PPE kits, insurance for labourers: Delhi Govt issues SOP for manhole cleaning

Providing protective gear and testing the air inside manholes before workers enter them are among the safety protocols that have to be followed before labourers are engaged for sewage maintenance in Delhi.

In a recently released SOP, the Public Works Department (PWD) has listed out directions to be followed for repairing roads and manhole cleaning to protect the public and workers involved.

The SOP places the onus on contractors to ensure all prescribed safety measures are implemented.

The manholes need to be ventilated, and the area must be cordoned off. The contractor must provide workers with appropriate personal protective equipment, including helmets, gloves, safety harnesses and breathing apparatus (if required), the official said.

According to the SOP, respirators or air purifying systems should be used if there are risks of hazardous gases or low oxygen levels inside the manhole.

Before workers enter the manhole, the air should be tested for combustible gases like methane and toxic gases such as hydrogen sulphide or carbon monoxide.

“Continuous air monitoring should be maintained, and if gas concentrations exceed safe limits, work should be halted, and additional ventilation or protective measures should be implemented,” they said.

Oxygen levels should be at least 19.5 per cent inside the manhole, and documentation of all gas readings should be done, the guidelines said.

“A permit-to-work system should be implemented to ensure that every work task is authorised by a designated safety officer or supervisor,” the guidelines said.

The permit should include all safety protocols, emergency procedures, and gas testing results,” the guidelines said.

The SOP mandates that work in manholes should only be carried out by personnel who have been specifically trained in confined space entry and rescue procedures, with the contractor ensuring that a competent safety officer is present for supervision.

It provides for the establishment of effective communication systems to maintain contact between workers inside the manhole and those outside.

This can include two-way radios or other reliable communication devices, it said, adding that adequate lighting should be provided inside the manhole to ensure that workers can see clearly to reduce the risk of accidents.

Asserting that a comprehensive risk assessment should be carried out before any work begins to identify potential hazards, including chemical, biological, and physical risks, the guidelines said workers involved should be briefed about the risks identified and the measures taken to mitigate them.

To further enhance safety, the SOP states that two workers should always enter a manhole together.

“This reduces risks by ensuring that one worker can assist or call for help in the event of an emergency. The second worker, positioned outside the manhole, can immediately respond if a problem arises,” they said.

The SOP also said that the contractor shall procure an insurance policy, covering all materials, public liability, third-party liability and workmen’s compensation.

The minimum total sum insured should be of Rs 1 crore with the engineer-in-charge being nominated as the loss payee, said the guidelines.

Regarding SOP for maintenance vans carrying out road repair works, an official said that the step was taken to ensure uniformity in their deployment and operation across the various PWD zones.