Blasting safely with proper

techniques


Module one

The most important responsibility of the
blaster in charge is to prepare and fire
safely. They are to practice safety in
transportation, storage, handling, and the
proper use of explosives.
Module Two
Preparing and using blast design.
(a) Identify characteristics of overburden-material which
lies above the deposit of material desired. Rock quarry
may identify this as waste.
(b) Hard to break rock looks regular in shape and easy
to break rock looks shattered and broken. Drill
penetration is a good indication of hardness. If drill
penetrates 4 to 5 feet per minute the rock is soft. If drill
vibrates and is noisy rock is hard.
(c) Determine the size and drill pattern of the blast.
Three common patterns are square, rectangle, and
staggered. Keep blasting rate up with the production
rate. When choosing patterns know faces and cuts, and
know order of shot.


(d) Choose the type of blasting agent or explosives.
Most important is if hole is wet or dry. Bulk ANFO is
most common.
(e) Benching - the process of excavating where
terraces or ledges are worked in step patterns.
(f) Burden =2.5xHole diameter, or, B=30xd/12 can be
24,30,36
(g) spacing=1.5x burden, or, s=bx1.2 to 1.8
(h) stemming=.7xburden, or, st=.7 to 1.x burden
(i) powder factor=pounds of powder/cubic yards of rock.
(j) compute scaled distance factor- w=(d/ds)2 w=weight
of explosives. D=distance in feet. Ds=scaled distance
on chart. 0-301 feet is 50. 301-5000 feet is 55. 5001
feet and beyond is 65.
(k) Cubic yards per hole = burden x spacing x face
height / 27
(l) pounds of explosives per hole is cubic yards per hole
times selected powder factor = pounds per hole.
(m) Loading density (lb./ft.=.34 x density x diameter
squared.
(n) Total lbs. of powder/delay=(distance to nearest
dwelling/60 squared.)
(o) A well designed delay patterns can affect the
direction that the overburden moves, fragmentation,
flyrock, noise, vibration, explosives used, how well the
toe is pulled, the condition of the new face.
(p) deck charges may be used to reduce ground
vibrations. If using deck charges, fire the bottom first.
(q) The four types of firing systems are electric,
detonating, nonel, and hercudet. Hercudet is hardly any
longer used.








Federal Law Requirements

Pre blast survey regulation. Federal law requires that a mine
operator conduct a pre blast survey on any home within one-half
mile of the permit area, if the owner requests. A report must be
submitted to the regulatory authority and to the person making the
request.
Blasting schedule publication. The mine operator must publish a
blasting schedule before beginning a blasting program. The blasting
schedule must be published in a local newspaper of general
distribution. The schedule
must be distributed to all property owners and utilities within one-half
mile of permit area. Copies of the blasting schedules that are sent
to residents must be accompanied by information advising the
owner of how to request a pre blast survey. The schedule must be
republished and redistributed at least every twelve months, or
whenever there is a change in the schedule.
Blasting schedule contents should identify the location of the
blasting site and the time periods when blasting will occur. It should
also include the methods to be used to control access to the blast
site.

Public protection. All blasting should be
conducted between sunrise and sunset. You
may have to blast between sunset and sunrise
under the following conditions: If a blast that has
been prepared in the daytime has to be
prolonged and can not wait until the next day. A
complete report should be prepared including a
reason why the blast had to be shot at night and
could not wait until the next day, when the blast
actually occurred, and the warning notices that
were given, and a copy of the usual blasting
record. Access must be controlled to protect all
the public and livestock.
Minimum Distance for blasting.

According to federal law even if you are
granted a waiver, 300 feet is the absolute
minimum distance you can mine from
structures that are not operator-owned. If
you blast closer than 300 feet to a
structure or pipeline of the types
mentioned in the regulations, you are
violating federal law.
List of information that Federal law requires you to
have on the blasting record.

1. Location
2. Number of holes
3. Diameter and depths of holes
4. Total weight of explosives
5. Maximum weight detonated in an 8-ms
period.
6. Maximum number of holes detonated within
any 8-ms period.
7.Sketch of the delay pattern.
Handling, transporting, and storage

(a) As blaster-in-charge make sure all the
explosives you need are at the blast site.
(b) As blaster-in-charge you will be in charge of
the magazines.
(c) Taking deliveries, storing, records,
cleanliness of magazines.
(d) Stack boxes correctly, MSHA says 8 ft. high,
ODM says 6 ft. high.
(e) The ATF says to check magazines every
three days.
Using electric firing system

(a) using a blasting galvanometer, the amount of
electricity that can flow through material depends on the
resistance of the electric blasting caps and cap circuits.
Make sure to zero the galvanometer .
(b) using blasting machines- there are 2 types of
blasting machines, generator type and capacitor
discharge.
(c) using a blasters multimeter- This is a test instrument
that can measure resistance and voltage in electric
blasting system. Never let a cell or battery come into
contact with electric blasting caps. Use only a
manufacturers recommended multimeter and follow
manufacturers recommendations for replacing the cell or
battery.
Loading bore holes

(a) check bore holes for depth, obstructions, water,
open holes, and hot holes.
(b) Load primers- Lower the primers into the holes by
using the detonating cord or tubing. Clip the detonating
cord or hercudet tubing so that about 24 inches will be
left outside the holes. Tie the cord off to something
stationary to keep from slipping into the hole.
(c) Load explosives- choose the proper explosives for
the job. For wet holes load an explosives that is water
resistance. If using ANFO line holes with plastic bags.
For holes with voids, cartridged or packaged explosives.
(d) Load and tamp stemming materials. Damp sand,
crushed rock, and drill cuttings are all good for
stemming. When tamping holes make sure to not hit
directly on cap.
Detonating cord firing system

(a) Choose detonating cord for down lines
and trunk lines.
(b) Choose delay devices
(c) Choose primers
(d) Make up primers
(e) Hook up system
(f) Fire shot

Using an electric firing system

(a) Specifying type
(b) Choosing primers
(c) Making up primers
(d) Computing the resistance
(e) Connecting leg wires
(f) Connecting firing circuit
(g) Test the complete circuit
(h) Fire the shot
Using Nonel firing system

(a) Nonel is a non-electric initiation system
made up of plastic tubing coated internally with a
light dusting of explosive powder.
(b) Choose delay devices
(c) Choose detonating cord for down lines
(d) Choose primer
(e) Make up primers
(f) Hook up system
(g) Fire shot


Hercudet firing system

Hercudet is no longer in use.
Detecting and handling misfires

(a) Burning explosives- If you see a steady rise
of smoke you probably have a misfired hole.
(b) Poor fragmentation- If overburden does not
move like it should this could be a misfire.
MSHA regulations state that if using electric
caps keep the area clear for 15 minutes. If you
used safety fuse keep the area clear for 30
minutes.
(c) Detonating cord- If you find detonating cord
that goes into the ground, the hole has misfired.
Re-firing misfired holes

(a) If a misfire occurs the first thing that you
have to determine is whether or not you can use
the existing caps and primers. If so re-connect
the line and fire, making sure that the burden
hasnt been reduced enough to cause excessive
fly rock.
(b) If you decide that you cannot re-fire the
existing caps and primer cord, you may remove
the stemming material from the blast hole with
an air compressor. Move the blow tube up and
down until all stemming material is gone. If
using bulk ANFO, this will not work. Put new
primer in and shoot.
Secondary blasting

(a) Identify the need for a secondary blast
(b) Find and mark the spot for holes to be
drilled. Choose the explosives you wish to
use. Load hole and blast using the proper
procedures of which type of blasting that
you choose.