CHIEF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

2017.10.04

Explosives Blasting Registrations & Notifications

By

Rudzani Ramabulana

Explosives Regulations

Meaning of Blasting

History of Explosives Blasting

Why Explosives Blasting?

Registration of blasters

Explosives Blasting Requirements

Explosives Blasting Notification

Risk Assessment

PPE Blasting incidents Conclusion

Discussion Points

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13. Safe handling of explosives

6 (a) he or she is in possession of a written permission issued by or under the authority of the chief inspector of occupational health and safety;

(b) he or she is undergoing training while using such blasting material under the immediate and constant supervision of a person who is in possession of a permission contemplated in paragraph (a);

(c) he or she is trained and is authorized by the chief inspector of occupational health and safety to destroy or test explosives in a licensed workplace; or

Explosives Regulations

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13. Safe handling of explosives

6 (d) if the blasting material is used in a workplace other than a manufacturing or testing workplaces he or she -

(i) informs the provincial director not less than 24 hours prior to such use; and

(ii) is in possession of written permission issued by or under the authority of the chief inspector of explosives.

(7) No person shall permit any other person who is not in possession of such a permission to use any blasting material unless such other person is, while using such blasting material, under the immediate and constant supervision of a person who is in possession of such permission.

Explosives Regulations

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"blasting" means the firing of blasting explosives for such purposes as breaking rock or other material, moving material, or other similar activity approved by the chief inspector of explosives, and "blast" has a similar meaning;

"blaster" means a competent person who is in possession of a valid blasting permit issued by the chief inspector of explosives;

Meaning Of Blasting

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Blasting inaction?

• 50 B.C. Early form of seismoscope used by Chang Heng in China.

• 668 A.D. "Greek-fire" used in battle.

• 1200 A.D. Arabian author Abd Allah records use of saltpeter as main ingredient of black powder.

• 13th Century, Chinese use "Roman Candles" in seige of Kai-Feng Fu.

• 1242 English Friar Roger Bacon publishes gunpowder formula.

• 1380 German Franciscan Monk, Berthold Schwarts developed gunpowder and its use in gunsIn the US and Canada alone, blasters use more than 6 billion pounds of explosives and 75 million detonators per year.

History of Explosives Blasting

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• Between the closing of the Civil War and the end of World War II,

– no single engineering tool surpassed the achievement of dynamite.

• Over the last 50 years,

– even more efficient and safer products known as water gels and emulsions and much more economical and less sensitive bulk delivery systems

• Coal mining accounts for two-thirds of consumed explosives of which more than 80% of it is ANFO.

• Today, computers are used to: drill, log and monitor blastholes

• automate blending and delivery with bulk trucks — determine bench heights and face conditions — analyze production efficiency, design blast patterns — and more.

History of Explosives Blasting

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ANFO

Emulsion

Types of Blasting

• Sand blasting, which usually uses small grains of garnet as an abrasive to remove a coating or

polish a surface

Types of Blasting

• Glass bead blasting (eg glass) to remove build up of unwanted material on a surface without damaging the material underneath

Types of Blasting • Water blasting,

– where high pressure water gun is used to clean surfaces.

– These can range from small guns you can use at home to clean your car, or massive hoses used in industry to remove build up of scale inside massive tanks.

– Those hoses have

– enough pressure

– to cut through people

Types of Blasting

• Explosives blasting,

– To be discussed in details

Structural

Demolition

Why Explosives Blasting?

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Why Explosives Blasting?

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Why do we need Blasting?

Excavation for foundations

Trenching for pipes

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Why do we need Blasting?

Blasting of minerals e.g. Gold, Platinum, etc

Gautrain Blasting

Why Explosives Blasting?

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Mining

Why Explosives Blasting?

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Why do we need Blasting?

Underwater blasting

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EXPLOSIVES WORKPLACE DEFINITION

• any workplace licensed under these regulations for – the manufacture,

– testing,

– use

– and

– storage of explosives, together with every mound, building and works therein or thereon for whatever purpose used

LIGHT DELIVERY VEHICLES

STORAGE MAGAZINE

Blasting Registration

Registration of Blasting

Companies Chief Directorate OHS | 2014.07.31

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• Registration with SAPS.

• Registration with the Department of Labour.

• ER4(1) Any person who desires to erect or operate a new explosives workplace for the manufacture, testing, use or

• storage of explosives shall apply for a licence in writing to the chief inspector of occupational health and safety.

• Registration for the blasting manager with the Department of Labour.

• ER13(6)(c) he or she is trained and is authorized by the chief inspector of occupational health and safety to destroy or test explosives in a licensed workplace;

• Permit for transporting of explosives.

• Scheduled licence for explosives.

• ER4(3)(a)may issue a license subject to compliance with these regulations and after consultation with the relevant employer, self-employed or user.

Registration of Blasting

Companies Chief Directorate OHS | 2014.07.31

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Licensing of explosive workplaces

• TWO TYPES OF LICENCES

–Schedule I

–Schedule II

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Schedule I

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Schedule II

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Schedule III

Blasting permit.

Registration of Blasting

Companies Chief Directorate OHS | 2017.01.04

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Blasting permit.

• ER4(8)Any person who desires to use explosives in a workplace for any purpose shall apply in writing to the chief inspector of occupational health and safety for written approval.

• ER13(6)(a) he or she is in possession of a written permission issued by or under the authority of the chief inspector of occupational health and safety;

• CV of blaster.

• CV of blasting manager.

• Schedule Licenses

• ER12(1) In order to ensure that the provisions of the Act and these regulations in relation to explosives workplaces are complied

• with, an employer, selfemployed

• person or user shall, subject to this regulation, in writing appoint a competent and certificated person in a fulltime

Registration of Blasting

Companies Chief Directorate OHS | 2017.10.04

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Explosives Manager

Appointment Chief Directorate OHS | 2017.10.04

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The CEO (Company) letter of

appointment This letter needs to stipulate the types of

work and the area

that the Explosive Manager will be

responsible for.

Application letter from the applicant This letter is to stipulate which area the

applicant is applying

for e.g. Testing, manufacturing, user, storage

etc…

The applicants detailed CV to contain: Experience where & in what

All courses attended

Qualifications

There must be three signatures on the

CV The applicant

The immediate supervisor

The CEO or company Head

Certified ID Copy

Criminal Record Clearance

• Provincial / Regional offices

• Notification Letter

– Within 24hrs

– Where (AREA)

– When (Time )

• Blasting plan.

– Area plan

– Site plan

– Safe area/Danger zone

– Detonation Area

– Type of rocks

– Explosives storage

• Risk assessments for transport and usage of explosives.

– Covers both Blasting Plan & Procedures

– Area /Site

– Process to be followed

– Personnel competency

– Equipments

Notification of Blasting

work Chief Directorate OHS | 2017.10.04

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• Safe work procedure for safe usage of explosives.

• ER12(4)(a)(i) approves in writing the rules, methods, materials, equipment and tools to be used in the danger area;

– Charging up procedure

– Firing procedures

– Misfire procedures

• Schedule Licenses

– ER4(5) Any person applying for a licence to manufacture, use, test or store explosives in the proposed explosives workplace or magazine shall submit draft schedule licences, certified by the explosives manager, and drawings in duplicate setting forth the following

• Emergency procedures

• Letter of good standing with compensation commissioner.

• The contractor must confirm what type of cover they will have on the blast.

Notification of Blasting

work Chief Directorate OHS | 2017.10.04

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Radio Frequency around the Blasting site

• Technology

– Automation (introduction of robotics)

4 October 2017 Explosives Manager Safety Forum 36

Radio Frequency around the Blasting site

• Radio Frequency

– Explosives Truck fitted with tracking devices

4 October 2017 Explosives Manager Safety Forum 37

Hazard Vs. PPE

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Hand Protection

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Why is Hand Protection Important?

• It has been estimated that almost 20% of all disabling accidents on the job involve the hands

• Without your fingers or hands, your ability to work would be greatly reduced

Training

Employees required to use PPE must be trained to know at least the following

– When PPE is necessary

– What type of PPE is necessary

– How to properly put on, take off, adjust, and wear

– Limitations of the PPE

– Proper care, maintenance, useful life and disposal

– NB: Why do we use PPE

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Non compliance

Short Cuts

Incompetency

Un Identified Risks

Unmitigated Risks

Wrong equipment

Wrong calculations

Blasting Incidents

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Blasting sites

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Recoveries on Dumpsite

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N1 North(Blasting Cartridges)

TOPIC

Progress

on

The Explosives Regulations Amendments

Process

3 October 2017 Explosives Manager Safety Forum 47

scope • When?

– When did it all started?

• Why?

– Why was amendments necessary?

• How?

– How did we go about amending?

• What?

– What was amended?

• Way Forward?

– Implications to the industry & DoL

Implecations

3 October 2017 Explosives Manager Safety Forum 48

When did Amendments begin?

• 3rd Annual Explosives manager Safety Forum

• Midrand Conference Centre

• Tuesday 5 July 2011

3 October 2017 Explosives Manager Safety Forum 49

Why did we amend?

• Technology

– Automation (introduction of robotics)

3 October 2017 Explosives Manager Safety Forum 50

Why did we amend?

• Radio Frequency

– Explosives Truck fitted with tracking devices

3 October 2017 Explosives Manager Safety Forum 51

Why did we amend?

• Regulation change

– Explosives Truck fitted with tracking devices

3 October 2017 Explosives Manager Safety Forum 52

Why did we amend?

• Communication

–Communication with the danger area

•Cell phones

• Internet

•Computers

3 October 2017 Explosives Manager Safety Forum 53

Process that was followed

• Chief Inspector

• ACOHS

• Technical Committee

• National Explosives Council

3 October 2017 Explosives Manager Safety Forum 54

Technical Committee (TC)

3 October 2017 Explosives Manager Safety Forum 55

National Explosives Council (NEC)

3 October 2017 Explosives Manager Safety Forum 56

NEC

DoL

DMR

NIXT

Organized Labour

SANDF

CIE

INPUTS

3 October 2017 Explosives Manager Safety Forum 57

"certificated person"

means any

competent person

to whom a

certificate of competency

has been

granted by

1 2

an approved inspection authority,

or any other organization

accredited by

acceptable to

and approved by

the National Explosives Council

the chief inspector

of occupational health and safety

INPUTS

3 October 2017 Explosives Manager Safety Forum 58

17. National Explosives Council

(3)The National Explosives

Council shall –

a)

designate persons to examine

explosives managers and workers :

Provided that any accredited or

approved training shall be in

accordance with South African

Qualifications Authority standards

Remove

Remove

INPUTS

3 October 2017 Explosives Manager Safety Forum 59

"chief inspector of explosives"

means the chief inspector of explosives appointed by the Minister for Safety and Security;

Comments:

Chief Inspector of Explosives

Recommendation:

Minister of the South African Police Services

Implications

• RF Recommendations – Standards to be complied with by supplier of control

equipment.

– Standards to be complied with by supplier of

communications equipment.

– Radio/Wireless Zoning requirements.

– Issues to be addressed in RA/Hazop procedures for

establishing and operating the plant

3 October 2017 Explosives Manager Safety Forum 60

Implications

Explosives Workplace application

•Developed

•New & Amendments

•Types of work

•Net Explosives Content

•Types of Explosives and amounts

3 October 2017 Explosives Manager Safety Forum 61

Conclusion

• Regulations submitted to ACOHS

• Approval

• Public Comments

3 October 2017 Explosives Manager Safety Forum 62

Conclusion Chief Directorate OHS | 2014.07.31

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