This standard identifies the competences you need to make recommendations for the classification of explosive substances and/or articles.
Your responsibilities will require you to gather relevant information about the explosive and its packaging, identify the nature and scale of the hazards and ensure that your recommendations are consistent with the information. The information provided may be complete or incomplete. You will be making recommendations about new classifications or re-classifications. You will be required to report any problems with the explosive safety management activities that you cannot personally resolve or that are outside your permitted authority to the relevant people. You will be expected to work to verbal/written instructions and standard operating procedures with a minimum of supervision, taking personal responsibility for your own actions and for the quality and accuracy of the work that you and your team carry out.
Your underpinning knowledge will be sufficient to provide a sound basis for your work and will enable you to adopt an informed approach to hazard assessment, validating information and understanding packaging characteristics, the different hazard divisions and compatibility groups and their significance. You will have an understanding of the attributes and behaviours required for working safely in adequate depth to provide a sound background for carrying out the safety management activities to the required specification.
You will understand the precautions required when carrying out the safety management activities for explosive substances and articles. You will be required to demonstrate safe working practices throughout and will understand your responsibility for taking the necessary safeguards to protect yourself and others in the workplace.
This activity is likely to be undertaken by someone whose work role involves Weapons, Ordnance, Munitions or Explosives work activities. This includes individuals working as explosives safety supervisors.
P1 work safely at all times, complying with health and safety, environmental and other relevant regulations, legislation and guidelines
P2 identify and gather information relevant to the explosive substance or article and its packaging
P3 identify the nature and scale of the hazards posed by the explosive substance or article
P4 confirm the accuracy and completeness of the information
P5 ensure that your recommendations for the classification submission are consistent with the information provided
P6 maintain records in accordance with your organization's proceduresK1 the health, safety and environmental and other statutory legislation, regulations and safe working practices and procedures governing explosives and their implications for your area of work
K1 the health, safety and environmental and other statutory legislation, regulations and safe working practices and procedures governing explosives and their implications for your area of work
K2 the relevance of personal protective equipment (PPE)
K3 the nature, characteristics, hazards and risks of the explosive substances and/or articles
K4 the actions to be taken in response to an unplanned event
K5 your organization's classification application process
K6 the information needed in order to classify explosive substances and articles
K7 sources of information and relevant guidance
K8 how to validate information
K9 the hazard assessment process
K10 packaging characteristics
K11 the different hazard divisions and compatibility groups and their significance
K12 the importance of documenting your actions and your rationale
1 Information: complete; incomplete
2 classifications:new; re-classifications