Acts Online
GT Shield

Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993 (Act No. 85 of 1993)

Regulations

Explosives Regulations, 2024

7. Danger buildings

 

(1) An employer, self-employed person or user must ensure, without derogating from the requirements of the Fire Brigade Services Act, 1987 (Act No. 99 of 1987), that all firefighting appliances and emergency equipment provided in the danger building or room are so placed and kept that they are readily visible, accessible and available for use when required.

 

(2) No person may discharge any fire extinguisher or tamper with any equipment without, as soon as practicable thereafter, informing the explosives manager.

 

(3) An employer, self-employed person or user must ensure that no danger building is used unless the ambient temperature and relative humidity inside the building and the temperature of the explosives in the building are within the limits prescribed by the explosives manager.

 

(4) An employer, self-employed person or user must—
(a) take all reasonable precautions to prevent foreign materials such as grit, stones or similar objects from entering danger buildings;
(b) ensure that no charcoal, whether ground or otherwise, oily rag or other article susceptible to spontaneous ignition is taken into any danger building, unless such article is required for immediate use in a specified place and, upon cessation of such use, is removed forthwith; and
(c) not permit any article not listed on the loose article list to be used or to be present in a danger building.

 

(5) An employer, self-employed person or user must ensure that—
(a) every danger building is protected against lightning in accordance with SANS 10313: Protection against lightning – Physical damage to structures and life hazard;
(b) every lightning protection system is examined and tested by a person with sufficient knowledge, training and experience in lightning protection;
(c) the examination and testing contemplated in paragraph (b) is carried out before the start of each lightning season at least every 12 months, and the final submission must be done in the month of September/January;
(d) the results of every examination and testing contemplated in paragraph (b) are recorded in a register and are made available on the premises for inspection by an inspector;
(e) all danger buildings with metal walls or roofs, and all plant and machinery in such buildings, are adequately earthed and bonded in accordance with SANS 10142: The wiring of premises, Part 1: Low-voltage installations, and SANS 10108: The classification of hazardous locations and the selection of apparatus for use in such locations; and
(f) the explosives manager prepares and implements a procedure with steps to be taken in the event of lightning or electrical storms to minimise the risks created by such storms.

 

(6) An employer, self-employed person or user must ensure that—
(a) the official number of the building is affixed on the outer wall near the main door to every building within the danger area;
(b) a copy of the schedule licence of every room in the danger area is permanently affixed in a conspicuous position inside that room; and
(c) a loose article list is permanently affixed in a conspicuous position inside every danger building: Provided that all such numbering and documentation must be printed or typed.

 

(7) An employer, self-employed person or user must ensure that—
(a) all danger buildings are maintained in good order and that the interior, including benches, shelves and fittings, of every building in which any manufacturing process takes place or that may, at any stage of the process of manufacture, contain explosives or any ingredients thereof, either mixed or partially mixed, is kept clean and free from foreign materials to the extent that is reasonably practicable;
(b) before any maintenance, repairs or new installations are done to or in any danger building, that building is cleaned to the extent that is reasonably practicable, by the removal of all explosives and ingredients thereof, whether mixed or otherwise, and, if necessary, by the thorough washing out of the building or part of the building to or in which such maintenance, repairs or new installations is required;
(c) a work permit, approved by a person authorised to do so by the explosives manager, is prepared, setting out the procedures to be followed for maintenance, repairs or new installations to or in danger buildings, and that the work permit is implemented;
(d) all the doors of the danger building remain unlocked while persons are inside the building;
(e) steps are taken to ensure that doors to schedule II danger buildings do not slam; and
(f) all machinery and fittings in danger buildings are maintained and operated in accordance with the design specifications of the manufacturer and any other specifications determined by the explosives manager.