tunnellers

Tunnellers are workers who excavate and support horizontal earthworks, spanning mining, civil engineering, and utility construction. They dig passages such as mine tunnels, subway and road tunnels, water conduits, and other underground spaces, while installing supports to prevent collapse. The occupation covers manual laborers, drillers, shotfirers, and supervisors who oversee excavation and stabilization.

Historically, tunnellers performed most work with hand tools, using picks, shovels, and timber or steel supports to keep the face open as spoil was removed. In hard rock, drilling and blasting was common, followed by mucking and lining. In the late 20th and 21st centuries, mechanization transformed tunnelling: tunnel boring machines, raised bore rigs, and roadheaders reduce manual digging and improve efficiency and safety. Modern tunnellers coordinate surveying, drilling and blasting or TBM operations, mucking, and the installation of tunnel lining, ventilation, drainage, and instrumentation.

Safety is a central concern: hazards include cave-ins, rock falls, gas and flooded conditions, dust and heat, and equipment accidents. Mitigation relies on proper face support, ventilation, gas testing, continuous monitoring, personal protective equipment, and training. Government regulation and industry unions have shaped standards for working hours, rescue procedures, and emergency access.

Tunnellers have been pivotal in major infrastructure and mining projects worldwide, enabling urban transport networks, water management, and resource extraction. Notable examples include the construction of subway systems, large-diameter water tunnels, and long-range mining tunnels, often in challenging geological conditions.