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123 records found.
Blasting Incident - High Potential
During routine pre-split blasting of the highwall, the blast was initiated by the shot firer before one of the four guards had given clearance to fire. The guard, also a competent shot firer, had completed his inspection of the highwall... Read more
Tag Board Clearance and Underground Blasting
Workplace Standards Tasmania has investigated a number of high potential incidents involving tag board clearance and underground blasting. Details of these incidents are as follows: A firing was initiated with a tag on the “IN” board. Fortunately, the owner of the... Read more
MSB No. 015 Re-entry after blasting
The Inspectorate has become concerned by a recent spate of accidents and incidents relating to the exposure of personnel to blasting fumes in underground mines. A survey of mining operations has been carried out with a view to finding out... Read more
Model Code of Practice - Abrasive Blasting
This model Code of Practice has been developed to provide practical guidance for persons conducting a business or undertaking on how to manage health and safety risks associated with abrasive blasting under the WHS Act and Regulations. This Code applies... Read more
MSB No. 054 Blast initiation with safety fuse
Fuse initiation is as old as blasting, with the advent of gunpowder several centuries ago. By the decades of the sixties and seventies the product manufactured in Australia and known as Yellow Sump Safety Fuse had reached a high standard of... Read more
Blast Control ; Flyrock Incident
What During a quarry blast under the control of a contractor, flyrock was projected more than 500 metres onto the Pacific Highway. A rock of approximately 100mm diameter was also projected onto a nearby property where it caused damage to a... Read more
Shot firers injured by air blasts
Two serious incidents have occurred recently in Tasmanian mines, where shot firers and their assistants have been injured by an air blast. Both incidents could easily have resulted in serious injuries or fatalities; and both caused significant damage to the... Read more
People put at risk inside blast exclusion zone
Employees and infrastructure were put at risk when a face-burst projected flyrock material up to 450m from the blast area. This incident became even more serious when it was discovered that not all personnel had been removed from the exclusion... Read more
Potential contamination of underground mine ventilation by blast fumes generated at an open-cut mine
The prevailing wind carried the blast fume cloud from an open-cut coal mine close to nearby ventilation intakes for an underground coal mine. ... Read more
Blast crew affected by vapours from acetic acid spill
On entering a coal shot to commence loading (emulsion), a contractors Explosives Manufacturing Unit (EMU) broke a front left hand suspension spring. Consequently the feed line from a tank containing a 45% solution of acetic acid (N17) was damaged and... Read more
IMPACT OF BLASTING FUMES
A number of contract employees at an underground gold mine were affected by fumes, with some being rendered unconscious, following their re-entry into the mine after a production blast. ... Read more
Arc flash and blast when 1000V circuit breaker reset
An electrician was resetting a 400A 1000V circuit breaker in a low voltage switchboard on a mine's underground 11kV/1000V substation, when an arc flash and blast left him with serious burns. ... Read more
Fatal Surface Blasting Accident - Pike County, Kentucky
What A mechanic with 20 years of mining experience was fatally injured at a surface mine when he was struck by fly rock from blasting operations. The victim and another mechanic had just completed their shift in an equipment parking/service area... Read more
Report of Investigation - Fatal Surface Blasting Accident - Pike County, Kentucky
What A mechanic with 20 years of mining experience was fatally injured at a surface mine when he was struck by fly rock from blasting operations. The victim and another mechanic had just completed their shift in an equipment parking/service area... Read more
A Summary of Fatal Accidents Due to Flyrock and Lack of Blast Area Security in Surface Mining, 1989 to 1999
This paper summarizes flyrock and blast area security fatalities from 1989 to 1999 and examines the causative factors. Accident data indicates that flyrock and lack of blast area security were the primary causes of blasting related injuries in surface mining.... Read more
Securing the Blast Site to Prevent Blasting Related Injuries Blasting Safety - Revisiting Site Security
This article examines the factors related to injuries due to inadequate blasting shelters and blast area security, and identifies mitigation techniques ... Read more
Movement of vehicles in the vicinity of loaded blast sites
What Two incidents have recently occurred on mines in the Bowen Basin where heavy machinery, a drill rig and a bulldozer, trammed across loaded blastsites. In both cases, the holes had been primed with boosters and non-electric detonators and then loaded... Read more
Blasting Safety - Revisiting Site Security
This paper examines the factors related to injuries due to inadequate blasting shelters and blast area security, and identifies mitigation techniques ... Read more
Fatal Accidents Due to Flyrock and Lack of Blast Area Security and Working Practices in Mining
This paper briefly describes six representative fatalities due to flyrock and lack of blast area security in coal and nonmetal mines. Several mines were visited to collect information relative to working practices aimed at mitigating blasting hazards. Salient information obtained... Read more
Short-Delay Blasting in Underground Coal Mines
Research to determine whether the total elapsed delay time for blasting bituminous coal in underground coal mines could be safely expanded beyond the 500-ms limitation without igniting a methane or methane-coal dust atmosphere. Also reports on safety evaluation of 18... Read more