Blast Management Plan – Template
DR ELIZABETH GIBSON, General Manager CMPA reports on the development of the Blast Management Plan – Template.
A Blast Management Plan (BMP) is a risk control plan used in explosive blasting. It aims to ensure blasts do not harm people in the area and limit damage to the environment. A BMP is a legal requirement for planning safe use of explosives (please see www.worksafe.vic.gov.au).
The CMPA’s involvement in the development of the BMP dates back to a workshop held in October 2010 at Tullamarine where over 1040 years of industry experience attended to network and hear from WorkSafe directly on the then proposed Guidance Note for BMP.
More recently on the 18th April 2013, the CMPA in coordination with Associate Member Orica held another Blast Management Plan Workshop to this time look at developing an industry BMP Template in order to comply with WorkSafe’s Guidance Note.
The workshop was held at the Best Western Airport Motel and Convention Centre in Attwood. The 29 attendees consisted of representatives from various size CMPA Member quarries as well as explosive suppliers and drillers.
Orica’s Adam Gordon conducted the workshop; firstly presenting the group with information relating to what a BMP is the Legislative requirements and looked at real life incidents. He also reviewed the Regulations and Standards that the industry must comply with to keep ourselves safe.
As a group activity we looked at samples of organisations BMP and compared them to the Worksafe BMP Template to see how compliant we were. This created a lot of conversation both positive and negative.
Group discussions at the end of the workshop concluded that there was much confusion amongst the group with what was required in a BMP. The end result was that a Working Group needed to be formed to formulate a BMP template.
Attendees were then invited to be a part of the Working with a meeting to be convened in one month’s time. On the 17th May 2013, the BMP – Working Group met at Holcim Australia’s Oaklands Junction Quarry. Attendees were David Ramage from Holcim Australia, Michael Norris and Brian Calovic from Conundrum Holdings, Frank Santoro and Reza Ghaemi from Orica, Paul Campion from Maxam Australia and Gavin Moreira and Dr Elizabeth Gibson from CMPA.
The discussions of the Working Group were based on the following parameters:
- The BMP must meet the requirements of the Section 130 of the Dangerous Goods Explosive Regulations and Work Safe Victoria BMP template.
- The BMP consists of a general overview of the key outcomes required and an underpinning checklist consistent with the Work Safe Victoria BMP template.
- The composition of the BMP is to provide the reader or the user with clear direction on the obligations which must be complied to.
- The BMP is not a detailed work instruction.
- The BMP will reference support documents which will provide further detailed information.
- CMPA Shotfirers Book and Explosive Record Book are to be updated to ensure they underpin the BMP and act as evidence of compliance to it.
Tasks set for the session were to work through the draft BMP and Checklist. The BMP involved confirming the headings, confirming standardised/sample text as well as developing text for charging shots and misfires. The Checklist involved comparing it to Work Safe Victoria BMP template and to identify gaps.
The document was sent out to the working group and to the original attendees of the Workshop to provide feedback and comments. The document has been amended from member feedback and is now with WorkSafe for comment.
The document is available to members by contacting the Secretariat on 03 5781 0655 or enquiries@cmpavic.asn.au
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