Mitigating risks in railway tunnel maintenance: A pilot study on air quality management during drainage flushing

Abstract

AbstractThis article examines the challenges and solutions associated with protecting railway workers from the negative effects of exposure to diesel emissions and dangerous dust emissions during tunnel maintenance works. A major difficulty in this matter is the increased risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases for railway workers due to exposure to diesel and gasoline-powered vehicles and dangerous dust emissions, which is further compounded in enclosed spaces such as tunnels. The article analyses the feasibility of renouncing the currently imposed use of ventilation systems during certain railway maintenance work in Germany while still ensuring occupational safety of the employees. The research methodology involves a comprehensive investigation of the applicable national legislation and limit values for dangerous carcinogenic chemicals. The hypothesis is then validated by interpreting the measured values for elementary carbon and for the gases CO, CO2, NO and NO2 during a pilot project conducted in 2022. The findings indicate that it is theoretically possible to forego the technical ventilation system in certain cases of railway maintenance, such as cleaning and flushing a railway drainage located in a tunnel, without jeopardising the occupational safety of employees if an alternative and less expensive fallback measure (face masks for employees) is implemented. The implications of these findings for railway workers and rail maintenance projects are discussed. In the conclusion of the article, recommendations for conducting additional research and improving the current understanding of the topic are provided.

Keywords

• railway maintenance
• railway tunnel
• ventilation system
• workforce protection
• air quality
• occupational safety