Western Australian Current Regulations

WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY (MINES) REGULATIONS 2022 - REG 631D

631D .         Managing risks to health and safety in relation to explosives

        (1)         In complying with regulation 617, the mine operator of a mine must manage risks to health and safety associated with the manufacture, storage, transport, supply, use and disposal of explosives at the mine.

        Note for this subregulation:

                See also the Dangerous Goods Safety Act 2004 in relation to the manufacture, storage, transport, supply, use and disposal of any explosive at the mine.

        (2)         In managing risks to health and safety as described in subregulation (1), the mine operator must have regard to all relevant matters, including the following —

            (a)         location and layout of surface and underground magazines with respect to their surroundings;

            (b)         capacity of an underground magazine, having regard to the consumption of explosives for underground usage;

            (c)         safe lighting in and around magazines and where explosives are prepared and used;

            (d)         selection, use, testing and maintenance of equipment used to transport, handle, prepare, test, charge and fire explosives;

            (e)         selection of explosives for specific duty and environment;

            (f)         transport of explosives to the magazines and workplaces;

            (g)         blast design;

            (h)         preparation, approval and implementation of blast plans;

                  (i)         management of activities when and where explosives are prepared, charged or blasted, and making the area safe;

            (j)         selection, testing, maintenance and use of initiation systems;

            (k)         precautions against unintended detonation, including precautions against lightning, electric storm, electric current, electrostatic charge and electromagnetic radiation;

            (l)         drilling, excavating, loading or other activities in areas where explosives are or may be present;

            (m)         post‑blast inspection and detection of and dealing with misfires;

            (n)         precautions against fly rock affecting workers and public areas, property or infrastructure not belonging to the mine operator;

            (o)         firing times;

            (p)         restriction of ignition sources, including smoking near explosives;

            (q)         blasting in hot, reactive or wet ground;

            (r)         disposal of explosives;

            (s)         competency of people who design blasts and store, transport, handle, use and dispose of explosives;

            (t)         site‑specific procedure for activities associated with explosives, including blast design, drilling, transportation, pre‑charging inspection and activities, charging, guarding and restricting access, firing, blast warning, withdrawal and re‑entry of persons, post‑blast inspection and resumption of normal operation.

        (3)         If there is overlap between the mine operator’s duty under subregulation (2) and any duty of the mine operator under the Dangerous Goods Safety (Explosives) Regulations 2007 , the mine operator may rely on compliance with the latter duty for the purposes of the former duty.