FAMILIARIZATION WITH STANDARDS IN AND AROUND GROUNDWATER DEEP WELL DRILLING SITES: FAR FROM THE RHETORIC CLOSER TO REALITY

Excavations can be vertical (wells), horizontal (tunnels or trenches), and diagonal (mines). The Occupational Safety Health Act, 1970 -OSHA standards do not cover specific details of operation processes of well drilling of groundwater at working sites. The purpose of this paper is to share, and in some cases to refresh, the OSHA regulations to young geologists, geoscientists, and environmental professionals, among others. Another purpose is to teach how to plan, implement, develop, supervise, control, and audit well drilling activities following the national or local regulations equivalent to the US OSHA standards. The author suggests that communities in low and middle income countries would benefit from preparing a plan based on a) safety and health for the worker and the community around the drilling site; b) protection for the local environment during the drilling process; and c) reduction on costs for both, the builder and the owner of the well.

Using a causal hypothesis (cause-effect) it is possible to demonstrate that following the above suggested plan carefully during drilling wells, we can obtain effectiveness.

A literature review (applicability of environmental protection standards in the United States) combined with field work, drilling deep wells for groundwater supply in Colombia.

As the result of observing several well drilling sites, it was determined that it is necessary to: identify the potential unforeseen, unpredictable, minor, or major hazards that are present; mitigate and control physical, chemical and technological hazards of workers and potential bystanders; required to implement activities in order to improve management in and around the drilling site (i.e.traffic control; work safety; particularities of geography and weather conditions)

In conclusion, geologists, geoscientists, and others professionals must familiarize with the standards in and around the drilling sites of deep wells for self-protection and improvement of the economy.

Key Words: Groundwater, OSHA, Drilling wells