Drilling and Blasting Procedure Australia: Essential Controls for Mining Operations in Western Australia and NSW

Drilling and blasting Procedures are fundamental to mining, quarrying, and construction in Western Australia and New South Wales. These activities carry significant risk; incorrect procedures, inadequate documentation, or unqualified personnel can result in serious injury, property damage, and substantial regulatory penalties. This guidance outlines the essential controls your operation must implement to comply with WHS legislation and industry standards.

Critical Controls Framework

1. Drilling and Blasting Procedure Plan (Mandatory in most states)

Every drilling and blasting procedure and operation must be supported by a comprehensive Blasting Management Plan prepared by a qualified, licensed blast engineer with relevant experience. This document is non-negotiable and forms the foundation of your compliance and due diligence.

Your drilling and blasting procedure must include:

• Blast design methodology with MIC (Maximum Instantaneous Charge) calculations
• Powder factor analysis (typically 0.3–0.8 kg/m³)
• Fragmentation and vibration predictions
• Fly rock and stemming control specifications
• Personnel roles and responsibilities
• Emergency procedures and misfire management
• Vibration monitoring protocols with PPV (Peak Particle Velocity) limits
• Adjacent area notifications
• Post-blast inspection procedures

The Blasting Management Plan must be available on site for reference by all personnel and updated if site conditions change or exceedances occur.

2. Personnel Qualifications and Licensing

Under Explosives Regulation 2013 (NSW) and Dangerous Goods (Explosives) Regulations 2022 (WA), all blast personnel must hold current, jurisdiction-specific licences.

• Shot Firer: Must hold a valid Blasting explosives users licence verify credentials before mobilisation
• Blast Engineer: Designs blasts and must be a Professional Engineer with demonstrated competency in blast design and modelling
• Dogman/Rigger: Supervises ground preparation and explosive placement; requires High-Risk Work licence
• Drill Operator: Operates blast hole drilling equipment; must understand wet drilling methodology and respirable crystalline silica (RCS) exposure controls

All personnel must be inducted into the site-specific Blasting Management Plan and understand exclusion zones and communication protocols before any drilling or blasting commences.

3. Explosive Storage and Magazine Licensing (check state law)

Storage facilities exceeding 250 kg of explosives or blasting agents must comply with AS 2187.1 (Explosives – Storage, Transport and Use) and hold an active jurisdiction magazine licence.

Magazine administration requirements:

• Designated custodian maintains daily receipt and dispatch records
• Keys issued exclusively to the Shot Firer; returned before breaks or site departure
• Weekly inspections documented and filed
• Weekly inventory reconciliation at all storage locations discrepancies flagged immediately to project management
• Storage containers locked at all times except during active operations
• Separate certified containers for explosives, agents, fuses, and detonators during transport
• Housekeeping maintained to highest standard; waste material removed daily
• Only authorised, competent persons permitted access to explosive compounds

Dangerous Goods compliance: Your explosives transport and storage must comply fully with jurisdiction Dangerous Goods legislation. Maintain a manifest accountability audit schedule (minimum quarterly). Ensure all drivers and handlers hold relevant dangerous goods licences.

4. Blast Design and Hole Geometry Specifications

Your blast engineer must deliver detailed blast designs that specify:

• Hole geometry: Vertical deviation tolerance ±300 mm per 30 m depth; angled holes ±500 mm per 30 m
• GPS collar accuracy: ±0.1 m for collar location verification
• Water level verification: ±0.5 m to ensure accurate burden calculations
• Stemming length: Minimum 10 m with 20 mm clean aggregate (never crushed rock or contaminated material)
• Subdrill and burden: Tolerance ±10 cm inadequate burden results in poor fragmentation and premature detonation
• Confining pressure limits: ≤30 MPa (higher pressure increases explosion risk and reduces controllability)

Reconcile actual hole positions against design before loading any explosives. Photographically document hole layout and any deviations >10 cm.

5. Vibration Monitoring and Community Protection

Vibration is your largest operational and community relations risk. Deploy triaxial accelerometers at monitoring stations with sampling frequency ≥10 kHz and data precision ±5% or better.

Peak Particle Velocity (PPV) limits:

• 10 mm/s for private residences
• 50 mm/s for infrastructure (roads, pipelines, electrical substations)

Where blasting occurs within 500 m of sensitive receivers (residences, hospitals, heritage structures), you must:

• Conduct pre-blast vibration modelling
• Deploy vibration monitors at sensitive receiver locations
• Report exceedances to project management within 48 hours
• Modify blast design (reduce MIC, increase delay intervals) to prevent future exceedances
• Maintain a register of all exceedances with remedial actions taken

Engage a specialist vibration consultant if novel geology, cumulative blasts within <2 km, or previous exceedances are present.

6. Naturally Occurring Asbestos (NOA) Assessment

Certain geological formations in Western Australia and NSW contain naturally occurring asbestos. Blasting in NOA-bearing rock can generate asbestos dust and contaminate the blasted material.

Your responsibilities:

• Review site geological data pre-blast to identify NOA risk
• Train all personnel in NOA recognition and handling protocols
• If NOA is confirmed or suspected, segregate contaminated blast material at source
• Dispose of NOA-bearing material at licensed waste facilities with appropriate documentation
• Notify environmental regulators if NOA is encountered unexpectedly

Failure to manage NOA properly exposes workers to asbestos inhalation and triggers reporting obligations under environmental legislation.

7. Exclusion Zone Management and Communication

Exclusion zones protect workers and the public from blast hazards. Your procedures must:

• Establish physical barriers with “DANGER – BLASTING IN PROGRESS” signage at all approach points (minimum 1.8 m height barrier)
• Set exclusion radius: Minimum 1.5× blast diameter from blast point; extend to 2× diameter if fly rock risk identified in design
• Activate pre-blast clearance: Radio communication confirms all personnel have withdrawn from exclusion zone
• Implement visual signals: Clear sight lines for Blast Supervisor to confirm zone is clear before firing
• Notification protocols: Daily notice boards for adjacent areas; CASA notification if aviation activity within regulatory distance
• “Sleeping shots” (loaded holes not yet detonated): Barricaded with exclusion signage until firing or re-positioning

All exclusion zone boundaries must be clearly visible and marked. Personnel must understand that unauthorised entry into an exclusion zone results in immediate suspension of blasting operations.

Drilling Operations

Equipment and Contractor Requirements

• Drilling contractors must provide comprehensive operations manuals and safe working procedures before mobilisation
• Drill rigs require pre-mobilisation inspection and certification; air receivers must have current inspection certificates
• High-pressure hose connections must use approved “sock” type whip checks (no bare hose)
• Rotating equipment hazards assessed; guarding installed where contact injury risk exists
• Rigs and compressors set up on even, stable ground only

Wet Drilling Methodology (Mandatory)

All blast hole drilling must be wet drilling to suppress airborne dust and reduce respirable crystalline silica (RCS) exposure. Dry drilling is not permissible.

Dust suppression and monitoring:

• Dust suppression techniques employed throughout drilling
• Personal Protective Equipment: P2 dust masks minimum; upgrade to P3 if dust monitoring identifies elevated RCS levels
• Dust monitoring conducted where risk assessment identifies requirement or Environmental Protection Licence specifies
• Regular air sampling if workers are regularly exposed

Site barricading and weather contingencies:

• Barricading and signposting displayed around drill rigs with clear exclusion zone demarcation
• Drilling ceases immediately if unauthorised personnel enter barricaded area
• Drill rig masts retracted during electrical storms; operations suspended until weather clears
• Emergency procedures and contingency plans documented for high wind and extreme weather events

Excavation permits and utilities:

• Excavation permits in place per relevant standard before drilling commences
• Utility location (electricity, water, gas, telecommunications) verified and marked before hole drilling
• Safe digging practices applied to avoid accidental strike of underground services

Pre-Blast Documentation Requirements

Your site must maintain complete pre-blast, execution, and post-blast documentation.

Pre-blast:

• Approved blast design with engineer sign-off
• Geological logs and hole collar GPS coordinates
• Site meteorological conditions (wind speed, direction, stability)
• Exclusion zone confirmation and clearance checklist

Execution:

• Hole reconciliation report (actual positions versus design)
• Load summary (explosive type, quantity, stemming details)
• Detonator count and serial number reconciliation
• Shot firer sign-off on blast readiness

Post-blast:

• Fragmentation assessment (photographic documentation of muckpile size distribution)
• Misfire register with location, explosive type, remedial action taken
• Vibration monitoring data and PPV comparison against design predictions
• Photographic evidence of any exceedances or unusual outcomes
• Incident/near-miss register (loose rock, unplanned fragmentation, fly rock)

Document retention: Maintain all blast records for minimum five years or as specified by jurisdiction. These documents demonstrate due diligence in the event of incident investigation or regulatory audit.

Operating Conditions and Restrictions

• Daylight blasting only (as defined by jurisdiction typically 1 hour after sunrise to 1 hour before sunset)
• Suspend operations during electrical storms; retract drill rig masts
• Blast within designated windows specified by approvals (e.g., between 0900–1700 hours Monday–Friday only)
• No blasting on public holidays or outside approved hours unless explicit variation granted in writing by regulators
• Sleeping shots (loaded holes awaiting detonation): Barricaded with signage; exclusion zone maintained until detonation
• Post-blast inspection: Immediate inspection for misfires, fly rock damage, or unexpected fragmentation before allowing personnel to enter blast area

Misfire Management (Critical Procedure)

A misfire is an explosive charge that fails to detonate when intended. Misfires are a critical safety hazard and must be managed under strict protocol.

Immediate actions:

1. Blast Supervisor cordons exclusion zone (extend to 100 m minimum radius)
2. All personnel evacuate blast area and remain outside exclusion zone
3. Do not re-enter area or attempt detonation without specialist assistance
4. Notify project management and regulatory authority (WorkSafe WA or Resources Regulator NSW)
5. Specialist blasting contractor called to site to assess and safely remediate the misfire

Resolution options:

• Secondary charging if geology permits and design approved
• Removal of explosive with specialist contractor
• Demolition of structure/borehole if misfire in fixed infrastructure

Post-incident documentation: Record misfire location, hole depth, explosive type, assessment findings, and remedial actions in the permanent misfire register.

Regulatory Compliance and Jurisdiction-Specific Requirements

Western Australia

• Dangerous Goods (Explosives) Regulations 2022
• WorkSafe WA Blast plan templates and guidance (published on WorkSafe website)
• CASA notification for blasts within aviation operational areas
• Dangerous goods security clearance mandatory for magazine licence holders

New South Wales

• Explosives Act 2003 and Explosives Regulation 2013
• Work Health and Safety (Mines) Regulation 2014 (for mining operations)
• Resources Regulator pre-blast notification requirements for mine sites
• Department of Planning and Environment conditions for any blasting in mining approvals

Industry Standards

• AS 2187.1: Explosives – Storage, Transport and Use
• AS 2187.2: Explosives – Storage and Use (Use of Explosives)
• AS 2188: Explosives – Storage Magazines
• AS/NZS 1170.2: Structural Design Actions – Wind Actions (for blast design modelling)

Specialist Consultancy Triggers

Engage a blast engineer consultancy for specialist review and certification if:

• Blast within 500 m of sensitive receivers (residences, hospitals, heritage sites)
• Novel geology or unusual ground conditions
• Cumulative blasting operations within <2 km radius
• Previous vibration exceedances requiring design modification
• Undetermined misfires
• Complex blast geometry (multiple fan delays, long-hole underground work)
• Cross-hole or bench blasting with tight tolerances

Download Your Drilling and Blasting Procedure Resources

HSE Direct provides templates and guidance aligned with AS 2187 standards and jurisdiction-specific regulations.

Available resources:

• Blasting Management Plan template (WA/NSW format)
• Drilling and Blasting procedure
• Pre-blast and post-blast documentation checklists
• Hole reconciliation and load summary forms
• Misfire register and incident report templates
• Vibration monitoring data sheet
• Personnel qualifications and competency register
• Exclusion zone diagram templates
• Naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) assessment checklist
• Magazine inventory and inspection register
• Dangerous goods transport documentation
• Explosive accountability audit schedule

These resources are designed for mining, quarrying, and construction operations in Western Australia, New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland, Victoria, and Tasmania.

About HSE Direct: We develop practical WHS and environmental compliance solutions for mining, quarrying, and construction operations across Australia. Experienced mining engineers and safety professionals author our drilling and blasting procedure resources with direct involvement in blast design, regulatory compliance, and incident investigation. Visit www.hsedirect.com.au to download your drilling and blasting templates and guidance.

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About the Author

Aiden Nawaz
WHS Consultant & Safety Auditor | HSE Direct

Aiden Nawaz holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and a Master of Occupational Health & Safety, and is a certified ISO 45001 Lead Auditor. With hands-on experience across construction, mining, and renewable energy sectors in Australia, Aiden specialises in WHS management systems, compliance auditing, incident investigation, and contractor safety management.

Sydney, NSW  |  HSE Direct

Credentials & Affiliations:

Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
Master of Occupational Health & Safety
ISO 45001 Lead Auditor
ICAM Lead Investigator
Member of Various Organisations
High-Risk Work | Construction & Mining Safety Specialist

This article is intended as general WHS guidance only and does not constitute legal advice. For site-specific compliance support, contact HSE Direct.

Last reviewed: May 2026