Dangers of drain exploring
1st January 2001

Exploration of drains is NOT legal in many cites. Do NOT enter drains where illegal to do so. Even though I know this, I also know that no matter what warnings I may give, no matter their number and even the threat of legal repercussions people will still stupidly enter and explore drains. That is why I have provided this information in the hope that people will read it, learn from it and not make the mistakes that just recently lead to the death of a drain explorer.

Exploring drains is a risky business. As well as problems with climbs and drops in the drains there are other dangers. Even if you read nothing else in this web site read this! Just as driving instructors warn drivers of the dangers of the road, I choose to warn people of the dangers of drain exploration.

This entire Drain Safety Guide can be found in a 380 Kb Word 6.0 document. guide.doc
Also avliable as a Zip file. This is suitable for clearer printing than this web page. To download the document right click on the link and choose 'save link as'. The 22 page guide includes information on all the hazards on the site and information on drain features.

In addition to reading this information you should read about gasses, pollution and drain features.

The record so far on draining safety

On December 19 2000, a 14 year old boy died in a flash flood while exploring a drain in the City, and another almost drowned. The 14 year old, known as 'Bob' was a known Drainer, with as much as a year's experience exploring drains. Don't kid yourself that that this sort of thing can not happen to you. If it can happen to an experienced explorer, it can happen to anyone.

There have been other deaths in drains, A scout died when he fell into a drain in Dandenong. In the City a fireman lost his life when taking part in a training exercise.

In South Australia a scout leader decided to take his scout troop up a drain for an exploration trip. Once again, while it was raining. Why he decided to do this is beyond me. As to be expected, water levels rose to the point where the scouts were threatened with being washed down the drain. One scout was sent for help, then with the rescue people waiting around the scouts jumped into the water and were washed down the drain to pour toboggan like out of the drain mouth. Footage of this event is used by the media to depict the sort of trouble �typical� drain explorers can get into.

In 1997 a fireman had to leap into a drain (unknown where) to rescue a boy washed into the drain during floods. The fireman was up to his neck in the drain which was almost full. Just recently the fireman received Australia�s highest bravery award.

Safety as paramount

Recent recommendations concerning the accreditation and licensing of cave explorers has a lot of suggestions that can be applied to drain exploration. The first of these is that safety should be kept paramount at all times. Safety should be more important than the desire to explore further. This means you should not place people's safety at risk for the sake of exploring a drain. Drain explorers, and expedition leaders in particular should take the trouble the make themselves aware of the dangers, both known dangers and other possible dangers. They should make themselves aware of first aid techniques and of rescue techniques.

Any expedition into drains should carry a small first aid kit, adequate number of flashlights and have an experienced drain explorer in the lead.

Who should not go in drains?

There are also some people that I do not recommend should be allowed to explore drains. The first of these is children. Drain explorers should not encourage children to enter the drains and in fact should actively encourage children not to go in drains. About the youngest age that anyone should go into a drain is from about 16 years of age. Teenagers will of course enter drains on their own but they should be made aware of the risks and dangers of doing so.

People obviously under the influence of drugs or alcohol should also not enter drains and expedition leaders should not let these people enter a drain.

When it comes to exploring drains, do it in a group. Exploring drains on your own is not recommended, and should only be done by very experienced drain explorers. Inexperienced drain explorers should ideally join an existing group to gain some experience before forming their own group.

So, when it comes to exploring drains, think safety first. Be aware of the risks, dangers and potential risks. Be responsible for your safety and others, don't take dangerous and stupid risks for the sake of exploring just that bit more. Be aware of first aid and take a kit with you.

Lastly, and most importantly, let someone responsible know where you are going and what time to expect you back. Give them a clear idea of what drains you plan to explore, including any that you might explore if you have the time, explain which bits of larger drains you plan to explore and if you are using a car tell them roughly where you plan to park. In the event of you failing to return this will help rescuers pinpoint where you may be.

Water and flooding: Exploring a drain after rain is trouble waiting to happen. Remember; If it rains, no drains!

Why is flooding in drains such a big problem?

Water can be a big hazard for two main reasons, first, it can cause you to drown, and it can also cause physical damage through sweeping you into walls, obstacles and over waterfalls. In fact even relatively shallow water such as under knee height can knock you over and sweep you down a drain if it is flowing fast.

Why do flash floods occur so fast in drains?

Before cities existed rain water was able to soak into the ground where it would seep down to the water table. Over time it would work it's way through the ground to creeks and waterways. This would happen over a period of hours to days, even months. In a city however, the large amount of impervious ground such as roofs, ashfelt and concrete prevent water from seeping into the ground. The water runs off these surfaces and straight into drains. In the chart to right it can be seen that the amount of water that pours into a drain after a rain storm is higher than that finding it's way into creeks and also happens a LOT faster.

During rain, the water levels in drains will rise, normally you will get some warning such as water from side pipes dripping in, and water coming in through grilles but flash floods with no warning have, and do happen. With the build up of water level will come an increase in water speed. Even in some smooth RCP drains can be a problem, ending up with you being dumped out of the mouth of the drain and washed away down creeks to your death. In any drain with steps, slides or waterfalls being washed away is going to cause serious injury or death.

Even if the drain looks to have only a small water flow in it during and just after rain you might find that this can change rapidly. We know of three cases where inexperienced drain-o-philes have entered a tunnel just after rain with just a small amount of water flowing only to find that in minutes they were faced with a flash flood and swept out downstream. Big drains such as Mini-Tenth carry huge volumes of water, big enough to move a car several hundred meters!

The moral in this case is not to go in drains when it is wet. This is a standard rule of drain exploring and one that has been universally adopted throughout Australia.

What to do if you are caught in a flood in a drain.

The smart thing to do, is not to be caught in a flood. But if the worst comes to the worst, here are some things to consider. Some of this advice comes almost word for word from one of those �real life� tv shows. I�ve only ever been in a drain flood once and that was to record water levels from a safe location.

If caught in a flood and there is no safe exit there are two main options; try to get to a safe place and wait it out, or ride the flood out of the drain.

Seeking an exit or place of safety is the best option. When seeking a place of safety such as a ledge or manhole, check for rims of dirt and debris left from previous floods. If they reach past where you plan to wait the flood out then you should perhaps consider another place or consider riding the flood out of the drain. Manholes, even if they are heavy unmovable types are your best bet as they rise up to ground surface level, they have access to fresh air and you can call for help from them.

If you know the drain layout and are aware that there are no obstacles and especially no falls or steps then you can consider riding the flood out. Before you do this, you must firstly have considered all other options, such as climbing up to ledges or manholes. Riding out a flood is not the best option. I�ve never heard of anyone but a scout group in South Australia having to ride a flood out of a drain.

If the water is deep enough, try to half crouch in the water, facing downstream. Try to keep your shoes running along the bottom of the drain as this will help keep you upright. Keep both your legs and arms slightly out forward as you can use them to fend off obstacles. If you find any large floating debris use it for support.

Water also causes slime and weeds to grow in the drains which can be slippery. Be sure of your step before you walk as falling over in a drain may lead to potential injuries. Cold water and winds can also lead to hypothermia so wear some warm clothing.

Ladders and Falls. Navigating ladders and waterfalls can be risky and dangerous. Waterfalls are a major hazard, and are the main reason why you should not explore drains when it is raining. In many drains getting washed out by flood water may not be fatal, but getting washed over a waterfall, even as low as a meter will probably result in broken bones and/or death.

Not all waterfalls have ladders, and not all ladders are safe to navigate. Before using a ladder, inspect it carefully. Are there any signs of rust? Are there missing rungs, are the bolts holding the ladder in place all there? Several of the older step iron ladders which use flat rungs have become rusted right through and will bend under almost any weight. Some ladders, such as the one in GOD have missing or loose attachment bolts. Give the ladder a good shake to see if it is loose before climbing it.

If the ladder or step irons looks to be secure next look to see if any of the rungs get sprayed with water from the falls. If this is the case you should be aware that some of the rungs may be slippery. Take extra care when climbing ladders. All unnecessary equipment should be stowed in your pack and you should only be carrying your pack and flashlight. If using a dolphin flashlight you can usually grip both this and the ladder rung at the same time. You might be better off putting your flashlight in your pack and have another member of the group shining light up at you.

Be particularly careful transferring to and from ladders at the top of falls. Some ladders have an extra rung or two at the top of the falls inside of the upper tunnel. Others do not. Use care and judgment, if it does not look safe, don't risk it. Also, be careful at the top of falls, be aware that if the tunnel is slippery you might end up going over the top of the falls.

Injuries and slipping over. If you're not wearing the right sort of gear or don't watch what you're doing you stand a good risk of injuring yourself in a tunnel. One slip on a bit of tunnel slime may end up causing a broken bone or worse. Also there can be sharp glass and exposed metalwork you can cut yourself on. So be careful, watch what you are doing, learn to point your light where you are going, both along the ground and above.

Generally, you can learn to recognise slime deposits. They are generally darkish deposits on the floor of the drain. You may notice one side of the drain is dark and the other light. Walk in the lighter section as the dark bit is usually slippery. Also be aware that wet sections of the drain, such as water dripping from side pipes, tends to be slippery. Learn to avoid these wet bits, either stepping over them or crossing to the other side of the drain. Deposits from stalactites also tend to be very slippery.

In drains with a low roof be aware of pipes and other obstructions above you. Some small pipes may be hard to see. Also be aware of side pipes jutting into the tunnel. Anzac and the upper end of GOD have some obstructions to be particularly aware of.

Even if you have someone else with you hauling you out of a tunnel will be painful and difficult, calling for medical help may involve some explaining to do.

Manholes

Manholes have their associated problems, all of which can be avoided if armed with a little foreknowledge and common sense. Problems associated with manholes include being hit by traffic after opening an manhole from underneath, dropping manholes down their shaft, bad air in manholes, getting dirt in your eyes and spiders. Oh, and falling down them is no fun either, so don�t forget to replace manhole covers.

Traffic

Be wary of opening manholes from underneath, if you hear the thunk, thunk of cars going overhead there's a pretty good chance the manhole is on a road. Ideally you should not open a manhole unless you are sure of where it exits. Some drains have a good number of manholes that open onto footpaths or median strips (such as Dwellers) while others have manholes that mainly open onto roads (such as the upper end of GOD).

Gatic type drain covers which are impossible to lift anyway are generally located on roads. Round manholes can be located on roads or footpaths. Generally solid concrete gutter box type manholes are located on footpaths or median strips and are easy to open.

The best policy with an unknown drain manhole is not to open it. If you must, wait at least five minutes before opening it (you�ll probably be tired from the walk anyway). If you hear no cars, chances are the manhole is not under a road, or is on a quiet road. But be careful!

Dropping the manhole cover down the shaft.

This is not possible with round covers which is good. With rectangular manhole covers it is possible to drop them down the shaft which is very bad news for those down below. When exiting a drain, make sure the manhole cover is fully clear of the manhole before everyone exits. Only after everyone is safely out should the manhole cover be replaced. Generally the best way to do this is to place one end of the cover in an end of the groove and then lower the cover until it is flat.

Bad gas in manholes.

Hydrogen gasses rise, so they can build up in the top of manhole shafts. Covers with air vents in them avoid this to an extent, but they can still trap gas. Solid manhole covers can cause gas to build up. Also rusting of manhole covers uses up oxygen. Although this is a potential problem, I have never heard of any drain explorers who have encountered this yet. There have been many well documented cases of sewer workers being overcome by a build up of hydrogen gasses in sewers. Sewers tend to be more enclosed and less ventilated than drains.

Spiders.

They love manholes, for them its' prime real estate. They often collect around manhole covers with vents where they have light, air and the occasional insect fly in. Most spiders are harmless, but you should be wary of red-backs, white tails, funnel webs and any other poisonous spiders. Play it safe by using your flashlight to clear away spider webs and spiders.

Falling debris in eyes.

This is probably the most frequent problem with manholes. As you open a manhole from below, the dirt, leaves and much caught in the rim will fall down the manhole. Be wary of this. While it is natural to look up as you open a manhole, it is best to close your eyes just and the manhole is lifted clear of the hole.