Tunnel Crew Gets Permanent Safety Variance for Compressed-Air Work
Published Date: 10/29/2026
Notice
Summary
OSHA has given the Obayashi-Jay Dee Joint Venture a permanent green light to use special safety rules while working in compressed air for the Cemetery Brook Drain Tunnel Project in Manchester, NH. This change starts October 29, 2026, and lasts until the project wraps up, helping the team work smarter and safer underground. No extra costs or delays are expected, just a smoother tunnel build!
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Use of 1992 French decompression tables
OSHA allowed Obayashi--Jay Dee to use the 1992 French Decompression Tables instead of the OSHA decompression tables at 29 CFR 1926.803(f)(1) for the Cemetery Brook Drain Tunnel Project starting October 29, 2026. The project will use staged decompression with air or oxygen, and a physician certified in hyperbaric medicine must manage the medical condition of compressed-air workers (CAWs); the applicant estimates working pressures up to 37 p.s.i.g.
Manual staged decompression instead of automatic controls
OSHA granted a variance from 29 CFR 1926.803(g)(1)(iii) to allow staged, manually controlled decompression under the 1992 French Decompression Tables instead of automatically regulated continuous decompression for interventions on the TBM, effective October 29, 2026. Staged decompression will be implemented by a trained airlock attendant under oversight of a hyperbaric supervisor and an attending hyperbaric physician.
TBM airlocks used instead of special chamber
OSHA granted a variance from 29 CFR 1926.803(g)(1)(xvii) allowing Obayashi--Jay Dee to use the TBM's inner and outer airlocks in place of a separate special decompression chamber. The variance limits crew size to three CAWs in the main chamber and allows use of the airlocks for decompression up to the 75-minute threshold and states the main chamber can accommodate decompression times up to 360 minutes; medical and shuttle chambers must be on standby.
Pre-start safety submissions and medical staffing
Before using the TBM for tunneling, Obayashi--Jay Dee must submit a project-specific Hyperbaric Operations Manual (HOM) and proof the TBM hyperbaric chambers meet the most recent ASME PVHO-1 standard at least six months in advance. The variance also requires a physician certified in hyperbaric medicine, a trained airlock attendant, and a hyperbaric supervisor on site, plus medical and shuttle chambers on standby during operations.
Variance limited to Obayashi--Jay Dee project
The permanent variance applies only to Obayashi--Jay Dee and only to the remainder of construction work on the Cemetery Brook Drain Tunnel Project, starting October 29, 2026 and continuing until project completion or OSHA modifies/revokes the order. It does not apply to other OJD tunneling projects or other employers.
Stricter hyperbaric incident reporting rules
Under the variance, Obayashi--Jay Dee must notify OSHA of any hyperbaric-related recordable injury or illness and provide a copy of the hyperbaric incident investigation (OSHA Form 301) within 24 hours, include detailed hyperbaric-specific information on the Form 301, and notify OSHA within 15 working days if the Hyperbaric Operations Manual (HOM) must be revised. An end-of-project evaluation report on the decompression tables is also required.
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