Institute of Quarrying - West of England Branch

	Technical & Event Summaries 2010 May: The Mining Waste Directive Apr: Education, Training and Competence - IQ Vision of the Future Mar: Rock & Soil Slope Stabilisation Feb: Biodegradable Oils Jan: Annual General Meeting 2009 Dec: Member's Paper Evening Oct: Explosives Record Keeping Sept: Water Framework Directive Apr: Foam Dust Suppression Technology Jan: Annual General Meeting 2008 Nov: HSE Hot Topics presentation Sept: Mining limestone in Spain Apr: Quarry Restoration Mar: Calculating a carbon footprint for your operations Feb: Mine stabilisation at Coombe Down, Bath Jan: Annual General Meeting 2007 Nov: Uses of Recycled Materials Oct: Blasting Technology Sept: Field Trip Mar: Alternatives to Blasting Feb: European Standards for Asphalt Jan: Annual General Meeting 2006 Dec: Members Paper Evening Nov: Corporate Manslaughter Paper Sept: WBV (Whole Body Vibration) May: Worker Attitudes, Personality and Risk Propensity Apr: Confined Space Rescue in Quarries Mar: Asset Management in the Quarrying Industry 2005 Dec: Members Paper Evening Nov: The Aggregate Levy Oct: Tarmac’s Journey to Zero Tolerance on Health and Safety Sept: Manufacture and Storage of Explosives Regulations May: Golf Day Apr: Further Education in the Quarrying Industry Mar: Energy Efficiency Measures Feb: Future for Recovered Fuel Oil (RFO) Jan: Annual General Meeting 2004 Dec: Members Paper Evening Nov: Water Act 2003 & Catchment Abstraction Mgmt Strategy (CAMS) Oct: Falconry Sep: A Safety Evening with the HSE Jun: Field Visit - Kempsford Quarry May: Marketing Sustainablility Apr: Explosive Regulations Mar: CDM regulations Feb: Working Time Directive Jan: AGM 2003 Dec: Members' Paper Evening Nov: Competition Act Oct: Aggregates Levy Funding for Wild Spaces Sep: Energy Conservation in Quarries May: The WRAP Aggregates Programme Apr: Hot Topics from the HSE Mar: New European Specifications for Aggregates Feb: Archaeology at Bestwell Quarry Jan: Safety for Life Seminar

8^th October 2007 - Blasting Technology

A well-attended meeting heard Andy Rossiter of Orica give a detailed analysis of accidents involving ammonium nitrate and other explosive products. He showed several examples of both road traffic accidents and those involving explosives plant. He explained how these incidents usually started with a fire, which then went on to detonation. The major cause of casualties in these events was people not being evacuated from the area quickly enough or far enough. The time from burning to detonation was between 20-30 minutes and an evacuation zone of at least 800m radius was essential. With regard to accidents involving vehicles it was vital that the driver of a vehicle should get anyone in the vicinity to move away as quickly as possible.

Andy explained what was being carried on UK roads in terms of ammonium nitrate, emulsion products and high explosives. He pointed out the need to carry out safety drills as required under Regulation 19 of the 1999 Quarries Regulations. He gave details of such an exercise carried out at Mountsorrel Quarry with a scenario of a fuel bowser colliding with a bulk emulsion truck.

He then described the Honister Pass incident in which a vehicle carrying blackpowder ended up 30 feet down a ravine. He explained how the company and emergency services dealt with it by setting up an incident management centre and the steps taken to resolve the situation safely.

In the question and answer session following the talk, Andy'ss personal view was to have adequate storage capacity on site in order to limit the number of truck movements involving explosives ? a view endorsed by the local ELO Colin Hanks. He also urged quarry management to undertake a risk assessment of the possibility of such an incidents and carry out an exercise like the one at Mountsorrel.

The evening concluded with a vote of thanks to Andy for a very thought provoking talk.