INTEGRATED SAFETY PROTOCOLS FOR UNDERGROUND DRILLING: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK LINKING AUTOMATION, REAL-TIME MONITORING, AND HUMAN FACTORS

Abstract

Underground drilling operations remain among the most hazardous industrial activities due to the combined risks of gas leakage, dust explosions, rock mass instability, and human error. As mining operations extend to greater depths and technical complexity increases, conventional safety management approaches based on static procedures and reactive interventions have proven increasingly inadequate. This systematic review synthesises evidence from 204 peer-reviewed studies to critically examine the transition from traditional reactive safety protocols toward proactive, data-driven safety systems in underground drilling environments. The analysis identifies three interdependent pillars that currently define the state of the art: real-time multi-sensor monitoring and early-warning systems, intelligent automation technologies (including automated blowout prevention and drill-pipe handling), and human-factors integration through established frameworks such as the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS). Building on this synthesis, the paper proposes the Integrated Underground Drilling Safety System (IUDSS), a novel conceptual framework that systematically couples multi-source data fusion, dynamic risk assessment, and human-centred design within a closed-loop architecture. Despite notable technological progress, significant research gaps persist in underground communication infrastructure, adaptive artificial intelligence, human–machine interface optimisation, and long-term equipment integrity under highly corrosive and abrasive conditions. The IUDSS framework offers researchers and industry practitioners a coherent and structured pathway for advancing toward zero-incident underground drilling operations.