Incident alert

Following an HSE inspection at a quarry a Notice of Contravention - Major Hazard Intervention on Blasting was issued for the following reasons :

• Use and control on detonators and primers do not match shotfiring rules for site.

• Documentation of the blasting danger zone and transport route for explosives were held on seperate plans and not on a scaled plan.

Following this notice the following actions were put in place

Local

• Review shotfiring rules to accurately reflect controls around detonators and primers.

• Review shotfiring rules to allow for single document for the danger zone and transport routes.

• Consult blasting contractor on updated shotfiring rules.

National

• Review shotfiring rules and ensure they accurately reflect activities on site.

• Where documentation controls activities managed by specialist contractors, ensure the specialists are involved with any documentation review.

More information on shotfiring and explosives can be found on Safequarry

By reviewing the QNJAC section on drilling and blasting.  https://www.safequarry.com/Home/qnjac.aspx?

The HSE article on best practice in record keeping for explosives  https://www.safequarry.com/hotTopics/Best%20Practice%20in%20Record%20Keeping%20-%20Paul%20Rushton%20IExpE%202009.pdf

Visiting the HSE’s website section on explosives   https://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/