Destruction of Explosives
| 15.1 | No person other than a blaster as defined in Chapter 10 of these regulations, or a person specially authorised in writing by an inspector to do so, shall destroy or attempt to destroy or be allowed to destroy or attempt to destroy any blasting materials. |
| 15.2 | Explosives shall be destroyed only in a manner previously approved, in writing, by an inspector and the person carrying out the destruction shall adhere in every detail to the method so approved. |
| 15.3 | Whenever blasting cartridges in excess of one case (25 kilograms), or 1 000 detonators (all types) or one reel of detonating fuse having to be destroyed for any reason, the destruction shall not be proceeded with until the circumstances have been reported to an inspector and his written authority obtained for the destruction. |
| 15.4 | An inspector may condemn any explosives which, in his opinion, are not in good condition or the storage or use of which he considers to be dangerous and he may order the destruction forthwith of any such explosives. The owner of the explosives shall have no claim on the inspector or on the Government for the loss of the explosives so condemned and he shall be responsible for any expenses incurred in connection with the destruction of the explosives. |
Disposal of Explosives
| a) | No person shall bury, submerge, hide or abandon any explosives; |
| b) | No person shall leave explosives unattended so that it will be possible for other persons to have access thereto. |
| 15.4A.2 | Whenever an explosives magazine is abandoned without prior notification to the Chief Inspector of Explosives, or when there is reasonable suspicion that an explosives magazine or premises contains explosives in contravention of the Act and these regulations, and reasonable enquiry has failed to locate the owner, an inspector may take such steps as he may deem necessary to gain entrance to such explosives magazine or premises and any explosives found there shall be dealt with as he may deem fit.If the owner cocated, any explosives found on any premises shall nevertheless be dealt with as deemed fit by an inspector.The owner of such exp, explosives magazine or premises shall be responsible for any expenses incurred in the safe disposal or destruction of such explosives magazine or premises. |
The owner of the explosives, explosives magazine or premises shall have no claim on the inspector or on the Government for the loss of the explosives, explosives magazine or premises which may be destroyed or damaged in the process of the aforementioned safe disposal or destruction of the explosives.
The owner of the explosives, explosives magazine or premises shall be liable for any damage which may be suffered by a third party as a result of the aforementioned safe disposal or destruction of the explosives.
Explosives in Coal
| 15.5.1 | At every colliery the manager shall take every precaution, by sorting and otherwise, to prevent any blasting material from remaining in coal despatched from the colliery. |
| 15.5.2 | The manager shall provide, convenient to where the sorting takes place, two secure wooden boxes in which the explosives found shall be placed, blasting cartridges in one and detonators in the other. |
| a) | be of robust construction, be 500 millimetres square by 600 millimetres high, with a lid on top having a hole 45 millimetres in diameter in the centre, and be provided with an effective locking arrangement; |
| b) | be painted red and be clearly marked with words indicating the type of explosives to be placed and kept in them; |
| c) | be kept locked at all times except when the explosives have to be removed for destruction; |
| d) | be kept in a safe place not less than 3 metres from each other. |
| 15.5.4 | Immediately an explosive is found it shall be dropped into its appropriate box through the hole provided in the lid. |
| 15.5.5 | No smoking, naked light or fire shall be allowed within 5 metres of the boxes. |
| 15.5.6 | At least once every day, except Sunday, the boxes shall be emptied by the blaster appointed to do the destruction and the contents destroyed by him in an approved manner. |
| 15.5.7 | The keys for the boxes shall be kept by a senior officer or by the Master responsible for the destruction of the explosives. |
| 15.6.1 | The owner or manager of any coal distributing agency shall take every precaution by searching and otherwise to prevent any blasting materials whatsoever remaining in coal supplied by him to the public. |
| 15.6.2 | Any explosives so found shall be reported immediately to an inspector who shall instruct as to their disposal and, until they can be so disposed, the explosives shall be placed and kept in wooden boxes conforming with the requirements of regulation 15.5.3, and the provisions of regulations 15.5.4 and 15.5.5 shall be complied with. |
Explosives found in Reduction Works of Gold Mines
| 15.7 | At all gold mines the manager shall provide two boxes conforming with the requirements of regulation 15.5.3, convenient to each sorting belt at each reduction works, in which to place and keep explosives found among the ore on the sorting belts. The operation of these boxes shall be subject to the provisions of regulations 15.5.4, 15.5.6 and 15.5.7. |
Ammonium Nitrate
| 15.8.1 | For the purposes of these regulations the expression "ammonium nitrate" shall mean ammonium nitrate and mixtures of ammonium nitrate, except-- |
| a) | the undermentioned uniform non-segregating mixtures of ammonium nitrate (ammonium nitrate fertilisers): |
| i) | Uniform non-segregating mixtures of ammonium nitrate with calcium carbonate and/or dolomite, containing not more than 80 per cent of ammonium nitrate, provided they contain not less than 20 per cent of these carbonates (of minimum purity 90 per cent) and not more than 0,4 per cent of total combustible material; |
| ii) | uniform non-segregating mixtures of ammonium nitrate and ammonium salts containing not more than 45 per cent of ammonium nitrate and not more than 0,4 per cent of total combustible material; |
| iii) | uniform non-segregating mixtures of nitrogen/phosphate or nitrogen/potash types or complete fertilisers of nitrogen/phosphate/potash types, containing not more than 70 per cent of ammonium nitrate, including other nitrates, and not more than 0,4 per cent of total added combustible material or containing not more than 45 per cent of ammonium nitrate, including other nitrates with unrestricted combustible material used in fertilisers; and |
| b) | solutions of ammonium nitrate, containing not less than 10 per cent water, used for the manufacture of slurry explosives. |
| a) | The ammonium nitrate fertilisers shall be manufactured in such a way that the constituents cannot be separated mechanically from one another. |
| b) | Mixtures of ammonium nitrate with calcium carbonate and/or dolomite shall be manufactured in such a way that the calcium carbonate/dolomite mixture is incorporated in the prills or granules of the mixture in a manner approved, in writing, by the Chief Inspector of Explosives. |
| 15.9 | Every person or concern manufacturing ammonium nitrate shall register his premises with the Chief inspector of Explosives. |
| 15.10 | The conditions to be complied with at the ports during shipping or discharging of ammonium nitrate shall be as advised to the port captain by the Chief Inspector of Explosives. |
| 15.11.1 | No person shall supply ammonium nitrate to any other person except under a permit issued by an inspector unless the ammonium nitrate is to be used exclusively-- |
| a) | for analytical purposes in a bona fide laboratory; or |
| b) | by pharmacists for dispensing under a doctor’s prescription; or |
| c) | by bona fide manufacturers for further processing. |
| 15.11.2 | Any person obtaining ammonium nitrate under the exceptions contained in regulation 15.11.1 shall furnish the supplier with a certificate declaring the purpose for which the ammonium nitrate is to be used and where. |
| 15.11.3 | Every person who supplies ammonium nitrate to any other person shall keep a record as follows: |
| a) | The name and address of the person supplied; |
| c) | the purpose for which the ammonium nitrate is to be used; |
| d) | the address where the ammonium nitrate is to be used; and |
| e) | the number and date of the permit (if any) under which the ammonium nitrate was supplied. |
| 15.12 | No person shall obtain ammonium nitrate from any other person except under a permit issued by an inspector or on furnishing the supplier with the certificate referred to in regulation 15.11.2. |
| 15.13 | Ammonium nitrate shall be packed for conveyance-- |
| a) | in new open-headed or lidded mild steel drums complying with specifications approved by an inspector; |
| b) | in containers of glass (with a capacity not exceeding 1 kilogram each), metal or earthenware containers, effectively closed, packed inside fibreboard or corrugated cardboard or wooden boxes, the gross mass not to exceed 50 kilograms; or |
| c) | in moisture-resistant multiwall paper sacks of a quality as approved by an inspector, the net mass not to exceed 50 kilograms; or |
| d) | in sacks of other materials approved by an inspector, the net mass not to exceed 50 kilograms. |
| 15.14.1 | Ammonium nitrate packed in accordance with regulation 15.13 and in quantities not exceeding 250 kilograms gross mass may be stored on any premises without restriction. |
| 15.14.2 | Except as provided in regulation 15.14.1 ammonium nitrate shall be stored only in a magazine constructed and licensed in terms of Chapter 7 of these regulations and, at a factory, in such a place, in such quantities and under such conditions as may be determined by an inspector. |
| 15.14.3 | The owner of any ammonium nitrate shall take reasonable precautions to prevent the material falling into the hands of unauthorised persons. |
| a) | Ammonium nitrate in sacks shall be stacked in a magazine in accordance with a stacking plan which shall be obtained from an inspector. |
| b) | Sacks containing ammonium nitrate damaged in any way shall immediately be placed in a clean slip-over bag and for this purpose an adequate supply of such slip-over bags shall be kept on hand. |
| c) | No loose ammonium nitrate shall be kept or left lying around in a magazine.Spillage shall be swept up immediately and out to waste by dissolving in a large excess of water and washing down a drain. |
| d) | The regulations of Chapter 8 of these regulations shall apply to a magazine for the storage of ammonium nitrate. |
| e) | When ammonium nitrate has set hard it shall be broken up by mechanical means only. |
| 15.15.2 | No smoking, naked lights or flames shall be allowed in any store containing ammonium nitrate. |
| 15.16.1 | Vehicles used for the conveyance of ammonium nitrate contained in sacks shall be clean and the bodywork shall be free of snags which may damage the containers. |
| 15.16.2 | Loads of ammonium nitrate shall be kept sheeted during conveyance. |
| a) | For conveyance of ammonium nitrate in sacks by rail, only open steel trucks shall be used and ample dunnage shall be provided to cover bolt heads and other projections which may damage the containers; the loaded truck shall be securely sheeted. After use the truck shall be thoroughly swept out. |
| b) | For conveyance of ammonium nitrate in bulk by rail only clean totally enclosed steel trucks shall be used. After use the truck shall be thoroughly cleaned out. |
| 15.16.4 | Any sacks containing ammonium nitrate damaged during loading or off-loading, shall be placed immediately in clean slip-over bags, an adequate supply of which shall be provided by the consignor for the purpose. |
Chlorates
| 15.17 | For the purpose of these regulations the expression "chlorates" shall include-- |
Ammonium chlorate, Barium chlorate, Calcium chlorate, Potassium chlorate, Sodium chlorate, Strontium chlorate, Zinc chlorate.
| 15.18 | The possession of ammonium chlorate by any person is prohibited except by special written permission of the Chief Inspector of Explosives. |
| 15.19 | Every person or concern manufacturing a chlorate shall register his premises with the Chief Inspector of Explosives. |
| 15.20.1 | No person shall supply any chlorate to any other person except under a permit issued by an inspector, unless the chlorate is to be used exclusively-- |
| a) | for analytical purposes in a bona fide laboratory; |
| b) | by pharmacists for dispensing under a doctor’s prescription; and |
| c) | by bona fide manufacturers for further processing. |
| 15.20.2 | Any person who obtains a chlorate under the exception contained in regulation 15.20.1, shall furnish the supplier with a certificate declaring the purpose for which the chlorate is to be used and where. |
| 15.20.3 | Every person who supplies a chlorate to any other person shall keep a record as follows: |
| a) | The name and address of the person supplied; |
| c) | the purpose for which the chlorate is to be used; |
| d) | the address where the chlorate is to be used; and |
| e) | the number and date of the permit (if any) under which the chlorate was supplied. |
| 15.21 | No person shall obtain any chlorate from any other person except under a permit issued by an inspector or on furnishing the supplier with the certificate referred to in regulation 15.20.2. |
| 15.22 | Chlorates shall be packed for conveyance as follows: |
| a) | In new open-headed or lidded mild steel drums complying with specifications approved by an inspector; or |
| b) | in containers of glass (with a capacity not exceeding 1 kilogram each), metal or earthenware containers, effectively closed, packed inside fibreboard or corrugated cardboard or wooden boxes, the gross mass not to exceed 50 kilograms; or |
| c) | in strong wooden boxes, paper-lined, the gross mass not to exceed 100 kilograms. |
| 15.23.1 | Chlorates packed in accordance with regulation 15.22 and in quantities not exceeding 250 kilograms gross mass, may be stored on any premises without restriction. |
| 15.23.2 | Except as provided in regulation 15.23.1 chlorates shall be kept in a store exclusively reserved for the purpose and the store shall comply with the conditions (a) to (f) prescribed in regulation 15.14.2. |
| 15.23.3 | Owners of chlorates shall take reasonable precautions to prevent the material from falling into the hands of unauthorised persons. |
Matches
| 15.24 | No person or concern shall manufacture any matches without the written approval of the Chief Inspector of Explosives and the premises where the manufacture is to take place shall be registered with him. |
Penalty
| 15.25 | Any person who by any act or omission commits a breach of any of the regulations of this Chapter shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding R200 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding nine months or to both such fine and such imprisonment. |
