A Risk Analysis approach for rock-falls in quarries

Of all the risks induced by geological instabilities during quarrying activities, the risk of rockfalls is surely one of the most critical. Nevertheless, few tools are currently available to help the designers and managers correctly define the risk conditions and quantify the advantages in terms of safety and quarry management that can be obtained using suitable prevention devices. For this purpose, taking into account the Prevention through Design approach, it is necessary to weigh the various parameters that are involved, and to define which of them are the most important, that is, which have the most influence on rock-fall phenomena. An evaluation system for Risk which is able to support decision makers in the critical rockfall risk assessment phase and offer the decision makers the updated information that is necessary for a continuous and dynamic operation design during exploitation activities is here presented and discussed.