Explosive Activity

DOE-HDBK-XXXX-2005

06/30/2005

209.

EXPLOSIVES ACTIVITY. Each function (storage, handling, and processing) involving

explosives from the manufacture or receipt of the explosives through the final shipping

configuration, including final storage, but excluding the movement of explosives between

explosives areas. [DOE O 6430.1A]

210.

EXPLOSIVES BAY. A location (room, cubicle, cell, work area) containing a single type

of explosives activity that affords the requirement protection for the appropriate hazard

classification (Class I, II, III, or IV as defined below) of the explosives activity involved.

Examples of such explosives activities are machining, pressing, meltcasting,

nondestructive testing, and assembly operations. [DOE O 6430.1A]

211.

EXPLOSIVES BUILDING. Any structure containing one or more explosives bays.

[DOE O 6430.1A]

212.

EXPLOSIVES HAZARD CLASSES. The level of protection required for any specific

explosives activity, based on the hazard class (accident potential) for the explosives

activity involved. Four hazard classes are defined for explosives activities as follows in

definitions for explosives hazard classes I-IV. [DOE O 6430.1A]

213.

EXPLOSIVES HAZARD, CLASS I. Class I consists of those explosives activities that

involve a high accident potential; any personnel exposure is unacceptable for Class I

activities and they thus require remote operations. In general, Class I would include

activities where energies that may interface with the explosives are approaching the

upper safety limits, or the loss of control of the interfacing energy is likely to exceed the

safety limits for the explosives involved. This category includes those research and

development activities where the safety implications have not been fully characterized.

Examples of Class I activities are screening, blending, pressing, extrusion, drilling of

holes, dry machining, machining explosives and metal in combination, some

environmental testing, new explosives development and processes, explosives disposal,

and destructive testing. [DOE M 440.1-1]

214.

EXPLOSIVE HAZARD, CLASS II. Class II consists of those explosives activities that

involve a moderate accident potential because of the explosives type, the condition of the

explosives, or the nature of the operations involved. This category consists of activities

where the accident potential is greater than for Class III, but the exposure of personnel

performing contact operations is acceptable. Class II includes activities where the

energies that do or may interface with the explosives are normally well within the safety

boundaries for the explosives involved, but where the loss of control or these energies

might approach the safety limits of the explosives. Examples of Class II activities are

weighing, some wet machining, assembly and disassembly, some environmental testing,

and some packaging operations. [DOE M 440.1-1]

DRAFT