Yucca Mountain, located on the Nevada Test Site, is being considered as a potential repository site for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. To determine the suitability of Yucca Mountain as a repository, the Department of Energy constructed an underground Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF) where tests and experiments will be performed. This book addresses safety issues which will impact the construction and operation of the ESF and other similar underground facilities. The authors discuss proactive strategies for underground safety management with an emphasis on planning for safety, safety regulations, and the enforcement of such regulations. Also included are illustrations of successful approaches in creating a safe environment for those who work underground.

Table of Contents


Front Matter
Underground Construction Safety: Be Sure You're on the Right Track
Department of Energy's Construction Safety Program
OSHA Regulations and Their Implications
Underground Regulatory Safety Today
Safety Engineering Design Analysis For Tunneling Equipment
Milwaukee Water Pollution Abatement Program: Underground Safety--Dealing With OSHA
OSHA Today and Tomorrow
Underground Operations at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant: A True Safety Culture
Safety in Construction and Operation of Underground Facilities
Underground Safety at the Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory
Safety Management in PNC's Shaft Excavation Effects Project in Japan
The Channel Tunnel
Appendix A: Symposium Agenda