Drill Rig Operation

The Drill Rig Operation SOP (SOP-DRL-001) provides comprehensive guidelines for the safe operation of drill rigs, addressing critical hazards such as entanglement, mast collapse, and silica dust exposure. This document is essential for all personnel involved in geotechnical drilling to ensure compliance with the Work Health and Safety Act and associated regulations. By following this SOP, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of serious injuries or fatalities associated with drill rig operations.

• Contact with rotating drill string – entanglement, degloving, amputation, fatality
• Mast collapse during erection or operation – serious injury or fatality
• Striking underground services (gas, electrical, water) – explosion, electrocution, serious injury
• Drill bit or rod ejection – serious injury or fatality
• Silica dust inhalation during rock drilling – silicosis (chronic lung disease)
• Hydraulic fluid injection injury from high-pressure hose failure
• Rig tip-over on uneven or soft ground – serious injury
• Noise-induced hearing loss from prolonged drilling exposure
• Ground collapse into open drill hole – entrapment or fall

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and applicable state/territory WHS legislation
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (Cth) – Schedule 18 (Construction Work SWMS)
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the Risks of Respirable Crystalline Silica (2020)
• Dial Before You Dig (DBYD) – www.1100.com.au
• AS 2550 series – Cranes, hoists and winches – Safe use
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the Risks of Plant in the Workplace (2024)
• Drill Rig Pre-Start Checklist (associated document)
• Project Geotechnical Drilling Specification