Page 92 - Safety and health in construction
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16. Explosives
16.1. General provisions
16.1.1. Explosives should not be stored, transported, handled or used except:
(a) under conditions prescribed by national laws or regulations;
(b) by a competent person, who should take all necessary steps to ensure that workers
and other persons are not exposed to risk of injury.
16.1.2. Before explosives are used for blasting on a site, an agreed system of
work should be prepared and the responsibilities of persons involved detailed in
writing.
16.1.3. Blasting caps, safety fuses, wiring and other blasting equipment should
conform to specifications laid down in national laws or regulations.
16.1.4. Dynamite should not be removed from its original wrapper until it is being
loaded into boreholes.
16.1.5. As far as practicable, blasting should be done off shift or during breaks in
the work.
16.1.6. As far as practicable, blasting above ground should be done in daylight.
16.1.7. If blasting above ground has to be done during darkness, roadways and
pathways should be adequately lit.
16.1.8. If blasting can endanger workers in another enterprise:
(a) blasting times should be agreed between the two enterprises;
(b) shots should not be fired until a warning has been given to the other enterprise and
acknowledged by it.
16.1.9. Loaded boreholes should not be left unattended after the end of the shift.
16.1.10. At an appropriate time before the final blasting warning, workers in the
area should be removed to a designated safe place.
16.1.11. An unmistakable, audible, final warning should be sounded one minute
prior to the detonation of explosives; after completion, when the person in charge has
established that safe conditions prevail, an "all clear" should be sounded.
16.1.12. To prevent persons entering any danger zone during blasting operations:
(a) look-outs should be posted around the area of operations;
(b) warning flags should be flown;
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