Questions You Should Know about Blasting Drilling Tools

1. What is your experience with blasting operations?

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   • Answer: I have [Number] years of experience in blasting operations, including [Specific tasks like drilling, loading, stemming, initiating, etc.]. I've worked on various projects involving [Types of projects, e.g., mining, construction, quarrying]. My experience encompasses [Mention specific types of explosives and blasting techniques used].

2. Describe your understanding of blasting safety regulations and procedures.

   • Answer: I am thoroughly familiar with all relevant safety regulations, including [Mention specific regulations and standards like OSHA, MSHA, etc.]. I understand the importance of pre-blast surveys, risk assessments, safe charging procedures, proper stemming techniques, and emergency response protocols. I always prioritize safety and adhere strictly to all established procedures.

3. Explain the different types of explosives used in blasting.

   • Answer: Common explosives include dynamites (e.g., ANFO, emulsion explosives), and detonators (e.g., electric, non-electric). Each has specific properties regarding sensitivity, detonation velocity, and application. I understand the differences in their handling and storage requirements.

4. How do you ensure the safety of yourself and your coworkers during blasting operations?

   • Answer: Safety is paramount. I always follow the established safety procedures, wear appropriate PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), conduct thorough pre-blast inspections, ensure proper communication with the blasting team, and establish clear evacuation routes and safe zones. I also participate actively in safety training and toolbox talks.

5. What are the key factors to consider when designing a blasting plan?

   • Answer: Key factors include the type of rock, the required fragmentation size, the proximity to structures and sensitive areas, environmental considerations, the available equipment, and the specific explosives to be used. The blasting plan must minimize vibration and flyrock, and adhere to all relevant regulations.

6. Describe your experience with different blasting techniques.

   • Answer: I am experienced in [List techniques, e.g., conventional blasting, pre-splitting, smooth blasting, directional blasting]. I understand the applications and limitations of each technique and can select the most appropriate method based on project requirements.

7. How do you handle misfires during blasting operations?

   • Answer: Misfires are handled according to established emergency procedures. The area is immediately evacuated, and the supervisor is notified. We wait the prescribed time before approaching the misfired hole. A thorough investigation is conducted to determine the cause of the misfire before any further action is taken. Special procedures for dealing with misfires, such as using a different initiation system or removing the explosive charge, are followed.

8. Explain the importance of stemming in blasting operations.

   • Answer: Stemming is crucial for directing the explosive energy downwards and containing the blast. It prevents flyrock and reduces the risk of premature detonation. The appropriate stemming material and length must be selected based on the explosive used and the surrounding conditions.

9. What are the potential hazards associated with blasting operations?

   • Answer: Hazards include flyrock, ground vibration, air overpressure, toxic fumes, and injuries from handling explosives. There's also the risk of misfires and unexploded charges. Understanding these hazards and implementing appropriate safety measures is critical.

10. How do you monitor ground vibrations during blasting?

    • Answer: Ground vibrations are monitored using seismographs placed at designated locations. The data collected is analyzed to ensure that vibration levels remain within acceptable limits set by regulations and project requirements.

11. Describe your experience with different types of drilling equipment.

    • Answer: I have experience with [List types, e.g., top hammer drills, down-the-hole drills, rotary drills]. I am familiar with their operation, maintenance, and safety procedures.

12. How do you calculate the amount of explosives needed for a specific blasting operation?

    • Answer: The amount of explosives is calculated based on factors such as the volume of rock to be blasted, the rock's properties (strength, density), the desired fragmentation size, and the type of explosive used. This often involves using specialized software or established formulas.

13. What is your understanding of the environmental impact of blasting?

    • Answer: Blasting can impact the environment through air and water pollution (dust, fumes), noise pollution, and ground vibration. Mitigation measures, such as dust suppression and optimized blasting designs, are crucial to minimize environmental damage.

14. How do you ensure the proper storage and handling of explosives?

    • Answer: Explosives are stored in designated magazines that meet all safety regulations. Strict procedures are followed for handling, transporting, and using explosives, including using proper PPE and following all safety protocols.

15. What is your experience with pre-blast surveys?

    • Answer: I have experience conducting pre-blast surveys to identify potential hazards and assess the impact of blasting on surrounding structures and the environment. This includes measuring distances to structures, identifying sensitive areas, and assessing potential risks.

16. Describe your knowledge of different initiation systems.

    • Answer: I am familiar with electric and non-electric initiation systems, including their advantages, disadvantages, and applications. I understand the importance of selecting the appropriate system based on project requirements and safety considerations.

17. What are the key aspects of a post-blast inspection?

    • Answer: Post-blast inspections ensure that the blasting operation was successful and safe. This involves checking for any unexploded charges, assessing the fragmentation, measuring ground vibrations, and evaluating the overall impact on the surrounding area.

18. How do you communicate effectively with your team during blasting operations?

    • Answer: Clear and concise communication is essential. I use pre-determined hand signals, radios, and established communication protocols to ensure everyone is aware of the planned sequence of events and any potential hazards. I also encourage open communication and feedback among team members.

19. What is your experience with using blasting mats?

    • Answer: I am familiar with the use of blasting mats to control flyrock and minimize ground vibration. I know how to properly place and secure them to achieve maximum effectiveness.

20. Describe your understanding of delay initiation systems.

    • Answer: Delay initiation systems allow for controlled sequential detonation of explosives, optimizing fragmentation and reducing vibration. I understand different delay intervals and their impact on the blasting results.

21. What safety precautions do you take when handling detonators?

    • Answer: Detonators are handled with extreme care, always wearing appropriate PPE, avoiding any impact or static electricity, and following strict procedures for transportation and storage. They are kept separate from explosives until immediate use.

22. What is your experience with seismic monitoring equipment?

    • Answer: I have experience [level of experience] with seismic monitoring equipment, including its setup, operation, and data interpretation. I understand how to analyze the data to ensure compliance with vibration limits.

23. How do you maintain blasting equipment?

    • Answer: I follow manufacturer's recommendations and established maintenance schedules for all blasting equipment. This includes regular inspections, lubrication, and repairs to ensure optimal performance and safety.

24. What is your experience with different types of blasting caps?

    • Answer: I am familiar with different types of blasting caps, including electric, non-electric, and delay caps, and understand their proper handling and application.

25. How do you manage waste materials generated from blasting operations?

    • Answer: Waste materials are handled according to environmental regulations. This may involve proper disposal, recycling, or repurposing of materials.

26. What is your experience with underwater blasting?

    • Answer: [Answer based on experience. If none, state "I do not have experience with underwater blasting but am willing to learn."]

27. What are your troubleshooting skills regarding blasting equipment?

    • Answer: I have strong troubleshooting skills and am capable of identifying and resolving common issues with blasting equipment. I am also proficient at performing basic maintenance and repairs.

28. How do you ensure accurate measurements during blasting operations?

    • Answer: Accurate measurements are crucial for safe and effective blasting. I use calibrated measuring tools and established procedures to ensure accuracy in all measurements related to drill hole depth, explosive loading, and stemming.

29. What is your understanding of burden and spacing in blasting design?

    • Answer: Burden refers to the distance between the explosive charge and the free face, while spacing is the distance between adjacent boreholes. The appropriate burden and spacing are crucial for achieving optimal fragmentation.

30. Describe your experience with different types of initiation systems.

    • Answer: I have experience with both electric and non-electric initiation systems and understand the advantages and disadvantages of each, such as millisecond delay systems, electronic detonators etc. My experience includes [Specific details about experience with different systems].

31. How do you handle unexpected situations during blasting operations?

    • Answer: I remain calm and follow established emergency procedures. I prioritize the safety of myself and my coworkers, assess the situation, and take appropriate action to resolve the issue. I will immediately report any unexpected events to my supervisor.

32. What is your understanding of the different types of stemming materials?

    • Answer: I am familiar with various stemming materials, including sand, clay, and stemming plugs. I understand their properties and the importance of selecting the appropriate material based on the blasting conditions.

33. What are your skills in data analysis related to blasting operations?

    • Answer: I can analyze data from seismic monitors, blast records, and other sources to evaluate the effectiveness of blasting operations and identify areas for improvement. I am proficient in [mention specific software or methods used for data analysis].

34. How do you comply with environmental regulations related to blasting?

    • Answer: I adhere strictly to all applicable environmental regulations related to blasting, including minimizing dust and noise pollution, managing waste materials, and obtaining necessary permits. I am familiar with the relevant legislation and best practices.

35. What is your experience with using different types of drilling bits?

    • Answer: I have experience using various drilling bits suited for different rock types and conditions. I understand how to select the appropriate bit for maximum efficiency and to avoid damage to the equipment.

36. How do you ensure the proper functioning of blasting circuits?

    • Answer: I carefully inspect and test the blasting circuit before each blast to ensure proper continuity and functionality. I am familiar with troubleshooting techniques to identify and resolve any issues.

37. What is your experience with using electronic detonators?

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    • Answer: I have experience [level of experience] with electronic detonators, including their programming, installation, and use in various blasting designs. I understand the advantages of precise timing and control offered by electronic detonators.

38. How do you perform a pre-blast inspection of the blast area?

    • Answer: A thorough pre-blast inspection includes identifying potential hazards such as unstable ground, the presence of utilities, nearby structures, and ensuring the proper placement of safety barricades and signage.

39. Describe your experience with different types of explosives and their sensitivity.

    • Answer: I am familiar with various explosives, such as ANFO, emulsions, and dynamites, and understand their respective sensitivities and handling requirements. My experience includes working with [List specific explosives].

40. What is your understanding of the different types of blasting caps?

    • Answer: I understand the differences between electric blasting caps, non-electric blasting caps, and delay blasting caps, including their applications and safety requirements. I am experienced in [State your level of familiarity].

41. What are your skills in interpreting blasting results?

    • Answer: I can interpret blasting results to evaluate the effectiveness of the blasting design, including assessment of fragmentation size, throw, and vibration levels. I use this information to make adjustments in future blasting operations.

42. How do you contribute to a positive safety culture in the workplace?

    • Answer: I actively participate in safety meetings, report any unsafe conditions, and follow safety procedures without exception. I encourage my colleagues to do the same and promote a culture of safety awareness and responsibility.

43. What is your approach to continuous learning and improvement in the field of blasting?

    • Answer: I am committed to continuous learning and improvement. I regularly attend industry conferences, participate in training programs, and stay updated on the latest techniques and regulations in the field of blasting.

44. What is your experience with the use of blasting software?

    • Answer: I have experience using [Name software] for blast design and analysis. My experience includes [Specific tasks performed using the software].

45. How do you ensure compliance with all relevant safety regulations?

    • Answer: I diligently follow all safety regulations and best practices, maintain up-to-date certifications, and participate in safety training to ensure compliance. I also actively identify and address potential hazards.

46. What is your understanding of the impact of blasting on nearby structures?

    • Answer: Blasting can cause damage to nearby structures through vibration and air overpressure. I understand the importance of pre-blast surveys to assess potential risks and implementing mitigation measures to minimize damage.

47. Describe your experience working in diverse and challenging terrain conditions.

    • Answer: I have experience working in various terrain conditions, including [mention specific examples, such as mountainous areas, confined spaces, etc.]. I am adept at adapting my techniques to challenging environments.

48. How do you manage your workload and prioritize tasks during a busy period?

    • Answer: I utilize organizational tools and prioritize tasks based on urgency and importance. I communicate effectively with my team to ensure efficient workflow and collaboration.

To our knowledge, there is no formal training available for demolition blasting. Experience can only be obtained by employment directly with a firm which specializes in demolition blasting. Demolition blasting companies usually train their employees in-house.

The explosive industry has a very large presence in world economy and has many different facets that influence things to differing degrees. Explosive demolition accounts for a tiny percentage of the whole picture. In comparison to drilling blasting contractors who specialize in rock removal, explosive demolition contractors are few and far between. It’s not feasible for a university to prepare a study course and train people on a full scale basis to fill such a tiny niche in the market place.

On the other hand, there is formal training available for those who wish to gain knowledge of explosives in general. A good working knowledge of explosives, safety, and the laws regarding their storage and use is a perfect place to begin a career in their use. A list of links to some of these schools is published directly below.

• Mining Engineering Department, University of Missouri – Rolla
• University of New South Wales – School of Mining
• University of Exeter – Camborne School of Mines
• Columbia University – Henry Krumb School of Mines
• University of Alaska Fairbanks – School of Mineral Engineering

Training on explosive use and safety can also be obtained from Bradley Safety Consultants. The president of BSC is Mickey Bradley and his school handles explosive training and licensing for the states of Arkansas and Oklahoma.

Mickey Bradley can be reached at 918-465- or you can him at 

Not all demolition blast (s) are implosions. The industry often refers to them as implosions because it is a popular expression. A true implosion is a case when a structure has been caused to fall inwards on itself. Smokestacks, towers, bridges and most buildings are not imploded. They are simply knocked over.

Implosion is used when there is limited area on all sides of a structure making it impossible to lay them out.

The principles used on an implosion are basically the same whether it is a true implosion, or if the structure is simply going to be laid out. The principle tool in an implosion is gravity. The explosives are used to weaken and cause the supporting members of the structure to fail, thus allowing gravity to pull the structure down or over. If you have a four-legged table and you remove two legs from one side, the table will fall over.

You can control the direction of fall by choosing which two legs to remove. A large building generally has many legs, or columns, that support it. In an implosion, you remove the columns from within the building first, thus causing the initial collapse to start from that point. The resulting collapse of the inner columns first, help drag the structure down towards the center.

Federal, state, and sometimes, local governments impose limits on the level of vibration and noise produced from blasting.
It takes a lot of energy to break rock. Energy in a blast which is not used for rock breakage is wasted in the form of ground vibration and airblast. The use of explosives is the use of energy. Energy is not cheap in any form. Look at the price of a gallon of energy on any gas pump. It takes about 2 tons of natural gas to manufacture 1 ton of ammonium nitrate blasting agent.

Ground vibration is controlled by limiting the amount of energy released into the rock at a time. The energy is distributed through the rock to be blasted in the form of holes drilled into the rock. The holes are detonated in a progressive sequence that resembles slices of bread being removed from a loaf. One slice is removed to make room for the next slice, and so on. By controlling the number of holes detonated at one time, you control the amount of energy released as well. This energy decays with distance from the shot.

By knowing the distance to the closest structure you wish to protect, you can calculate the amount of energy that can be released into the ground at any one delay period without causing any damage due to ground vibration.

It would be an exhaustive process to describe in detail, all the steps that are taken to protect the property of people surrounding a blast site. When blasting near people’s homes and property, the entire blast is designed to protect that property from excessive ground vibration and flyrock. There are volumes of books dealing with this topic and the legal limits as well. Interested parties can find these publishings, for sale, at the web site of the International Society of Explosive Engineers.

There has been an extensive amount of research done to determine the safe levels of vibrations.  The purpose being to establish a level for blasters to operate under that will eliminate the risk to properties surrounding a blast site.  The United States Bureau of Mines has contributed a major part of the technical data on blast design and vibration control.  Other agencies and institutions have provided a great deal of research that has contributed to the accumulated knowledge in this field.  You can visit the website of the Office of Surface Mining, (OSM) in the website of the department of the interior for more information.

Current legal and recommended vibration limits have resulted from this research.  By staying below these limits and following safe blasting procedures, the risk to property around the blast site can be minimized or eliminated.

The Office of Surface Mining, (OSM), publishes their findings on this subject in reports called “Reports of Information.”  Abstracts from some of the reports that deal directly with ground vibration and airblast are as follows:

• RI Measurement of Blast-Induced Ground Vibrations and Seismograph Calibration
  Mark S. Stagg, and Alvin J. Engler
• RI Structure Response and Damage Produced by Ground Vibration from Surface
  Mine Blasting
  D.E. Siskind, M.S. Stagg, J.W. Kopp, and C.H. Dowding
• RI Airblast Instrumentation and Measurement Techniques for Surface Mine Blasting
  Virgil J. Stachura, David E. Siskind, and Alvin J. Engler
• RI Structure Response and Damage Produced by Airblast From Surface Mining
  David E. Siskind, Virgil J. Stachura, Mark S. Stagg, and John W. Kopp
• RI Vibrations From Underground Blasting
  James J. Snodgrass and David E. Siskind

This information is made available by the International Society of Explosive Engineers and is publicly available from their website at www.isee.org.  Point your browsers towards their technical information database.

Explosives are energy in a different form than others.  Electricians know how to calculate the amount of energy it would require to start and run motors and lights and other electrical components.  Car manufacturers can calculate the mileage one should expect, or hope, to get from a vehicle before it is purchased.  After you purchase a car, you then gain historical knowledge based on how much mileage your car actually gets.  So after a while, you know how much gas you better have in your gas tank before you set off on a trip.  And after a few months of utility bills, you know how much it will take to run the electrical appliances around you.

Gasoline, natural gas, propane and electricity are the most common forms of energy made available to everybody for everyday use.  People who manufacture products that consume this energy also know how to calculate it’s efficiency.

Blasters know how to calculate the efficiency of the energy they use.  By using only the amount of energy it takes to perform the job at hand, one can be assured that there isn’t enough left over to cause any ground vibration damage to property outside the blast site.

It would be unreasonable to think that a single gallon of gasoline could propel your car across several counties and back again, without running out.  It would be unreasonable to think that you could run your home with a single kilowatt of electrical energy for a month.

Each individual electrical appliance in your home uses a different quantity of power.  This is based on it’s size and workload.  Your air conditioner or heater is going to require more electricity than a light bulb in a lamp would need.  A big truck will use more fuel per mile than compact car if everything is running efficiently.

Different kinds of rock require different amounts of energy in the fracturing process.  Blaster’s must take all the properties of the geology into consideration when designing a blast round.

The United States Bureau of Mines adopted a mathematical formula that blasters can use when designing a blast, that when followed, will assure the blaster that there is not enough energy being released at any one time to cause damage to the closest structure.  A blaster who is not using a seismograph is required to use this mathematical formula in designing what we call the “Maximum Pounds per Delay” of explosives used.  The mathematical formula used, is known as the “Scaled Distance Formula.”  This formula, when used, is conservative to the point that it assures there will not be enough energy released into the rock at any one delay period to cause ground vibration damage to a well or structure.

A blasting operator who does not routinely use seismographs to record the actual ground vibration must adhere to the “Scaled Distance Formula” to design the “Maximum Pounds Per Delay” for his blast.

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