78462 - Excavation Engineering and Safety

Learning outcomes

First Part: Criteria and concepts for determining and assessing risks for civil, mining and excavation sites. The course addresses the problems of analysis and design of workplace safety and protection of the external environment. The aspects of hazard identification and risk analysis in the workplace, accident prevention, evaluation and improvement of the hygienic-environmental conditions of the workplace are analysed, from a technical point of view and with reference to regulations. Second Part: Criteria and concepts for risk assessment for civil, mining and excavation sites. Analysis and design of workplace safety and protection of the external environment. Identification, from a technical point of view and with reference to current legislation and technical regulations, of dangers and risk analysis in the working environment, accident prevention, evaluation and improvement of the hygienic-environmental conditions of workplaces. Analysis of risks and prevention and protection measures during tunneling, quarrying and mining operations.

Course contents

All lessons will be held in Italian. An understanding of the Italian language is therefore necessary to follow the course successfully and to be able to use the teaching material provided Plan The course addresses the problems of analysis and design of workplace safety present in the extractive industry, on construction sites for the construction of civil works and for consolidation interventions. The course examines the operational methods and equipment used. From a technical point of view and with reference to regulations, the aspects of hazard identification and risk analysis in the workplace, accident prevention, evaluation and improvement of environmental and hygienic conditions in the workplace, and the problems of detection and control of interference with the environment.

The program provides an introduction to workplace safety issues, including: basic legislation on safety and hygiene at work; the contractual regulations relating to safety and health aspects at work; the legislation on insurance against accidents at work and occupational diseases; European regulations and their value; the rules of good technique; the Product Directives; the Consolidated Law on health and safety in the workplace with particular reference to Title I; the subjects of the Company Prevention System: tasks, obligations, civil and criminal responsibilities; Methodologies for the identification, analysis and evaluation of risks; specific legislation regarding health and safety on temporary or mobile construction sites and working at heights; Title IV (Temporary or Mobile Construction Sites) of the Consolidated Law on health and safety in the workplace; the figures interested in the realization of the work: the tasks, obligations, civil and criminal responsibilities; notes on the Framework Law on public works and the main implementing decrees; notes on sanctioning regulations and inspection procedures; risks of falling from a height; scaffolding and temporary works; the safe organization of the construction site; the work timetable; documentary obligations on the part of clients, companies, safety coordinators; occupational diseases and first aid; electrical risk and protection against atmospheric discharges; the risk in excavations, demolitions, in underground and tunnel works; the risks associated with the use of machinery and work equipment with particular reference to lifting and transport equipment, chemical risks on construction sites; physical risks: noise, vibrations, microclimate, lighting; the risks associated with asbestos removal; biological risks Risks from manual handling of loads Fire and explosion risks Risks in assembly and disassembly work on prefabricated elements Personal protective equipment and safety signs; the minimum contents of the safety and coordination plan, the replacement safety plan and the plan; the methodological criteria for: the development of the security and coordination plan and the integration with the operational security plans and the file; the development of the operational safety plan; processing of the dossier; the development of the Pi.M.U.S. (Assembly Plan, Use, Dismantling of scaffolding); estimating safety costs. Notes on communication theories and techniques, oriented towards problem solving and cooperation; group management and leadership theories; relations with the client, the designers, the management of the works, the workers' safety representatives. Examples of Safety and Coordination Plans will be examined and discussed.

Work safety: definition of the problem with specific reference to extraction units and excavation sites. Accident indices. Criteria for identifying environmental hazards and impacts. Regulatory aspects regarding workplace safety and environmental quality: analysis and criteria for correct application of national regulatory supports, community directives and the main foreign standards and recommendations. Workplace Safety management systems. Control bodies. Accidents at work: data relating to the sector. Environmental hygiene problems: particular aspects of the issue for extraction units for excavation sites; risk of damage or disturbance to the outside world. Principles of detection and reduction of pollutants in the workplace (microclimate, noise, vibrations, dust and gas). Physical agents. The chemical risk. Application examples of risk analysis during tunnel excavation. Excavation and safety risks and measures. Stability of the excavation faces.

Readings/Bibliography

Normative nazionali e internazionali sulla sicurezza.

Note interregionali sulla sicurezza in galleria con presenza di gas

Note interregionali sulla sicurezza nello scavo in sotterraneo

Materiale didattico fornito dal Docente.

Appunti delle lezioni.

Handbook on Tunnels and Underground Works Volume 1: Concept – Basic Principles of DesignEdited ByEmilio Bilotta, Renato Casale, Claudio Giulio di Prisco, Salvatore Miliziano, Daniele Peila, Andrea Pigorini, Enrico Maria Pizzarotti Edition1st Edition First Published2022 eBook Published23 February 2022 Pub. Location London ImprintCRC Press DOI https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003256175 Pages 414 (libero accesso studenti UNIBO)

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons. Seminars on specific topics, involving industry experts.

Assessment methods

Verification of learning takes place through a written/oral test which verifies the acquisition of the expected knowledge and skills. The test duration is approximately 30/60 minutes, without the help of notes or books.


The test normally consists of 3 questions on different topics. During the discussion, other in-depth questions are generally asked.


The test aims to evaluate the critical and methodological skills developed by the student, who will be invited to deal with the topics covered during the course. Particular attention will be given to the student's ability to navigate within the sources and bibliographic material to identify useful information in them that allows him to illustrate the cultural aspects and areas of the discipline. The student's achievement of an organic vision of the topics addressed in class combined with their critical use, the demonstration of mastery of expression and specific language will be assessed with marks of excellence. The mostly mechanical and/or mnemonic knowledge of the subject, unarticulated synthesis and analysis skills and/or a correct but not always appropriate language will lead to fair evaluations; training gaps and/or inappropriate language, even in a context of minimal knowledge of the exam material - will lead to grades that will not exceed the passing mark. Training gaps, inappropriate language, lack of orientation within the bibliographic materials offered during the course can only be evaluated negatively.

Teaching tools

Power point presentations

Video

Office hours

See the website of Stefano Bonduà