Anatomy of a (Maine Drilling &
Blasting) Blast
A controlled commercial blast is over in far less time than it takes to read this
sentence. Yet the technical planning and preparation can take hours, sometimes
days. The elements of this procedure are important to Maine Drilling & Blasting.
As a subcontractor, the blaster follos specifications set by the contractor,
developer or government agency. The blaster also must adhere to the most
restrictive of federal, state or local las concerning the amount of e!plosives
alloed and the magnitude of the resulting blast.
Pre-Blast Preparation
The rock blasting superintendent evaluates the nature of the rock that needs
to be removed and the general scope of the "ob.
The safety specialist performs a pre#blast survey, inspecting and recording
the homes, businesses, utilities and other structures in the area local to the
As part of a community aareness program, the safety specialist
distributes informational leaflets and discusses the possible effects of the
blast on neighboring homes and businesses.
The safety specialist and the rock blasting superintendent share their
information and the blaster tailors the plan to create the least disruption
hile assuring safety.
$n a more comple! "ob, a computer program may be tapped to help the
blaster design the blast and customi%e the plan. &n any case, a test blast is
set off and monitored. The resulting data, measured by seismic and other
monitoring e'uipment, is analy%ed and integrated into the blast plan.
To ensure safety hile still fragmenting the rock to the specification, the blasting
superintendent has several choices to make and variables to manipulate. They
The appropriate si%e of the blasts.
The number of holes to be drilled, the depths and diameters of the holes,
the pattern of the holes and the spacing beteen them.
The se'uence and pattern of multiple e!plosions. (e determines the
number of small e!plosions, thousandths of a second apart, that comprise a
single blast. Designing the se'uence adds to the amount of control the
blaster has.
The amount of e!plosive material needed and ho much of it to load into each
)ock blasting cres set the blasting caps, load
the holes ith e!plosives, stem the holes ith
crushed stone, and connect each hole ithin the
*ometimes, to prevent rocks from flying, the
blaster may cover the site ith mats. A typical
mat is made of recycled tires tightly compressed ith steel cable. A +,#foot by
+,#foot mat eighs about -,... pounds.
/p until the time of the blast the shot area is secured.
The site is evacuated and traffic, if any, is stopped.
A horn is sounded three times to mark 01ive Minutes /ntil Detonation.0
The horn is sounded tice to announce the one#minute mark.
A blaster initiates the blast.
The blasting cre inspects the site to make sure that all the e!plosives have
been properly detonated.
The horn is sounded once to signal 0All 2lear0
