Useful Document - OHS - Explosives Managers and Workplaces for Surface Blasters

8/8/2019 Useful Document - OHS - Explosives Managers and Workplaces for Surface Blasters

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Explosives Managers and Workplaces for Surface Blasters

Guidance Notes on the

Explosives Regulations

April 2005

Chief Directorate of Occupational Health and Safety

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CONTENTS

1. Introduction 3

2. Approval 3

3. Appointments 3

4. Assessments 3

5. Types of Licences 4

6. Role Players 4

7. Explosives Manager 4

8. Licensing Process 5

9. Responsibilities and Tasks of the Explosives Manager 5

10. Acting 6

11. Reporting 6

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1. Introduction

The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHS Act) defines a workplace in Section1(1)(lv ) as any premises or place where a person performs work in the course

of his employment.

The OHS Act further defines a premise as includes any building, vehicle, vessel,train or aircraft

Provision is also made in the OHS Act for the Minister to make regulations:

in the interest of health and safety of persons at work

or the health and safety of persons other than persons at workagainst risk to health and safety arising from or connected with the

activities of persons at work (Section 43(1)(b).

The Explosives Regulations, promulgated under the OHS Act provides morespecific for the licensing of explosives workplaces in Explosives Regulation 4 as

Licensing of explosives workplaces

In the case of Surface Blasters operating on premises other than those regulatedby the Department of Minerals and Energy, one workplace licence will be issued

for operations at any place in this country.

2. Approval

The following approval must be obtained as a first step in the licensing process:

From the Chief Inspector of Explosives of the South African Police

Services (Explosives) for the security approval to have explosives inthe possession, and in a specific area and/or buildings. (Regulation

4(4)(b))

Local government for the permission to initiate explosives in their areaand approval for the keeping of an explosives workplace. . (Regulation

4(4)(a))

3. Appointments

Secondly, the Chief Executive Officer of a company must appoint a competentand certified person as Explosives Manager. (Regulation 12(1) and 4(3).

An accredited body, approved by the Department of Labour must provide

training. Information of these bodies and the type of training necessary can beobtained from the Department.

4. Assessments

The risk assessment must be carried out on all new explosives installations,

workplaces, equipment and processes prior to their erection, modifications or

change in procedures.

The employer must consult and inform the health and safety representative or

health and safety committee, if any, on all risk assessment issues.

Provision is made for the following types of risk assessments:

Assessment of equipment

Assessment of processes

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Assessment of the place where blasting is going to take place.

The risk assessment must be carried out by an Approved Inspection Authority

(AIA). (Regulation 18(1))

5. Types of Licences

There are three different types of explosives licences namely:

Explosives workplace licence

Schedule I of the explosives workplace licence (Two types)

Schedule II of the explosives workplace licence.

The different licences are defined in the Explosives Regulations.

In the case of Surface Blasters, the following will apply in the issuing of licences:

Explosives workplace licences will be issued for blasting work in any placein the country the person has at present approval to work in

A Schedule I licence will be issued for all the types of explosives he or she

has approval to use

A Schedule II licence for all types of blasting he or she is trained to do.

6. Role Players

The following are the main governmental role players in the licensing process:

Department of Labour: The Department has the responsibility for

occupational health and safety in the explosive workplace

South African Police Services Explosives: The SAPS-Explosives isresponsible for the security of explosives in the explosives workplace

Local Government: Local Government is responsible for the

proclamation of property to be used for the explosives workplace, firefighting and other safety prescriptions and equipment. They are also

the body through which the public can work to provide their inputsconcerning the explosives workplace.

7. Licencing Process

The licensing process consists of two parts namely:

Workplace licence part

Schedule licence part.

In the workplace licence part, the following steps must be followed:

A competent, certificated person must be appointed in writing as anExplosives Manager and he/she must accept the appointment in

writing

A written approval, from the SAPS Explosives, on the security issues

must be obtained

A written approval, from local government, on the proclamation andapproval issues must be obtained

Copies of the approvals, qualifications of the Explosives Manger as well as

the appointment documentation must be provided with the application fora licence to the Department of Labour.

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An explosives workplace licence (Annexure 1), stating the conditions of the licence,will be issued by the Chief Inspector of Occupational Health and Safety.

In the schedule licence part the following steps must be followed:

Draw up a concept Schedule I licence (Annexure 2 ) for all explosivesfilled components and explosives that will be stored, used or tested in

the explosives workplace

Draw up a concept Schedule II licence (Annexure 3) in which theinformation is provided as required in the Regulations

All the documents and drawings in this last phase of the licensing

process must be provided in duplicate.

To complete the licensing process, the Department will approve both copies of thedocuments and mail one copy back to the applicant.

8. Explosives Manager

The Explosives Regulations of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHS Act)

regulates the appointment of Explosives Managers and Explosives Workplaces inRegulations 12 and 4.

The main responsibilities of the Explosives Manager are also stipulated in Regulation12.

9. Responsibilities and Tasks of the Explosives Manager

The Explosives Manager is in complete control of occupational health and safety inand access to and from the danger area of an explosives workplace.

Only the Chief Executive Officer of the workplace can overrule him/her and then it

must be in writing.

The Explosives Manager is responsible for the approval of all people who want toenter the danger area.

He/she is also responsible for approving all material entering a danger area and the

certification as clean from explosives and save of all material and equipmentleaving the danger area.

He/she must approve all equipment, material and tools used in a danger area in

writing.

He/she must also approve all processes used in the danger area and no changes tothose processes must take place without his/her approval.

10. Acting

Only Explosives Managers appointed by the CEO an approved by the Department foran explosives workplace and who are instructed in their appointment letters can act

on behalf of an Explosives Manager of a danger area.

11. Reporting

The Explosives Manager or, where there is more than one, the coordinator must

report all accidents and incidents that happened in the danger area to the ChiefInspector of Occupational Health and Safety. Reportable incidents must also be

reported to the provincial offices.

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All unusual occurrences in the danger area must be reported monthly, in writing, tothe Chief Inspector of Occupational Health and Safety. If there were no unusual

occurrences a zero report must be send.

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Annexure 1

EXPLOSIVES WORKPLACE L I C E N C E

In terms of Regulation 4 of the Explosives Regulations of the Occupational Health

and Safety Act No. 85 of 1993, a licence is hereby issued to

XXXXXXXX

to carry on a factory for the using of explosives in the Magisterial district of

Tshwane subject to the requirements of the OHS-Act and Regulations.

The situation and construction of buildings in the factory shall be in accordance

with plans approved by Chief Inspector: Occupational Health and Safety.

The approval of the schedules I, and II of the factory licence states the types of

explosives which may be used and the operations which may be carried on in

buildings and structures in the factory.

CHIEF INSPECTOR: OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

Date: ........................................................................

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Annexure 2

Document type:

Explosives Workplacelicence

Plofstofwerkspleklisensie

Reference:

Revision:

Title:

Schedule IBylae I

Page:

Tegniese inligting van komersileontplofbare stowwe wat vervaardig word

Technical information of commercialexplosives manufactured

Explosives Manager:Plofstofbestuurder: Agreement:Instemming: Approved:Goedgekeur:

Date:Datum:

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Annexure 3

Document type:

Explosives Workplace licencePlofstofwerkspleklisensie

Reference:

Revision:

Title:

Schedule IIBylae II

Page:

Name and No of Building:Naam en Nr van Gebou:

Maximum in roomMaksimum in lokaal

Maximum in buildingMaksimum in gebou

Explosives

Ontplofbare

Stowwe

Category

Kategorie

Persons

Persone

Persons

Persone

Explosives

OntplofbareStowweNo of Room:

Nr van Lokaal:

Authorised Operations Gemagtigde werksaamhede

Permitted simultaneous operations:

Werksaamhede tegelyk toegelaat:

Excluding:

Uitsuitend:

Explosives Manager:

Plofstofbestuurder:

Agreement:

Instemming:

Approved:

Goedgekeur:

Date:Datum:

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Useful Document - OHS - Explosives Managers and Workplaces for Surface Blasters