Explosives Supervisor

The Explosives Supervisor is appointed by the Operator under Regulation 44 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Quarries) Regulations, 2008 and is required to organise and supervise all work involving explosives. An Explosives Supervisor must be appointed by the Quarry Operator and hold a current registration card to carry out shotfiring operations issued by SOLAS or approved by a body in another Member State of the European Communities recognised by SOLAS as equivalent to the FETAC award under the Scheme or an award approved by a body in a state other than a Member State and recognised by SOLAS as equivalent to the award There must be only one person at any given time acting as the Explosives Supervisor at a quarry. The Quarry Manager, another manager or supervisor on site, the shotfirer or a blasting contractor, one of the contractor’s employees or an outside consultant may fulfil this role provided that they are competent to do so and hold a current registration card as outlined above.

The Explosives Supervisor must be familiar with the quarry and the specific shotfiring rules for the quarry as it relates to the safe use of explosives. The Explosives Supervisor must prepare the blast specification for a specific blast which includes an assessment of the risks and an identification of the danger zone.

The Explosives Supervisor is responsible for advising the Operator as to the observance of the Quarry operation with statutory provisions relating to the storage, transport, use and disposal of explosives at the quarry.

The Explosives Supervisor must inspect the face to be blasted to ensure that the blast specification is adequate.

The Explosives Supervisor should liaise with the Shotfirer and, where necessary, the Driller to ensure shotfiring operations are carried out in accordance with the shotfiring rules and blast specification and that any necessary amendments are made to the blast specification prior to blasting being carried out.

The explosives supervisor must ensure that no unauthorised person carries out any work in relation to the use of explosives and that the operating procedures, shotfiring rules and prepared blast specification are followed.

Detailed information on the Duties of the Explosives Supervisor is in Part 5 (Explosives) of the SAFE QUARRY GUIDELINES TO THE SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELFARE AT WORK (QUARRIES) REGULATIONS 2008.