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Mine Health and Safety Act, 1996 (Act No. 29 of 1996)

Guideline for a Mandatory Code of Practice

Minimum Standards on Ground Vibrations, Noise, Air-Blast and Flyrock near surface structures and Communities to be Protected

Part A : The Guideline

4. Definitions and Acronyms

 

4.1. Air-blast means a transient change in air pressure arising from the detonation of an explosive that travels through the air at the local speed of sound.

 

4.2. Blasting means the process of reducing a solid body, such as rock, to fragments by using an explosive.

 

4.3. Blasting operations means and include:
• Drilling of charge holes at a mine/bench.
• Placing a charge and detonator in each hole.
• Detonating the charge.
• Clearing away the broken material from the bench.

 

4.4. CIOM means Chief Inspector of Mines.

 

4.5. COP means a Code of Practice.

 

4.6. DMRE means Department of Mineral Resources and Energy.

 

4.7. Flyrock means rock fragments that are propelled beyond the blast area by the force of an explosion.

 

4.8. Ground vibration means any vibration of the earth caused by confined explosions.

 

4.9. MHSA means the Mine Health and Safety Act, 1996 (Act 29 of 1996) as amended.

 

4.10. Noise means merely the audible part of the air-blast (> 20 Hertz).

 

4.11. Qualified blasting expert means a person with the relevant blasting engineering, in-depth knowledge and extensive relevant experience, who:
▪ Designs, organises, and supervises controlled blasts.
▪ Apply a scientific evaluation of the site and the desired outcome.
▪ Use explosives and initiating systems to achieve various outcomes in the field of mining, demolition or construction, in particular to limit ground vibrations, noise, air-blast and/or flyrock.

 

4.12. Structure means any public building, public thoroughfare, railway line, power line, any place where people congregate or any other structure, which may be necessary to protect to prevent any significant risk.

 

4.13. USBM means United States Bureau of Mines.