Explosive

DOE-HDBK-1188-2006

211.

EXPLOSIVE. Any chemical compound or mechanical mixture that, when subjected to heat,

impact, friction, shock, or other suitable initiation stimulus, undergoes a very rapid chemical

change with the evolution of large volumes of highly heated gases that exert pressures in the

surrounding medium. The term applies to materials that either detonate or deflagrate. DOE

explosives may be dyed various colors, except pink, which is reserved for mock explosives.

[DOE M 440.1-1]

212.

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]

213.

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]

214.

EXPLOSIVES BUILDING. Any structure containing one or more explosives bays. [DOE O

6430.1A]

215.

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]

216.

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]

217.

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