Keeping danger in check

1882
A yardstick of quality

Workers and engineers pose in front of the pilot tunnel in Göschenen, 1872. (ca. 1872, ETH Library)

1882 sees the opening of the Gotthard tunnel from Göschenen to Airolo. In total, 199 workers are killed building it. Nineteen lose their lives during the construction of the Gotthard road tunnel that opens in 1980, while nine perish working on the 2016 Gotthard Base Tunnel, which is much longer. Working conditions in tunnel construction have improved immeasurably over the last 150 years or so. The medical care available to those injured in accidents is also vastly better.

« The wretchedness of the accommodation
set up for the workers is indeed beyond all
description. »

199 workers

are killed building the Gotthard Tunnel in 1882

9 workers

die building the Gotthard Base Tunnel in 2016

13 workers per kilometre of tunnel

die building the Gotthard Tunnel in 1882

1 worker per kilometre of tunnel

dies building the Gotthard Base Tunnel in 1980

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