Today, lack of knowledge of the precise location of underground infrastructure networks (telecommunications, electricity, gas, water ...) as well as poor excavation techniques lead to many accidents when working near these networks.
In Quebec, there are more than 5 broken underground infrastructures on average per day (44% of which involve natural gas or electricity). While the costs of repairing a network are relatively easy to identify, indirect costs are difficult to quantify and rarely taken into account in work or prevention decisions. The seminar thus proposes an evaluation of all indirect costs (service interruption, congestion, intervention of emergency services, delay in the work, loss of reputation, etc.).
In addition, these infrastructure failures endanger workers by exposing them to serious injuries and sometimes life-threatening situations. The seminar identified the risks to which workers are exposed in the event of breakage of underground pipes and the factors that increase the likelihood that these risks will occur. In fact, it is important to better understand the risks in order to better adapt awareness-raising efforts and better target prevention measures for workers.
