Technical Manual: Conduits through Embankment Dams (FEMA 484)

Chapter 9—Inspection and Assessment of Conduit-Related ProblemsAfter reviewing available documentation, a list of important and significantconcerns should be prepared for use during the inspection.A log should be established at the embankment dam that records the date, typeof inspection performed, name of the inspectors, and the results. Allinspections should be documented in the form of an inspection report withphotographs, reservoir water levels, discharges from the conduit, and relevantinstrumentation data, such as from nearby piezometers, and forwarded to theengineering staff or personnel responsible for technical review and evaluation.An ongoing visual inspection checklist should be developed to provideguidance and consistency in looking for signs of distress. If information isfound that suggests the embankment dam, foundation, or conduit was notdesigned to current standards, specific items should be added to the inspectionchecklist to address specific deficiencies. All inspection reports should bemaintained in a secure location for future reference. Good recordkeeping ofinspection reports, technical reports, etc. will ensure that development of anyadverse trends are identified and proper actions are taken to correct anyproblems.For further guidance on inspection programs and checklists for inspection, seeReclamation’s Review of Operation and Maintenance Program Field ExaminationGuidelines (1991).A job hazard analysis should be prepared for embankment dam and conduitinspections, following approved safety guidelines. The basic elements of a JHAare outlined in Reclamation’s Operation and Maintenance Safety Standards (1989b,pp. 65-66). Note: Other agencies and organizations may utilize their own setof standards for safety guidance. All personnel involved in the inspectionshould receive and review a copy of the JHA. As a minimum, a JHA shouldinclude:1. Names of all participants and the agency, organization, or group they arerepresenting.2. Operations to be performed.3. Special considerations, such as monitoring of atmospheric conditions priorto entry into confined spaces. Detection of adverse atmosphericconditions at any location requires that the confined space be mechanicallyventilated or the examination be abandoned. Entry should only proceedupon confirmation of acceptable atmospheric conditions. All entrantsinto confined spaces are to have lockout/tagout and confined entry space203