Blaster zone

Careful, you've just entered... THE BLASTER ZONE

The Blasters Guide is a vast resource of information that is critical to effective blasting. Austin's blasters use this reference frequently to ensure safe and efficient blasting.

"Measure twice, cut once." The old carpenter's rule more than applies to blasting. In addition to checking and re-checking every aspect of a blast, we can help with the planning and design. The path to a successful blast is the performance of the fundamentals:

• Clear the blast site of all non-loading personnel
• Review the face for abnormalities
• Check bore holes for burden spacing and depth
• Review the timing pattern prior to commencing loading
• Load appropriate type and quantity of explosive in each hole
• Maintain pre-established stemming height for each hole
• Double check hookups to assure proper tie-in
• Follow established communication procedures to fire blast
• Move all personnel in blast area under adequate shelter before blast is fired
• After the blast, check the blast area for misfires and signal "all clear"

Blasting Tips... from a Master Blaster

Check
• availability of blasting shelter
• your blasting equipment
• the face
• the drill pattern
• exposure within and around the blast area
• availability of adequate stemming

Diagram
• the shot as drilled
• delay timings

Measure
• burden, spacing & depth, noting any deviations

Calculate
• the powder factor

Ensure
• adequate trained personnel on blast crew

Load
• so shot can be fired prior to completion of loading in case of emergency
(weather, equipment breakdown, etc.)

Clean
• shot area prior to hook-up

Clear
• blast area after hook-up

Utilize
• blasting shelter and adequate cover for ALL in the blast area

Receive
• distinct "clear to fire" signal

Check
• post blast area for safe re-entry

Give
• "clear to re-enter" signal

Complete
• shot report with diagram

Austin is there for you

Technical assistance when you need it, where you need it..

It takes days of preparation in order to properly and safely execute a split second explosion. Our Technical Support Teams make sure everything goes just right for our customers.

Austin Powder is ready to assist our customers on any level, from local to regional, national, or international. Our technical services group assists our customers around the world, providing state-of-the-art analysis for a variety of blasting needs.

We developed QED®, a computer-based virtual blasting program used to forecast fragmentation, damage, muckpile shape and vibration levels. It also helps our customers save time and money by modeling different blasting situations.

Our fleet of mobile tech vans is staffed with trained Austin explosives engineers. These vans are equipped with blasting analysis tools providing superior technological services at the blast site. These services include: laser profilers, borehole deviation measurement tools, continuous VOD equipment, seismographs and high-speed cameras.

Member I.S.E.E. (International Society of Explosives Engineers)