Safety Management in BMD Vehicles

Safety Management in BMD Vehicles
: Dr. Manoj K Patel :

INTRODUCTION:

With the inception of manufacturing of SME and ANFO in large mines like Moher and Moher Amlorhi OC Coal Mines of Reliance; coal mines of SCCL, Singareni; NCL, Singrauli, etc; the BMD Vehicles; used for transportation and charging of SME and ANFO; have entered into the gambit of  mining machineries. Unlike other machineries and HEMM used in the mines, the BMD Vehicles will attract more attention to mines management as well as statutory authorities because of the hazardous material carried and used by these vehicles, inside and outside the mine premises. These vehicles are smaller compared to the HEMM but the risk involved in these are many folds compared to that of HEMM. Keeping these aspects in mind the authors have tried to bring out details safety hazard aspects associated with these BMD Vehicles.

 EMULSIONS and ANFO are SAFE – A MYTH:

The myth with SME and ANFO is that – these are safe. Emulsions are basically not sensitive in the same way that nitro-glycerine, PETN and lead azide etc are. They show no sensitivity to detonate when subjected to the normal levels of friction, impact, static and heat etc. found in a plant environment. Therefore it is assumed that not only are they safer – they are inherently safe. Here lies the problem. Are they safer? Yes. Are they safe? No - not if by “safe” we mean they will not detonate or explode in a fault condition in a plant environment. The reason we have a problem is because the behaviour of emulsions in certain plant situations is not correctly understood by many of the people who handle them. To understand their behaviour we need to look at the materials that are used in emulsion processes, their properties and how they can interact with the process and equipment.

Ammonium Nitrate Porous Prills (ANPP):    ANPP has a melting point of 170 ⁰C and it decomposes above 210 ⁰C. During normal handling, ammonium nitrate does not explode due to the friction but it can be detonated under heat and confinement or severe shock. ANPP is classified as dangerous goods class 5.1 oxidizing substances, UN1942. Ammonium nitrate must not contain more than 0.2 % combustible material. AN’ s thermal conductivity is extremely low and its heat capacity is relatively high, implying that quite high amounts of heat must be applied to melt it. At elevated temperatures, several alterations can be observed with AN. First of all, the crystal structure of AN changes at 32 °C going from porous grains to a more powder-like form. This can have a sensitizing effect. Melting point o AN is approximately 170 °C, however, an extremely slow endothermic decomposition can be observed from 80–90 °C. The products forming from this decomposition is ammonia and nitric acid:

NH4NO3(s)  →  NH3(g) + HNO3(g)

When the temperature exceeds AN’s melting point and approaches its boiling point (210 °C), a second exothermic decomposition can take place, yielding nitrous oxide and water:

NH4NO3(l)  →   N2O(g) + 2H2O(g)

Temperatures above the boiling point accelerate the decomposition of AN. Furthermore, poisonous red/ brown NOx gasses can be formed. This decomposition can be of explosive nature.

SME or Ammonium Nitrate base Emulsion (ANE or SME):    The ammonium nitrate emulsion (ANE) manufactured with emulsifiers creates a petroleum jelly-like mixture. The emulsion is oil continuous (Water in Oil Type Emulsion) and thus is not miscible with water. AN is classified as class 5.1 oxidizing agent and is transported as dangerous goods UN3375. ANE (SME) mostly consists of diluted AN and can, when heated, theoretically lead to similar decomposition patterns like ANPP. If the water in ANE (SME) can evaporate, the resulting mixture will be similar to that of ANFO. This could have a greater explosive potential under fire exposure than ANPP alone. Thus, by heating ANE (SME), especially under confinement, the explosion hazard will be greater. If the AN in this mixture starts do decompose, the mixture can basically sensitize itself by “self-gassing” leading to a mixture with lower density and greater sensitivity. Contaminations in ANE (SME) will have similar effects on ANE (SME) as it happens for ANPP.

Acetic Acid:  Acetic acid is a carboxylic acid which is a weak acid with a boiling point between 118-119 °C. Acetic acid above 10% is classified as a corrosive, flammable liquid. It has a flashpoint at 69 °C. The acetic acid functions as a catalyst in the sensitizing process in the explosives mixture, providing the desired density. It is non-compatible with oxidizing agents. High temperatures and open flames should be avoided. Heating can produce flammable gasses.

Diesel Oil (HSD):    It has a boiling point 215-376°C and it does not decompose. It has a lower flashpoint at 60 °C.  It is highly hazardous in the close proximity of heat and sources of ignition. Storage tanks need to be provided with proper earthing, ground/bond line and equipment during pumping or transfer to avoid the accumulation of static charge. BMD Vehicles usually have two diesel oil tanks used for truck fuel and explosives manufacturing, respectively. Diesel oil is a petroleum-based fuel consisting of both saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons.

Paraffin Wax:    Wax has a melting point of 37⁰C and it does not decompose. It is a diverse class of organic compounds that are hydrophobic, malleable solids at ambient temperatures. It is hazardous in close proximity to oxidisers and heat.

Sodium Nitrite:    It is in-compatible to reducing agents, combustible materials, organic materials, metals, acids, alkalis, and oxidizer. It classified as oxidizing, toxic and environmentally damaging. Sodium nitrite is used as a sensitizer due to its reaction with AN which produces nitrogen gas.

The explosive hazard of sodium nitrite is much lower than for its corresponding nitrates; however, explosive mixtures can be formed when combined with ammonium salts, pulverized metals or combustible materials. The melting point of sodium nitrate is 280 °C. When temperatures exceed 320 °C, sodium nitrate becomes unstable and starts to decompose producing sodium oxide, nitrogen(II) oxide and nitrogen dioxide:

2NaNO2 (l)   →   Na2O (s) + NO (g) + NO2 (g)

INCOMPATIBILE CHEMICALS used in ANFO and SME:

In-compatibility of the chemicals used during transportation, manufacture and charging of ANFO and SME in the blast holes is:

Compatability List for Raw Materials
	Ammonium Nitrate (Solid)	Ammonium Nitrate (Liquid)	Sodium Nitrate	Sodium Nitrite	Wax	Salt	Acetic Acid	HSD	Furnace Oil	SMO
Ammonium Nitrate	ü	X	ü	X	ü	ü	X	X	X	X
Sodium Nitrate	ü	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Sodium Nitrite	X	X	X	X	ü	ü	X	X	X	X
Wax	ü	X	ü	ü	ü	ü	X	X	X	X
Salt	ü	X	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü	X	X	X
Acetic Acid	X	X	X	X	X	X	ü	X	X	X
HSD	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	ü	X	X
Furnace Oil	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	ü	X
SMO	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	ü

So, ANFO, HANFO, and SME are NOT safe. They are a bit safer than PETN, TNT and Lead Azide etc.

BMD VEHICLES:

BMD Vehicles are mainly of two types, (1) the SME BMD Vehicles and (2) the ANFO BMD Vehicles. Additionally, there is a third category for a vehicle for product Heavy-ANFO or more commonly known as HANFO. So, the third category is (3) the HANFO BMD Vehicle. Now coming over to the SME BMD Vehicles, it is further divided as Straight SME BMD Vehicle and the Doped SME BMD Vehicles. In this paper we are going to consider safety aspects of all the 04 types of BMDs, namely, (1) The Straight Emulsion BMD, (2) The Doped Emulsion BMD, (3) The ANFO BMD, and (4) The HANFO BMD.

The BMDs are designed to provide a mobile unit for transporting bulk emulsion explosives along with proportionate quantity of gassing agent and or Ammonium Nitrate and Diesel Oil carried in separate compartments. In the blasting site, the unit will mix the desired materials together and mechanically deliver it into a blast hole.

These BMDs feature stainless steel construction of Emulsion bin, bottom auger and gassing agent tank and maybe one or more tanks to carry AN and HSD. Body spring mounts allow the chassis to flex to minimize stresses, prolonging body life. The complete hydraulic system features tank, suction and return line filters, hydraulic pump for reliability, and long life. The complete fuel system has a reinforced tank and hydraulic-drive fuel pump for accurate oil ratio mix, with totalizer to count fuel delivered. Electronic counter systems are available to monitor mix delivery. Bin of different quantity is available, with augers sized to suit delivery rate requirements. The emulsion is loaded into the emulsion bin from the storage SILO, water for gassing solution along with gassing agent.

1)       BMD for Straight Emulsion:

COMPONENT	SPECIFICATION
Emulsion Bin	The Rectangular bin is fabricated from SS-304 Plates. The bottom of the bin is conical with an auger at the bottom. The auger is fitted with flanged bearing; drive hydraulic motor, support structures with a subframe for chassis mounting.
Gassing Agent Bin	The Rectangular bin is fabricated from SS-304 plates. The bottom of the bin is flat and the outlet is having a valve with a strainer and connected to the inlet of the gassing agent pump. The bin will also feature all necessary nozzle, level indicator, etc.
Water Bin	Rectangular bin in SS 304 complete with outlet valve .The bin feature all necessary nozzle, level indicator etc.
Hydraulic Oil Tank	The rectangular tank is fabricated from MS plates. It will have filler breather cum pouring strainer, Level indicator with a thermometer, return line filler, outlet nozzle with a suction strainer, and gate valve. Capacity-500 liters or as desired.
Static Mixer	A static mixer is a precision-engineered device for the continuous mixing of fluid materials fabricated from SS304.

2)       BMD for Doped Emulsion:

These BMDs usually have the following specifications:

COMPONENT	SPECIFICATION
Emulsion Bin	The Rectangular bin is fabricated from SS-304 Plates. The bottom of the bin is conical with an auger at the bottom. The auger is fitted with flanged bearing; drive hydraulic motor, support structures with subframe for chassis mounting. Capacity-12 MT or as desired.
Gassing Agent Bin	Rectangular bin is fabricated from SS-304 plates. The bottom of the bin is flat and the outlet is having a valve with strainer and connected to the inlet of gassing agent pump. The bin will also feature all necessary nozzle, level indicator, etc. Capacity-400 liters or as desired.
AN Bin	Rectangular bin is fabricated from SS-304 Plates. The bottom of the bin is conical with auger at the bottom connected to discharge auger through an inclined auger. The auger is fitted with flanged bearing; drive hydraulic motor, support structures with sub frame for chassis mounting. Capacity-02 MT or as desired.
Water Bin	Rectangular bin in SS 304 complete with outlet valve .The bin feature all necessary nozzle, level indicator etc. Capacity- 600 liters or as desired.
Hydraulic Oil Tank	Rectangular tank is fabricated from IS226 plates. It will have filler breather cum pouring strainer, Level indicator with thermometer, return line filler, outlet nozzle with suction strainer and gate valve. Capacity-450 liters or as desired.
Hose Lube Tank	Rectangular tank in SS 304 complete with outlet valve .The bin feature all necessary nozzle, level indicator etc. Capacity- 600 liters or as desired.
Diesel Tank	Rectangular bin in SS 304 complete with outlet valve .The bin feature all necessary nozzle, level indicator etc. Capacity- 200 liters or as desired.

  

3)       BMD for ANFO:

These BMDs will have the following specifications:

COMPONENT	SPECIFICATION
AN Bin	Rectangular bin is fabricated from SS-304 Plates. The bottom of the bin is conical with auger at the bottom connected to discharge auger through an inclined auger. The auger is fitted with flanged bearing; drive hydraulic motor, support structures with sub frame for chassis mounting. Capacity-10 MT or as desired.
Hydraulic Oil Tank	Rectangular tank is fabricated from IS226 plates. It will have filler breather cum pouring strainer, Level indicator with thermometer, return line filler, outlet nozzle with suction strainer and gate valve. Capacity-450 liters.
Diesel Tank	Rectangular bin in SS 304 complete with outlet valve .The bin feature all necessary nozzle, level indicator etc. Capacity- 500 liters or as desired.

4)       BMD for HANFO:

These BMDs will have the following specifications:

COMPONENT	SPECIFICATION
Emulsion Bin	Rectangular bin is fabricated from SS-304 Plates. The bottom of the bin is conical with auger at the bottom. The auger is fitted with flanged bearing; drive hydraulic motor, support structures with sub frame for chassis mounting. Capacity-04 MT or as desired.
AN Bin	Rectangular bin is fabricated from SS-304 Plates. The bottom of the bin is conical with auger at the bottom connected to discharge auger through an inclined auger. The auger is fitted with flanged bearing; drive hydraulic motor, support structures with sub frame for chassis mounting. Capacity-10 MT or as desired.
Water Bin	Rectangular bin in SS 304 complete with outlet valve .The bin feature all necessary nozzle, level indicator etc. Capacity- 600 liters or as desired.
Hydraulic Oil Tank	Rectangular tank is fabricated from IS226 plates. It will have filler breather cum pouring strainer, Level indicator with thermometer, return line filler, outlet nozzle with suction strainer and gate valve. Capacity-450 liters or as desired.
Diesel Tank (Optional)	Rectangular bin in SS 304 complete with outlet valve .The bin feature all necessary nozzle, level indicator etc. Capacity- 500 liters or as desired.

HAZARDS INVOLVED in SME, ANFO and HANFO BMD Vehicles:

An SME, or an SMS, or an ANFO BMD Vehicle manufactures explosives at the bench (blast site) directly into the loading hose and bore hole. All these units are mounted on trucks, having capacities ranging from 5 – 15 tons. The Units are fabricated on skid and the skids are mounted on truck chassis.

The system consists of truck mounted storage and processing equipment for carrying ingredients from base plant and mixing the ingredients at the site in required proportion. They are pumped out as final product at the point of use. The system design permits addition of various additives such as sensitizers, gassing agents etc. as per process requirements. The system is powered by Hydraulics. The hydraulic drive is powered by the truck's internal combustion engine through a power take-off shaft. The system design ensures the safety of operation and flexibility of process control parameters such as products, proportions, and discharge rate. The final product after processing ingredients is pumped directly into the drilled holes in the mines through an anti-static hose which is wound on a Hose Reel fitted on the pump truck. The Hose can be immersed right up to the entire depth of mine hole and subsequent withdrawal rate and charging rate can be pre-programmed. This facility ensures even charging of explosives and avoids agglomeration at the bottom of the pit. Thus it ensures optimum usage of explosives. The entire module is designed in such a fashion to ensure easy mobility and safe maneuverability of fully loaded truck absolutely keeping in mind the norms of road safety and regulations.

History of AN, ANFO, HANFO, and SME is laden with incidences of explosions and accidents which are not clearly understood. A literature survey will provide a good list of such disastrous accidents in supposedly safe AN and ANFO and SME. We shall like to give one example:

The incident happened in Drevja, Norway on 17th December 2013.  The BMD unit for on-site production of bulk explosives owned by Maxam, MEMU F-114, arrived at Drevja on 17th December 2013 at approximately12:00, after a 160 km transfer from the depot at Brønnøy Kalk, Norway. F-114 was carrying precursors for production of bulk explosives, and the main components being ANPP and ANE. The production was initiated and at approximately 13:00, a fire was identified on the right side at the front of the vehicle. After ending an unsuccessful attempt to extinguish the fire, the construction site and residential homes in the immediate area were evacuated. The police and the fire brigade were alerted and arrived at the site. The duration of the fire was approximately 2.5 hours. It is likely that after about 1.5 hours, the fire had spread to the ground beneath and in front of the vehicle. After about 2 hours, the fire had enclosed the entire vehicle. The final 5 minutes, after about 2 hours and 21 minutes up to the moment of explosion, the fire intensified significantly. There was considerable material damages to the surrounding environment after the explosion. A residential home burned to the ground, several buildings had structural damages and broken windows, and construction equipment in the area was damaged. No persons were injured.

Few photographs taken during the investigation of the “BMD Vehicle – post-blast” are scary; and speak volume about the need of safety required in operating the BMD Vehicles.

            

         (Beginning of the Fire)                                       (The Engine Block)

                            

          

      (Part of the vertical augur)                     (Part of the horizontal augur)

           

   

(Fragments found at approx 170 m away)

      

                   (Product Pump)                                 (Part of the Production Diesel tank)

Such are the hazards associated with seemingly and presumably safe AN, ANFO, HANFO and SME. It can spell disaster on human life, environment, and economy of the organization. So one has to be extremely careful during storage, transfer, manufacture, transport and use through BMD Vehicles.

SAFETY GADGETS and SYSTEMS in BMD Vehicles:

In order to avoid accidents or any undesirable incidences, the BMD Vehicles need to be provided with safety gadgets like, sensors for temperature and pressure, auto trip system, rupture discs, and pressure release valves.

Sl. No.	Safety Instruments	Position of installation	Hazard	Dos	Don’ts
01	Temperature Sensor	Product Pump Pipe Line	Explosion	1.   Set it Below 70 Degree C. 2.   Check Proper Functioning.	1.  Do not bypass the Temperature meter. 2.  Never operate the BMD Vehicle if Temperature rises
		Emulsion Pump Pipe Line	Explosion
02	Pressure Sensor	Product Pump Pipe Line	Pipe Line will get damaged	1. Set the cut off pressure at 8 bar	Check the pipe line for chocking if pressure rises above 4 bars.
03	Fuse	Electrical Panel	System Trips	Put the rated Fuse	Don’t bypass the electrical Wiring

Notwithstanding these, the other aspects important in operating BMD Vehicles are, (a) Selection of the right BMD Vehicle, (b) knowledge of the different parts of BMD Vehicles (c) Documentation, (d) Safe Operating Practices, (e) Dos and Don’ts, (f) Knowledge and MSDS of input materials and final product, and (g) Knowledge of delivery equipments. In a most concise form these can be described in the following manner: 

Sl. No.	Major Part of BMD	Equipment	Requirement
01	Chassis	Chassis requirements for BMD restricted to closed sites	BMDs based upon an off road chassis must be certified by an engineer. The vehicle must respect the manufacturer’s specifications as to safety and equipment mounting along with meeting the requirements of all authorities having jurisdiction. Once in use, a certified mechanic must sign off the vehicle on an annual basis ensuring that the MPU is mechanically fit to perform its work safely.
		Fire suppression system	Fire extinguishers are to be provided. If aluminium is used as part of the formulation, a fire extinguisher compatible with aluminium should be present. Fire extinguishers must be inspected on a monthly basis and records of inspection must be kept.
		Exhaust	The exhaust must extend vertically above the vehicle behind the cab and be protected with a heat shield from the box, body, hoppers and tanks. Horizontal portions of exhaust pipes must be positioned so that no explosives storage or explosives handling components are above them. Horizontal portions of exhaust pipes exposed to drips of hydraulic fluid, oil or emulsion must be shielded.
		After-treatment devices	A metal shield between the ATD and the power take-off (PTO), hydraulic pump and associated hydraulic hoses is strongly encouraged to prevent hydraulic fluid from spraying onto the ATD at any time if a hose delaminates.
		Tires	If the BMD is used on public roads, the tires must meet the RTO requirements.
02	Electrical	Battery	The battery must be enclosed in a battery box. To isolate the battery, an easily accessible manual battery disconnect switch, a manual reset breaker, or a factory installed battery isolation device, labelled and located close to the battery, must be provided. The switch or breaker should be located on the positive line. The switch must be rated for the current it will handle. Where possible the switch should be located conveniently on the driver side of the vehicle. The switch should be no more than 30 cm from the positive battery terminal and the line to the switch must be protected from rubbing and abrasion that could cause a short circuit. If it is necessary to keep the truck’s engine management system or part of the control system energized most of the time, the battery cut-off switch may be bypassed by a circuit breaker.
		Wiring	All wiring must be protected by bushings and supports if mechanical damage is likely when it passes through bulkheads or is close to sharp edges. All wiring must have over current protection.
		Junction boxes	All exterior electrical boxes must be with sealed wire entries.

Sl. No.	Major Part of BMD	Equipment	Requirement
03	Process Bins & Tanks	Engine fuel tanks and lines	Transfer lines between dual tanks must have a shut off valve at each tank.
		Small and large means of containment	Containments of capacity of 450 L or less shall be designed, constructed, filled, closed, secured and maintained so that under normal conditions of transport, including handling, there will be no accidental release of the dangerous goods that could endanger public safety. Containment of larger capacity must be constructed as per specifications and marked as such. No sight glasses are allowed on large means of containment.
		Padlocks for explosives tanks and AN tanks	Padlocks for explosives tanks should have the same features to guard against forced entry.
		Process fuel oil tank	Small containment process fuel oil tank must be of metal construction, have a non-spill air vent with filter, a fusible fill cap, and shut-off valves at all outlets. Site gauges may be used. Large containment for process fuel must be built .
		Ammonium nitrate bin	AN bins should be stainless steel or aluminium where in contact with the product and should have one-inch stainless steel grating in the hatch openings. All hatches and any outlets from which AN could be collected must be lockable and must be locked when not attended or when on public roads. The hatch design should prevent water ingress. All nuts used to assemble the bin should be tack-welded to the bin or locked to prevent them from coming loose.
		Hatch on emulsion tank	All hatches, discharge valves and outlets must be lockable and must be locked when containing explosives and not attended or when on public roads. When on mine or quarry roads and attended, this is not required.

  

Sl. No.	Major Part of BMD	Equipment	Requirement
04	Delivery Equipment	Pumps	Pumps (make, model and safety devices) used for pumping explosives or AN liquor must be approved by PESO. A hazard review and/or testing of the pump-explosives combination must be made. Each progressive cavity pump must have its own log of all maintenance and other work done on it, and a log is recommended for other pumps. If a progressive cavity pump is used, there should be two independent safety devices, one of them being a device detecting no-flow pumping conditions. A testing program must be in place for all safety shut-down systems. Pump maintenance and testing program log must be available. Pumps for which the safety systems are found to be non-functional must be removed from service until corrected. Pumps may not be put into service until safety systems have been tested, and testing must be repeated on a regular basis. Maintenance and/or repairs that require disassembly of progressive cavity pumps used to pump explosives must be carried out by qualified technicians.
		Augers	Augers must have outboard bearings with 25 mm spacing between the end of the auger and the bearing. The 25 mm spacing must be an air gap between the mounting bolts that secure the bearing to the end of the auger. That air gap allows for visual inspection of the integrity of the seal at the end of the auger and also allows AN prills not to be trapped and forced into the bearing and/or the grease of the bearing. For vertical auger arrangement, for the bottom bearing, a fling disc must be installed between the end of the auger and the bearing to ensure that if the seal fails, the AN will not fall into the bearing by gravity alone. The augers should also have reverse flights or paddle sweepers to keep product from the auger seals. Augers should have stainless steel contact surfaces, sealed shafts to prevent build-up of explosives inside, and drive guard(s), including at the free ends of the bearings. Mild steel augers are not permitted if aluminium is present.
		Delivery hose reel	There should be a drip tray under the delivery hose reel, a holder for the loose end of the delivery hose to catch product dripping from the hose, and a hydraulic counterbalance valve to prevent free-wheeling. It should have the appropriate safety guards attached.

DO’s and DON’Ts in ANFO and SME CHARGING:

1.       Select and wear personal protective equipment appropriate for work activities.

2.       Inspect the work area; establish barricades, and signpost loading area.

3.       Identify, address and report potential risks and hazards. Segregate incompatible goods prior to loading according to legislation and codes of Practice.

4.       Inspect BMD Vehicle for loading of explosive materials.

5.       Ensure attachments comply with standards and licensing requirements.

6.       Placard BMD Vehicle and attachments to show the goods carried.

7.       Loading of raw materials into a BMD must be done in a safe manner to prevent spillage or injury to persons.

8.       Loading hoses and attachment devices must be maintained in a serviceable condition.

9.       All transfer equipment, including delivery hoses, must be adequately restrained to ensure control is maintained during transfer operations and during normal transport.

10.     The parking brake of the BMD must be applied when transferring products.

11.     The mixing and delivery system must be designed and arranged so that the operator (from the normal operating position) can: (a) Observe (directly or by suitable remote means) the explosive delivery process during operations, or (b) Has adequate communication with another operator who has a suitable view.

12.     When transferring product, the process equipment must not be left unattended.

13.     Where a power take off unit (PTO) is fitted to the vehicle for the process and pumping equipment its manner of operation should be one of the following:

a) For vehicles with a manual transmission and full in-cabin controls only, the PTO may be engaged at any time.

b) For vehicles with a manual transmission and out-of-cabin controls only, the PTO may be engaged at any time but the high idle function must not be operated until the vehicle is in neutral and the parking brake is fully applied.

c) For vehicles with an automatic transmission and in-cabin controls only, the PTO may be engaged at any time. Auxiliary controls may be operated while the PTO is engaged in gear, however the main mixing controls must not be operated unless the vehicle is in either the park or neutral position and the parking brake has been fully applied.

d) For vehicles with an automatic transmission and out-of-cabin controls only, the PTO must not be engaged unless the vehicle is in the park or neutral position and the parking brake has been fully applied.

e) For vehicles with dual controls, the respective in cabin and out of cabin controls must be applied as appropriate.

CONCLUSION:

“Accidents do not happen – they are caused”; so goes the saying; and it is correct saying. One needs to give respect to explosives in order to get back respect from explosives. Explosives are not a material to be played with. There should not be any short-cuts and hurry burry in explosives manufacturing, transportation, and charging. Productivity and incentives to achieve productivity should be discouraged. The apparently safe looking AN, ANFO, HANFO, SME can spell disaster on human lives and properties. Additional adverse impacts are legal complications that will follow and can totally nose dive a company’s brand image, business and economic stability.

REFERENCES and BIBILIOGRAPHY:

1)       Requirements for Bulk Mobile Process Units, Explosives Regulatory Division, Explosives Safety and Security Branch, Minerals and Metals Sector, November 2015, Canada.

2)       Code of Practice, MOBILE PROCESSING UNITS, Edition 3, June 2014, Australian Explosives Industry And Safety Group Inc.

3)       Guidelines for Bulk Explosives Facilities Minimum Requirements, Explosives Regulatory Division, Explosives Safety and Security Branch Minerals and Metals Sector, February 2014 Revision # 6, Canada

4)       Code of Practice ON-BENCH PRACTICES FOR OPEN CUT MINES AND QUARRIES Edition 1 November 2015, Australian Explosives Industry And Safety Group Inc.

5)       Explosion Accident during Mobile Production of Bulk Explosives Report by DSBs project committee on the follow up of the accident in Drevja on the 17th of December 2013. Published by: Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection (DSB) 2015 ISBN: 978-82-7768-358-4 (PDF) Graphic production: Erik Tanche Nilssen AS, Skien.

6)       Lessons Learned from Recent Accidents in Fireworks Establishments; Annalisa Pironea, Maria R. Vallerotondaa, Paolo A. Bragattob a; INAIL Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority DIT, via R. Ferruzzi n. 38/40 - 00143 Roma, Italia b INAIL Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority DIT, Centro Ricerca, via Fontana Candida 1, 00078 Monteporzio C., Italia, CHEMICAL ENGINEERING TRANSACTIONSVOL. 53, 2016A publication of The Italian Association of Chemical Engineering Online at www.aidic.it/cet Guest Editors: Valerio Cozzani, Eddy De Rademaeker, Davide Manca Copyright © 2016, AIDIC Servizi S.r.l., ISBN 978-88-95608-44-0; ISSN 2283-9216