
• Model guidance: Model Code of Practice: Excavation work — 2.3. Controlling the risks; p. 17.
• Model guidance: Model Code of Practice: Confined spaces — 3.4 Assessing the risks; p. 24.
• Model guidance: Model Code of Practice: Construction work — 6.2 Workplace specific induction training; p. 41.
• Model guidance: Model Code of Practice: First aid in the workplace — 3. First aid equipment, facilities and training; p. 12.
• Model guidance: Model Code of Practice: Hazardous manual tasks — 4.1 The hierarchy of control measures; p. 31.
• Model guidance: Model Code of Practice: Managing noise and preventing hearing loss at work — 5. Controlling the risks; p. 29.
• Model guidance: Model Code of Practice: How to manage work health and safety risks — 3. Step 2 — How to assess risks; p. 15.
• Model guidance: Model Code of Practice: Managing risks of hazardous chemicals in the workplace — 2.2 Safety Data Sheets (SDS); p. 16.
• Model guidance: Model Code of Practice: Managing the work environment and facilities — 2. The work environment; p. 13.

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Standard Risk Assessment Features (Click to Expand)

• Activity-specific hazard identification and control measures
• Initial and residual risk ratings
• Assigned responsible persons for each activity
• Risk matrix and assessment classification
• Review, monitoring and sign-off fields
• Site-specific customisation before use