More than a dozen different explosives were fired at a Queensland reserve last week as part of a campaign to drive safety and awareness around the dangers they can hold for industries such as mining.
The state’s explosives regulator, Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ), held the annual ‘Power of Explosives’ display to showcase the might of items like black powder, ammonium nitrate emulsion, detonators and fireworks.
Emergency services and authorities from across the country including the Australian Border Force, Queensland Police, Australian Federal Police, and the Office of Industrial Relations were all in attendance on the day.
Now in its 20th year, the event has become significant in highlighting the need for mine operators to adopt appropriate safety measures when working with explosives.
RSHQ deputy chief inspector of explosives Snezana Bajic said the display is all about education and collaboration.
“Explosives can be anything from detonators used at mine sites right through to fireworks at city council events and so their impact on the community is far reaching,” she said.
“That’s why it’s so important that as the safety regulator we’re educating our colleagues in policing and border protection, so that when they come into contact with explosives, they understand what they’re dealing with.”
According to Bajic, most people are often surprised that small objects can create a huge blast.
“Appearances are deceiving because explosives before they’re fired can look innocuous, but we know that they’re capable of doing a lot of damage,” she said.
“We saw that even something as fun and family friendly as fireworks can be deadly in the wrong hands.”
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