Pars Oil & Gas Company

Explosive Safety Procedure

HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT PROCEDURE

Explosive Safety Procedure

DOCUMENT ID - PR-89-POGC-001
REVISION ‐ 0.0
 Explosive Safety Procedure
Pars Oil & Gas Company
Pages Revision Document ID.
10 00 HSE Department
PR-89-POGC-001

Explosive Safety Procedure

Document Authorization

Document
Document Type Security Classification Document Custodian
Authority/Owner

Safety Procedure Unrestricted P.O.G.C HSE

Document Author Approved By

HSE-S564392 M.Ansari

HSE-S593443
PARS OIL & GAS COMPANY

Table of Contents

1. Introduction.................................................................................................................................... 3
2. Purpose............................................................................................................................................ 3
3. Scope................................................................................................................................................ 3
4. Responsibilities ............................................................................................................................... 3
5. Procedure ........................................................................................................................................ 5
5.1 General ....................................................................................................................................... 5
5.2 Preparation ................................................................................................................................. 5
5.3 Execution of the Work ............................................................................................................... 6
5.4 Completion................................................................................................................................. 6
5.5 Procedure ................................................................................................................................... 7
6. Definitions ....................................................................................................................................... 8
7. References ....................................................................................................................................... 8
8. Appendix ......................................................................................................................................... 8

SUGGESTION FORM

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1- INTRODUCTION
Pars Oil and Gas Company (POGC), a subsidiary of National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC),
was established in 1998. POGC is a developmental and manufacturing organization that
specializes in the fields of engineering and management of development projects, production,
operation and integrated management of oil and gas reservoirs. POGC’s mission is to ensure
sustainable and preservative production and development of Iran’s oil and gas industry in the
areas under its responsibility, development of oil and gas value chain as well as optimization of
energy supply processes at national, regional and international levels. POGC is also in charge
of development of joint and non-joint oil and gas fields of the country including South Pars,
North Pars, Golshan and Ferdowsi.

Aimed at creating superior value and boosting the level of satisfaction of the beneficiaries and
with an approach focusing on sustainable, integrated and knowledge-oriented production and
development, the company feels committed to comply with national and international
requirements, regulations and standards in such areas as quality, safety, as well as occupational
and environmental health.

2- PURPOSE

This procedure and guidance has been developed to define the actions required to safely
control rock blasting operations on the project thus providing safe conditions for all persons
working at or near the intended blasting site and to protect other persons who could be
affected by such activities.

3- SCOPE

To be used by the Contractor project management team, supervisor and personnel who
supervise and control blasting operations in POGC projects and activities.

4- RESPONSIBILITIES

4.1 The civil work superintendent:

The civil work superintendent in charge of the work shall carry out the following
Activities:
• Prior to any blasting operations, carry out a prior survey of the area to establish the
presence of any 3rd party work activities, utilities such as roads and power lines
which may be affected by the blast.
• Identify the need for any permits that are required in the area and arrange for them.

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• Brief the Contractor carrying out the work of any adjacent operations that may be
affected by the work, the presence of roads and power lines, etc.

4.2 Blasting Personnel/Contractor, shall be responsible for the following:

• Application for all government permits that are required for the possession,
transport, storage and use of explosives.
• Giving sufficient and written notice to contractor and client of exact date, place and
time of intended blasting in order that client can inform other concerned parties.
• Arrange for the issue of the explosives from the government explosives factory,
their safe transport (under guard) from there to wotk site and for them to be guarded by
the police prior to being taken to the blast site under police escort.
• Briefing all of his personnel carrying out the work and others (police, contractor and
company) who are involved with or witnessing the work, on the safe practices for doing
the work. The instruction to turn off all mobile telephones and radios whilst in the
blasting area must be clearly given.
Provision of equipment that is capable of carrying out the work safely and has been
properly maintained and is in good working order.
• Provision of sufficient personnel to act as pickets or sentries to prevent
unauthorized and accidental access into the blasting area, adequate barriers and signs,
where necessary, for the work.
• Establishing and closing a safe perimeter around the blast site, bearing in mind the
size of the blast and the likely distance that rock and debris will be thrown by the
explosions.
• Verifying, after the blast, that all charges placed have actually detonated and that no
unexploded charges remain at the blast site. This will be done both by verifying with an
ammeter that there is no resistance on the charging line and also by physical examination
of the blast site.
• afely disposing of any unexploded charges found to be remaining at the blast site
before removing the safety perimeter.
• Ensure that police observers agree and sign certificate confirming that all explosives
have been used .

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5- PROCEDURE
5.1 General
• Written notification must be made in advance to concern parties, giving exact
location, date and time of blasting operations. A sketch plan or drawing should be
attached to avoid confusion or ambiguity.
• Contractor and Company HSE representatives must be present at all blasting
operations to ensure that all necessary safety precautions have been taken.
• All mobile telephones and radios will be turned off to avoid accidental triggering of
the explosives.

5.2 Preparation
Before any blasting work is carried out the following procedures and actions will be carried
out:
• As far as is practicable, preparations will be made sufficiently in advance as to
ensure that the actual blast takes place as near to the time shown in the notification
letter as is possible.
• After the shot holes have been drilled, all personnel except actual blasting personnel
will be sent out of the blast area and only the blasting supervisor and his team will
handle the explosive charges, detonators and wiring as they are placed in the shot
holes.
• Once the charges are laid, a member of the blasting team will stay in the area and
keep the shot holes and charges under visual observation to avoid them being
approached or tampered with, until the blasting supervisor arrives to set off the
charge.
• A safe perimeter is established around the blasting site and blast fallout are a, giving
due regard to the size of the blast to be performed/amount of explosives to be used.
Any site access roads or public roads which fall within that perimeter must be
closed off prior to and during the blast. In any case, this should not be less than 500
meters in any direction.
• Where it is found that a public road falls within the perimeter, advanced notice must
be given of the intention to close the road and necessary Permissions obtained
diversions made.
• The perimeter must be closed off one hour prior to actual blasting taking place and
pickets or sentries placed at all possible access points, pedestrian and vehicular.
• The Contractor manager will ensure that all personnel attending the blast have
turned off their mobile telephones and radios before entering the area.
• The Contractor manager will himself, 30 minutes prior to the blast, make a
complete physical check of the area enclosed by the safety perimeter to ensure that

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there is no one remaining within the area and that all plant, equipment and vehicles
have been pulled back to a safe distance to avoid damage by blast fallout.
• The blasting supervisor will carry out a further visual check that the area is clear
before he connects the detonation cable to the detonating apparatus to set off the
blast.

5.3 Execution of the Work

Immediately prior to and during the process of blasting, the following safe working procedure
will be followed:

• The only person remaining in the blasting area will be the blasting supervisor and
he will make a final visual check of the area to ensure that it is clear before
connecting the detonation cable to the detonation apparatus.
• He will run the detonation cable to a safe distance and himself take shelter before
connecting the detonating apparatus to the cable and setting off the blast.

5.4 Completion

Immediately after the blast has been set off, the following procedure will be followed:

• After setting off the blast, the blasting supervisor will remain under cover until such
time as the fallout and dust generated by the blast has settled and visibility is
restored.
• He will then carry out first an electrical resistance test on the detonation cable and
then a physical check of the blast area to ensure that all charges have detonated and
communicate the result to the Contractor manager.
• The contractor manager will himself verify that all of the charges have in fact
detonated.
• If a charge or charges have failed to detonate, the contractor manager will keep the
site sealed and inform representatives of the misfire.
• Where possible, concern parties will be notified of the intention and reasons for
making a secondary blast.
• He will then instruct the blasting supervisor to prepare the misfired charges for a
secondary blast.
• The procedure for conducting the secondary blast will be identical to those
mentioned in section 5.3 (Execution of Work) above, for the main blast, with all of
the same area safety checks being carried out prior to detonation.

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• Whilst this will mean that there will a second, unscheduled blast it is felt that this is
preferable to the security and safety implications of leaving unexploded explosives
in the hole (s), overnight.
• Once satisfied that all is in order, he will stand down the pickets or sentries and
allow personnel, plant and equipment back into the area.
• The Blasting Contractor manager and the police will complete the necessary
certificates to confirm that all of the explosives have been used.

5.5 Safe Practices Reminder

Before work starts.

1) All blasting work must be planned.

2) Before blasting work starts on site :
• Locate position of any roads, power lines and structures that may be affected.
• Ensure that all necessary permissions have been obtained and that proper
notification has been given.
• Brief all personnel on safety procedures.
• Establish safe perimeter and post pickets or sentries to prevent access.
• Clear perimeter prior to blast.
• Check for unexploded charges after blast before allowing access to area again.
• Ensure that all necessary certificates are signed by police upon completion.
• Use the safety signs for cautions of all personnel to the blasting area. The standard
sign that use for special operation is available in appendix. The size of this sign can
be determined by HSE management or safety authority.

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6- DEFINITIONS

Blasting :Any use of explosive charges to break up/clear rock formations to allow
construction work to take place.

7- REFERENCES

a. National Iranian Oil Company ( N.I.O.C. ) safety regulations , Part – 22 : Using and
transportation of explosives .
b. Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulation and standards.

8- APPENDIX

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SUGGESTIONS FOR THE POGC

EXPLOSIVE SAFETY PROCEDURE

MANAGER, HSE Department

Pars Oil & Gas Company
Tehran I.R. Iran

Please consider the following suggestion(s) relative to the POGC Explosive safety procedure:

(Signature)

(Date)

(Address)

Contact Telephone Number

Contact FAX Number

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