870 EXPLORATION GEOPHYSICS 



Some states prohibit the hauHng of explosives in trailers. Local regula- 

 tions should be checked carefully before transporting explosives. 



Safe Use of Explosives 



Improper or careless handling of explosives is the direct cause of a 

 great majority of the accidents which have occurred in seismic service. 

 Because of the wide range of activities and the various types of equipment 

 and material handled, the geophysical industry must be prepared to cope 

 with practically every type of hazard. f 



HanahanJ calls attention to these precautions in handling and use of 

 explosives : 



The safe shooting of a hole involves the proper selection of its location. 

 The surveyor should consider the proximity of the hole to public highways, 

 buildings, radio transmitters and above all to power lines. 



The condition of the explosive must be considered for safe and efficient 

 handling. 



Care must be taken to guard against premature explosions due to stray 

 or static electricity, or to stray electric current when aluminum poles are 

 used in cased holes. For this reason wooden loading poles are preferred by 

 many operators. 



Usually there will be found in each case of dynamite an instruction 

 folder containing a list of "Don'ts" or safety rules. Each carton of electric 

 blasting caps also contains a similar folder applying to caps. Every crew 

 member having occasion to handle dynamite or caps or to be near the 

 shot-hole or firing circuit should be required to familiarize himself with 

 these safety rules and to re-read them at frequent intervals. These rules 

 have been set up as the result of exhaustive studies of accidents from 

 explosives, and their strict and literal observance is recommended. One 

 of the most important precautions is to maintain a large separation in 

 distance between the caps and dynamite, except for the single charge 

 being prepared. 



Wherever possible, wooden tools should be used. When metal parts 

 are necessary for mechanical strength, bronze or other non-sparking 

 metal must be used. Steel and iron should never be used, both because 

 they can strike sparks and because they introduce a greater hazard from 

 impact and friction than do the other materials mentioned. 



There are on the market several explosives of a type differing radically 

 from the usual varieties of commercial explosives. For some of these 

 explosives, claim is made that they are much less sensitive to flame, impact, 

 and friction than are dynamite and gelatin, and that these properties con- 

 tribute to the safety of shooting operations where they are used. It must 



t P. M. Hanahan, "Explosive Accidents on Geophysical Crews," Geophysics, Vol. 13, No. 3, 

 July, 1948. „ ^ 



G. M. Kintz, "Informal discussion of explosive hazards on seismograph crews, Geophysics, 

 Vol. 11, 1946. 



t P. M. Hanahan, ibid, p. 421-426. 



