INSTITUTO SUPERIOR POLITÉCNICO DE TETE

Erguendo Pilares para o desenvolvimento

DIVISION OF ENGINEERING

MINE ENGINEERING

3rd Year

CLASS A, Day shift

Inglês V

FINAL PROJECT

MINE OCCUPATIONAL ACCIDENTS IN DRILLING AND BLASTING OPERATIONS

IN JOÃO BAPTISTA QUARRY IN NAMPULA

Student:

Ricardo Jorge Malope

Teacher:

MA. David Constantino

Tete, January 2022

INDEX
DECLARATION.........................................................................................................................................4
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT...........................................................................................................................5
ABSTRACT............................................................................................................................................6
1. INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................7
2. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM...............................................................................................8
3. JUSTYFYING ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL INTEREST OF THE TOPIC..............................9
4. AIM OF THE RESEARCH...........................................................................................................10
4.1. MAIN GOAL OF THE PROJECT............................................................................................10
4.2. SPECIFIC GOAL......................................................................................................................10
5. RESEARCH QUESTION..................................................................................................................11
6. HYPOTHESIS...............................................................................................................................12
7. METHODOLOGY............................................................................................................................13
8. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND...............................................................................................14
8.1. WORK ACCIDENT..................................................................................................................14
8.1.1. CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS.......................................................................................................14
8.1.2. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY HISTORY........................................................16
8.2. ERGONOMICS.............................................................................................................................18
8.2.1. ERGONOMIC RISKS...............................................................................................................18
8.2.2. USE OF PPE..............................................................................................................................19
8.3. MAIN FUNCTIONS OF WORKERS IN EXTRACTION............................................................21
8.3.1. PPE FOR EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRY (QUARRIES)..............................................................21
8.3.2. FRONT FLAP HELMET..........................................................................................................22
8.3.3. GLASSES..................................................................................................................................22
8.3.4. HEARING PROTECTORS.......................................................................................................22
8.3.5. BREATHING MASKS..............................................................................................................23
8.4. DRILLING AND BLASTING..................................................................................................23
8.5. CLASSIFICATION OF THE MASSIVE..................................................................................23
8.5.1. COLD ROCK BLASTING....................................................................................................24
8.5.2. BLASTING OF ROCK BY FIRE..........................................................................................24

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 8.5.3. BLASTING OF SURFACE MINING ROCK USING EXPLOSIVES..................................24
8.5.4. EXPLOSIVES.......................................................................................................................25
8.5.5. FIRE PLAN...........................................................................................................................25
8.5.6. LOADING OF EXPLOSIVES..............................................................................................26
8.5.7. OCCUPATIONAL ACCIDENTS.........................................................................................26
9.0. STUDY..........................................................................................................................................28
9.1. DATA COLLECTION..................................................................................................................28
9.1.1. NON-PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION...................................................................................28
9.2. OBSERVATIONS.........................................................................................................................29
10.0. DATA ANALYSIS, INTERPRETATION AND RESULTS.....................................................30
10.1. DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION........................................................................30
10.2. TRANSPORT OF BLAST MATERIAL...................................................................................30
10.3. LOADING EXPLOSIVES........................................................................................................31
10.4. SAFETY PROCESS BEFORE DETONATION.......................................................................32
10.5. SAFETY PROCESS AFTER DETONATION..........................................................................32
10.6. USE OF PPE IN HANDLING EXPLOSIVES..........................................................................33
11.0. RESULTS..................................................................................................................................35
12.0. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS.......................................................................38
12.1. CONCLUSION.........................................................................................................................38
12.2. RECOMMENDATIONS...........................................................................................................39
13.0. BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES......................................................................................40
14. APPENDICES...............................................................................................................................44

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DECLARATION
This Final project belongs to Ricardo Jorge Malope, student doing the 3 rd year of Mining
Engineering course at Instituto Superior Politécnico de Tete. It will approach about MINE
OCCUPATIONAL ACCIDENTS IN DRILLING AND BLASTING OPERATIONS AT JOAO
BAPTISTA QUARRY in Nampula. In addition, it has aim to academic approbation.

Signature

Ricardo Jorge Malope

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
FIRST of all, I want to thank God for his mercy, for feeding me every day of my life, for
guiding into his path, for protecting my family. Secondly, I thank my family for their motivation
and support, especially to my parents whom I really owe everything.

Right in the other hand, I really thank to ISPT faculty for giving me the best of them, for their
patience and endeavor given, in especial my english teacher MA David Colaço; to my colleagues
for sharing bad and good times in my academic journey.

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ABSTRACT
The extraction of minerals in Mozambique is one of the main sources of capital movement in our
country, with the largest extraction and movement of capital, as well as the generation of jobs for
Mozambican families, concentrated in the North and Center regions of Mozambique,
highlighting oil and rubies extraction in Cabo Delgado, heavy sands in Nampula and coal in Tete
province, without leaving behind Gaza and Inhambane provinces, in the south of the country,
which have lately registered high extractions of heavy sands but not comparing with the
aforementioned regions. At the same time, in some cases, occupational accidents are unavoidable
in this industry, especially in sectors that use drills and explosives to detonate rock for later
mining, that is, for further exploration of the mineral body, which has recorded the highest
number of accidents among different industries, and thus, it has been showing the relevance of
the concern with the health and safety of workers and the importance of controlling occupational
hazards. In 2006, Decree No. 61/2006 Regulation on Technical Safety and Health in Geological
and Mining Activities was issued, thus making compliance with the measures imposed by the
same Regulation on mining companies operating in the national territory mandatory, thus
preparing a plan for technical and health safety from the identification and control of accidents.
In view of the importance of the extractive industry for the State and for the Mozambican people,
this project sought to assess and discuss occupational accidents in blasting and drilling
operations in mining companies operating in the national territory and to propose control
measures for the preparation of a technical safety and health plan. Although this project refers to
a specific case, Joao Baptista Quarry in Nampula, it can be extended to other operations carried
out in a mine that may occasionally cause damage to the well-being of workers, as long as
considerations regarding differences in production processes are taken into account. The
development of the research involved the identification of the main occupational accidents
associated with drilling and blasting operations, through bibliographical research, website
searches and research reports. The results obtained were decisive in determining the appropriate
control measures to improve workers' health and safety conditions.

Keywords: Work safety, Mozambican Territory, work environment

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 1. INTRODUCTION
In Mozambique, there are diversities of natural resources that have been attracting national and
international investors in the exploration and commercialization of them, aiming to stabilize the
country's economy. With these riches that the country provides, most exploration or mines
precede first activities of drilling and blasting rocks for their extraction, involving major
occupational accidents, since when done without a previous study or even qualified technicians
in the use of rigs and explosives, these operations can result in the loss of human life and serious
injuries to workers, thus requiring a qualified labor force to carry out these operations.

Drilling and blasting services have been in high demand in both the public and private sectors.
This is because to carry out various projects, this procedure is necessary, as is the case with the
João Baptista quarry in Nampula, thus reducing the probability of accidents. Thus, the procedure
for rock drilling and blasting is done after in-depth study.

Rock drilling and blasting consists of drilling holes for later allocation of explosives to break the
resistance of a given rock in order to economically take advantage of it. However, during the
process, occupational problems or accidents have been noted at the João Baptista quarry in
Nampula, which drew the author's attention to contribute to the mitigation of occupational
accidents generated in the drilling and blasting operations.

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 2. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The dismantling of rocks with the use of explosives, when carried out without preventing the risk
of accidents, and without the proper safety protocols, can cause accidents to workers and people
outside this activity. This situation is even worse, since the use of risk management tools in
blasting areas is still not widespread at the João Baptista quarry. Given the above, this initial
Project aimed to analyze the occupational accidents existing in the João Baptista quarry in
Nampula related to drilling and rock blasting with explosives.

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 3. JUSTYFYING ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL INTEREST OF THE TOPIC
Mining is considered one of the most dangerous occupations in the world, when measured by the
number of people exposed to risk. In addition to posing a risk to the health of people working in
the mines, it is also a risk to people living in the communities surrounding these projects. In
Nampula, at the Joao Baptista quarry, it is estimated that it employs an average of 1500 workers.

However, with the above discretion, there is a need to choose this theme “Mine Occupational
accidents in drilling and blasting operations in Joao Baptista Eusebio Quarry in Nampula”, with
a view to studying the impacts generated in the drilling and blasting operations in this quarry and
to mitigate the in the hope of ensuring a safe and healthy working environment.

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 4. AIM OF THE RESEARCH
Once I picked the topic out, the tasks are going to be carried out by the researcher based on
bibliographical references and website which abort about mine occupational accidents in drilling
and blasting in Joao Baptista Quarry in Nampula Province, and how to mitigate its accidents
around the study location in case.

Nowadays, the most important thing in environmental labour is not, as less as, safety. And thus,
in the following initial project I am going to abort about occupational accidents in drilling and
blast in Joao Baptista Quarry in Nampula, with purpose to mitigate occupational accidents in aim
to put the workers safe than ever been.

All the data found in this initial project will be based on bibliographical references and website.

4.1. MAIN GOAL OF THE PROJECT

 The following project has as main goal to study all possible occupational accidents
caused by drilling and blasting in Joao Baptista Quarry in Nampula and trying to solve
them out.

4.2. SPECIFIC GOAL

 Mentioning all occupational accidents caused by drilling and blasting in Joao Baptista
Quarry in Nampula;
 Making understand how valuable human life is;
 Purposing solutions to the problems.

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 5. RESEARCH QUESTION
HOW TO MITIGATE THE MINE OCCUPATIONAL ACCIDENTS IN DRILLING AND
BLASTING OPERATIONS IMPACTS AT THE JOAO BAPTISTA QUARRY?

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 6. HYPOTHESIS
The Mine Occupational accidents in drilling and blasting operations in Joao Baptista Eusebio
Quarry in Nampula, they may happen due to:

1. Devaluation of workers or employees;

2. Failure to use individual safety equipment;
3. Lack of employee experience;
4. Failure to properly supervise employees;
5. Negligence of workers in the drilling and allocation of explosives;
6. Mechanical problems with drilling equipment; and
7. No continuous inspections of drilling machines.

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 7. METHODOLOGY
To develop a work it is necessary to define a method, that is, describe which processes to apply,
so that, in an orderly and systematic way, the desired objective is achieved. On the other hand,
methodology is a more specific concept, as it consists of a set of research techniques to be used
so that the desired knowledge is successfully achieved (Cristóvão, 2009). In order to carry out
this present work, the author uses bibliographical research and the website.

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 8. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

8.1. WORK ACCIDENT

It is any harm suffered by someone, as a result of work, that required medical treatment or
resulted in loss of consciousness or death. It may cause bodily harm or functional disturbance,
may result in death, loss and reduction, whether permanent or temporary, of the worker's
physical or mental capabilities, etc. In addition to accidents that happen in the workplace, they
are also treated as such:

 Work-related illnesses. Ex: hearing, vision problems etc.

 Accidents that occur outside the workplace, but during work.
 Illnesses caused by working conditions. Example: inhalation of dust.
 Accidents that occur on the way home from work.
 Accidents that occur on company trips.

8.1.1. CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS

An accident is something that happens when several unusual conditions converge in a given
environment. Rarely will an accident have a single cause, most often due to a combination of
several factors. For this reason, and in order to avoid them in future situations, accidents must be
carefully investigated, determining the conditions present in the scenario when they occurred.

The factors that can contribute to the occurrence of accidents can be related to people
(employers, employees, outsourced workers, visitors) or to the work environment. Some
examples of the former are actions, voluntary or not, such as:

 The overconfidence of those who have a lot of professional practice and consider
themselves immune to accidents;
 The malpractice, ie, the lack of ability to perform the activity (may result from lack of
learning or insufficient training);
 Negligence due to preconceived ideas, for example, the idea that the accident will happen
due to fatality, not being necessary to take care of its prevention;
 Exhibitionism;
 Communication failures about risky situations or environments; and
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  Negligence for wanting to be brave or indifferent to danger just to impress others.

In other cases, it is common to find risk situations due to:

 Failure to use individual protections;

 Damage to safety equipment;
 The incorrect use of tools or the use of defective tools;
 Adjusting, lubricating and cleaning moving machines;
 Permanence under suspended loads; and
 Running up stairs and in other dangerous places.

And there are still factors that affect all individuals, which we can call “personal problems” that
can contribute to the occurrence of accidents:

 Untreated health problems;

 Family conflicts;
 Lack of interest in the activity performed;
 Alcoholism or substance abuse; and
 Various social or psychological problems.

In relation to the work environment, typical situations in the sector that can cause accidents are:

 Lack of cleanliness, waste thrown anywhere;

 Unstable mining fronts, with pieces of rock that can fall;
 Overwork in the sun, without protection and without rest stops;
 Poor or excessive ventilation;
 Inappropriate and insufficient sanitation facilities;
 Excessive noise and vibrations; and
 Improper or defective electrical installations.

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 8.1.2. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY HISTORY
Man uses work in search of his own balance and as a way of satisfying the society in which he
lives, but working conditions impact the health of the worker due to physical, chemical and
biological factors such as dust, noise, temperature and vibrations, among others. others (COHN;
MARSIGLIA, 1994).

According to Baptistini (2009), the arrival of technology in the world (Industrial Revolution,
which began in the 18th century) ended up driving the replacement of human or animal physical
force by the mechanical force of machines, resulting in new patterns of worker wear. In this
period, work began to be performed in industries, whose main objective was the accumulation of
capital from the exploitation of the workforce at an intense pace, with some serious problems for
workers, such as:

 Inhumane workloads;
 Lack of breaks;
 Precarious hygienic conditions in the work environment;
 High incidence of disease;
 Accidents; and
 Deaths.

In 1948, with the creation of the World Health Organization - WHO, the concept was established
that health is the complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not only the absence of
affections or infirmities. Still in 1948, the United Nations General Assembly approved the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, assuring workers the right to work, free choice of
employment, fair and favorable working conditions and protection against unemployment; the
right to rest and leisure, limitation of working hours, periodic paid vacations, in addition to a
standard of living capable of ensuring health and well-being for themselves and their families
(AZEVEDO, 2009).

Social, political and legislative advances and achievements in the field of Occupational Health
were decisive for a change in the panorama. From 1988 onwards, Occupational Health was
incorporated into the Unified Health System - SUS, and these issues are currently dealt with by
the National Policy on Health and Safety at Work - PNSST - and by the National Network for

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Integral Attention to Workers' Health - Renast - which creates Reference Centers in Workers'
Health – Cerest – throughout the national territory (BAPTISTINI, 2009).

Nowadays, with the advancement of technology, the participation of the workforce in the
production processes is very different from the two previous centuries, as the tasks that were
previously performed manually are now performed by high-tech machines, restricting the manual
participation of workers. If in the period of the Industrial Revolution the problems related to the
health and safety of the worker were mutilations and diseases, today, with the advancement of
technology, a new profile of problems arises, such as mental and joint problems, caused by
psychological stress and repetitions in the environment. of work, respectively (COHN;
MARSIGLIA, 1994).

As a result, Occupational Medicine gave rise to a new form of support for workers, Occupational
Health. Occupational Health has as its main focus the intervention in the environment in which
the worker performs his daily tasks, seeking to provide well-being, ensuring physical safety and
demonstrating the appreciation of the participation of workers in the production process. This
empowerment of workers gives them conditions to act and modify their work environment, so
that it is healthier, from a physical and psychological point of view.

Mining and worker health and safety Mining work is today one of the most dangerous, according
to the sector's high rates of accidents, often fatal. According to Pellegrinelli (2013), in 2010, 29%
of accidents in the mining sector were fatal, surpassing even the construction sector, with 17%
fatality. These numbers and the reports of fatal accidents, especially in coal mines, seem to show
that mining is an industry in which fully manual tasks are carried out in painful conditions and
workers are totally unprotected. This may be true in informal mining and even in garimpos, but
the reality of mining companies is quite different. These companies work with very high
technology and offer the maximum possible protection for the health of their workers, but it is
precisely this high technology that has allowed access to and exploration of ever deeper deposits,
with lower ore contents (which implies large earthmoving), placing workers in more unhealthy
and dangerous environments.

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 8.2. ERGONOMICS
Ergonomics represents the set of scientific knowledge for the human being and necessary for the
design of tools, machines and devices that can be used with maximum comfort, safety and
efficiency. (WISNER, 1987).
According to Gonçalves (2001), Ergonomics can be understood as the science that studies the
human-work environment interaction, with the aim of adapting the activities to the human being,
respecting the characteristics of each individual and their limitations, in order to obtain the
rationalization of the process productive.

8.2.1. ERGONOMIC RISKS

Repetitive Strain Injury - RSI - and Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders - WMSD - have
their occupational origin, being diseases characterized by the wear of structures of the
musculoskeletal system that affect several professional categories. They result from the repeated
or forced use of muscle groups and the maintenance of inadequate posture, affecting mainly the
upper limbs such as the scapular region and the cervical region. This pathology is recognized by
Brazilian legislation, and is already considered an epidemic (SUS, 2011).

The symptoms evolve in disguise until they are clearly perceived, triggering or aggravating the
decrease in physical capacity at the expense of pain, starting to be perceived at work and outside
of it. According to Maeno (2006) the most common complaints of patients with RSI - WMSDs
are:

 Localized, irradiated or generalized pain;

 Discomfort;
 Fatigue;
 Feeling of heaviness;
 Tingling;
 Numbness;
 Feeling of decreased strength;
 Swelling;
 Muscle tightening;
 Limb shocks; and

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  Lack of firmness in the hands.

In the most chronic and severe cases, excessive sweating of the hands and Allodynia (sensation
of pain in response to non-noxious stimuli on normal skin) may occur.

The causes of RSI and WMSDs (BANCO DE SAÚDE, 2010) involve biomechanical, cognitive,
sensory, affective and work organization aspects, such as:

 Workplace that forces the worker to adopt postures, to support certain loads and to
behave in a way that causes or worsens musculoskeletal disorders.
 Exposure to whole-body or upper-limb vibrations can cause damage to the spine region,
which can affect the circulatory system and the central nervous system.
 Cold exposure with direct and indirect effects. Colds, sore throats, and muscle aches are
common. On the other hand, the need for continued use of personal protective equipment
against low temperatures (eg gloves) can cause allergies or other unwanted effects.
 Exposure to high noise, which, among other effects, can produce behavioral changes.
 Localized mechanical pressure caused by the physical contact of straight or sharp corners
of objects, tools and furniture with the soft tissues of anatomical segments and nerve
paths, causing compression of soft structures of the musculoskeletal system.
 Musculoskeletal mechanical load, which is understood as the mechanical load exerted on
your tissues and includes: tension (eg, biceps tension); pressure (eg, pressure on the
carpal canal); friction (eg friction of a tendon over its sheath); irritation (eg, irritation of a
nerve).

Workplace gymnastics is a great option, as stretching and relaxation exercises help to eliminate
muscle fatigue and stress, increasing flexibility and improving blood circulation. It is important
that the worker discusses with the employer the implementation of a labor gymnastics program,
which is a quick, inexpensive option with great results (WAGNER, 2013)

8.2.2. USE OF PPE

According to the MTE (BRASIL, 2011, p. 77) the Personal Protective Equipment - PPE - is
considered as: "any device or product, for individual use used by the worker, intended to protect
risks likely to threaten safety and health at work”.

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Its use is restricted to conditions in which the complete protection of the worker is compromised
against one or more risks that may occur at work. The choice of PPE must comply with Brazilian
legislation, protecting users and conserving their health, but the correct use of PPE is not limited
to protecting the worker. Its importance goes far beyond, given that the irregular use of PPE can
compromise the safety, comfort, communication and performance of workers.

It is worth mentioning that the Internal Commission for Accident Prevention - Cipa, together
with the members of the Specialized Service in Safety Engineering and Occupational Medicine -
SESMT - are responsible for choosing the PPE and its frequent review, due to internal or
external changes in the production process (BRAZIL, 2011).

According to Beltrame (2010) the main changes that may occur, taking into account the revision
of the ideal PPE for each case, are:

 Changes in the production process or equipment: possible change in the level of

exposure, introduction of new contaminants or removal of contaminants (replacement of
a reagent).
 Changes in legislation: alteration of the maximum exposure level allowed for the working
day.
 Development of new technologies: equipment that can promote greater comfort with the
same protection (such as lighter masks and filters).
 Advancement in the equipment selection process: scientific knowledge for the selection
of equipment can change the list of suitable equipment (example: method I and method II
of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health - NIOSH, to calculate the
Noise Reduction Rating - NRR, of hearing protectors).
 Changes in protective equipment: closing of the manufacturing company, discontinuation
of the equipment line and launching of new products.

Currently, it is still possible to find irregular conditions of workers in the quarries and in the
installations of the ornamental stone production line, where manual and automated activities are
carried out. These activities, in addition to being repetitive and monotonous, are carried out
continuously for long periods by workers whose possibilities of changing their work routine are
scarce.

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 8.3. MAIN FUNCTIONS OF WORKERS IN EXTRACTION
The first stage of the ornamental stone production process is the extraction of marble and granite
from the deposits. Ornamental rocks are mined in the open, in Brazil, in quarries. These are made
up of mining fronts, access ramps and areas of easement and support. On the fronts, large
volumes of rock are dismembered from the massif, which are then divided into commercial
blocks in work squares. The quarries also have secondary squares that support the blasting
process, as well as tracks and ramps that connect squares, storage areas and block loading. Many
workers are involved in this extraction step and their various functions are involved.

8.3.1. PPE FOR EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRY (QUARRIES)

The Occupational Health and Safety Norms (BRASIL, 2011) must be followed as part of the
general policy of the companies. Compliance with regulations is just one of the stages of a
process that aims at the quality and well-being of the worker, starting with the awareness that
work safety improves the company's productivity. One of the fundamental requirements of this
legislation is the use of PPE. By standard NR 6 - Personal Protective Equipment - PPE is
characterized by offering protection to human beings in several ways, such as:

 Protection for the head;

 Protection for the upper limbs;
 Protection for the lower limbs;
 Protection against falls with difference in level;
 Hearing protection;
 Breath protection;
 Trunk protection;
 Full body protection; and
 Skin protection.

Companies, for a long time, have been aware that the use of PPE is of fundamental importance
for the safety of employees. Large companies understand that its use or not influences
productivity, and therefore, they are strict about this use. However, small companies tend to be
less concerned with the issue involving the employee and work accidents and allow the creation

21
of an addicted culture, in which workers, considering the use of PPE uncomfortable, do not use
them.

8.3.2. FRONT FLAP HELMET

Although most people don't like to wear a helmet, this equipment protects the skull from impacts
from falling or thrown objects, electric shocks and burns, even in confined places. A helmet must
cushion the energy transferred at the moment of impact to protect the head and spine. For this
reason, this is a mandatory item even for visitors in the areas of extraction and processing of
ornamental stones.

8.3.3. GLASSES
The glasses with clear lenses and dark tint lenses used represent a piece of protection for the eyes
against:

 Impacts from flying particles;

 Intense luminosity;
 Uultraviolet radiation; and
 Infrared radiation.

8.3.4. HEARING PROTECTORS

They consist of effective protection against noise from machinery that the worker must use
throughout the time of exposure to noise at levels above the permitted level. The noise
attenuation of the protectors is related to comfort and acceptance, which must be considered in
the selection of the hearing protector to be used and which will depend on the noise level
previously measured in the workplace. There are basically two types of hearing protectors that
can be used in the dimensional stone industry: shell-type hearing protectors and insert or plug-
type hearing protectors. The insert-type hearing protector is mostly used in places where there is
no excessive noise, and in other cases the use of the ear protector is mandatory.

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 8.3.5. BREATHING MASKS
The use of a mask for mouth and nose is essential for workers who are directly exposed to silica
dust or chemical agents from the resin stage. In the case of the ornamental stone industry,
according to NR 6, workers must use, depending on the function performed, non-motorized air-
purifying respirators of the following types:

 PFF1 – filtering semi-facial piece to protect the respiratory tract against dust and mists;
 PFF2 – filtering semi-facial piece to protect the respiratory tract against dust, mists and
fumes;

8.4. DRILLING AND BLASTING

The development of human civilization is directly related to the exploitation of natural resources,
which since prehistory already used clay in the preparation of ceramic artefacts, hard rocks for
the preparation of weapons and cutting objects, as well as mineral ocher for confection of
pigments for use, mainly in paintings and cave inscriptions (GIL, 2005). Thus, there is a need, of
human civilization, for the extraction of natural resources and their transformation into tools
useful for their survival, and consequently, their evolution at the same time as the extraction and
transformation processes were perfected.
Also according to Gil (2005), in ancient times, minerals were used for the manufacture of tools,
weapons and utensils, as well as for carrying out large works, such as aqueducts, religious
buildings, etc. One of the ancient methods of mining, first documented by the Romans, consisted
of lighting a fire on rocks which, with the intense heat, swelled and fractured, facilitating their
fragmentation. Other techniques include tools such as picks and mallets, pumping and ventilation
systems, and wheelbarrows for transporting the extracted material.

8.5. CLASSIFICATION OF THE MASSIVE

Standard 106/2009 presents a simplified classification of rock masses, composed of three
categories of material and that require different types of excavation, as follows:
 First-class material: material composed of soil, rock alteration, alluvium and
colluvium, heterogeneous materials with blocks of up to 1 m³ and can be removed
directly by excavation equipment of variable size;

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  Second-rate material: material composed of more or less rigid, stratified rocks of
different degrees of alteration, which must be disassembled and disassembled by
equipment of different sizes (tractors with scarifiers, breakers, etc.) or even with
discontinuous use of low power explosives for later loading and removal;
 Third category material: material composed of sound or little altered rock that
cannot be excavated by the two previous methods, requiring the use of explosives.
From this classification, it can be noted that the excavation method is directly related to the
strength of the rock and/or the cost-effectiveness of the method adopted.

8.5.1. COLD ROCK BLASTING

Cold rock blasting, or rock excavation by crumbling, can be carried out in different ways and
using different types of equipment and technologies. According to Ferreira (2013), the most used
today is the expansive mortar.
Drills are drilled into the rock and filled with expansive mortar. The mortar expands
progressively, creating tensions in the rock and causing its disaggregation (FERREIRA, 2013).
This process takes around 24 hours and is often used when detonation by explosives is not
allowed.
This type of blasting is generally used in urban areas where the use of explosives is not allowed
due to noise, dust production and the risks associated with the use of explosives.

8.5.2. BLASTING OF ROCK BY FIRE

Fire rock blasting is named after the use of explosives as a means of breaking up rock masses.
This type of excavation requires greater attention due to the high degree of danger involved, in
addition to the impacts generated on the environment by the production of gases, noise and dust
(PEREIRA and SANTOS, 2016).

8.5.3. BLASTING OF SURFACE MINING ROCK USING EXPLOSIVES

The rock blasting technique with the use of explosives arises from a difficulty related to the
disaggregation of very rigid or poorly fractured rocks, where other methods do not have enough
energy for their disaggregation or are not efficient to achieve the desired production with the best
value for money. For these reasons, the use of explosives has become very common and its
technology has been improved over the years, especially since the discoveries of Alfred Nobel,
around 1867, with the invention of dynamite (NOBEL FOUNDATION).

24
 8.5.4. EXPLOSIVES
According to Geraldi (2011), explosives are substances, or mixtures of chemical substances in
any physical state, which, when initiated by an external agent, undergo violent and rapid
chemical transformations, transforming themselves totally or partially into gases, which result in
the release of large amounts of energy in a short period of time.
The selection of explosives can be made based on the geological conditions of the deposit,
mainly the existence of water, fractures and rock resistance characteristics. When there is water,
you should opt for emulsions and blends.

8.5.5. FIRE PLAN

A fire plan must be simple but complete, due to the risk of error. A thorough knowledge and
understanding of the requirements of a fire is essential to the safety and success of this plan. If
Blaster is not experienced, a technical assistant should be consulted.
According to BRITANITE (2015), when detonations with a high Charging Ratio are projected,
the risk of ultra-releases and control actions taken must be known. Explosives should only be
used under the conditions for which they were intended (temperature, sensitivity to initiation,
resistance to water and hydrostatic pressure, etc.).
The loading team must constantly inspect the products for damage, leaks or abnormalities prior
to loading.
The fire plan provides the following data: hole diameter, distance and spacing between them,
facing inclination, bench height, hole depth, bottom load, column load, and buffer (BRITANITE,
2015).
Distance – It is the distance from the face of the bench to the row of holes, and between two
rows of holes, in the case of successive holes.
Spacing – It is the distance between successive holes on the same line.
Facing inclination – has the purpose of reducing over-drilling at the foot of the bench, saving
explosives, and making it safer, as it now has a sloping slope, which is safer than the vertical
one. The disadvantage is associated with the greater possibility of deviations in the desired
direction and difficulty in fogging the hole, reducing production.
Hole depth – It is a function of the bench height. It is not the same height as it is recommended
to perform an over-drilling, i.e., drilling beyond the plane of the bench square, avoiding the
formation of a rebound, which would be the insufficient detonation of the bench foot, forming an

25
irregular slanted surface, which makes it difficult to exploration of successive benches
(RICARDO, 1990, p. 606).
Bottom Load – This is the highest concentration of explosive in the hole, which is at the bottom.
Column load – It is the load that is above the bottom load, being loaded after it.
Buffer – This is the upper part of the hole, and is not loaded with explosives, but rather with dry
sand, stone dust or clay.

8.5.6. LOADING OF EXPLOSIVES

The term explosive loading refers to the introduction of explosives into perforations, which must
be done very carefully, as, in addition to the risks inherent in handling, the efficiency of the fire
also depends on it. A poorly conducted shipment can compromise the results of the detonations
of a bench, sometimes causing the non-explosion of cartridges, a fact that will represent a
notable risk in all subsequent operations, if it is not detected, located and resolved in time
(RICARDO, p.592, 1990).

When drilling in fractured rocks, care must be taken to avoid the concentration of explosives in
the fault, caused by the densification, because the result may result in a throw of detonated
material beyond the safety limits.

8.5.7. OCCUPATIONAL ACCIDENTS

Occupational risks in blasting activities The following occupational risks are identified in
blasting activities: operational risks, behavioral risks and environmental risks. Therefore, for this
research, the main occupational risks inherent to the blasting activity and the forms of control
were addressed.
Occupational risk is the possibility of a worker suffering a certain damage due to their work.
According to QUAGLIO (2003) occupational risk can be classified into:
 Operational or Mechanical Risks: originate from activities in which machines and
equipment are used that cause risks of injuries and accidents, which require protective
equipment and training;
 Behavioral Risks: linked to the triad - individual aspect of the worker, technical
unpreparedness and psychological or health imbalance;
 Environmental risks: caused by the following agents: physical, chemical and
biological;

26
 Ergonomic risks: linked to working conditions, cognitive, psychological and
physical aspects involved in the activity.

27
9.0. STUDY
According to handout given by the teacher, STUDY states about data collection, research tools
used, such as questionnaires, observations, interviews, etc.

In this chapter will be presented data collection, which was collected from the workers, and in
the result of the non-participant observation and interview.

9.1. DATA COLLECTION

Due to the distance between Tete and Nampula, for monetary reasons, the author was not able to
travel to Nampula to make a participatory observation, in which case, the author resorted to non-
participatory observation to collect data through videos and images on the internet.
The data collection was based on the following matters:

 Non-participant Observation
 Interviews;
 Questionnaire

9.1.1. NON-PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION

Due to the adversities that the author was going through at the time of data collection, he resorted
to non-participatory observation. According to the form given by the teacher, non-participatory
observation is one in which the author uses videos, audios, and other means for data collection,
being done in a non-face-to-face way.
In order to minimize occupational accidents resulting from drilling and blasting activities at the
João Baptista quarry in Nampula, the author did a deep reflection and research on this subject.
Drilling and blasting activities need a deep study before being carried out, after these are one of
the mining activities that most serious accidents occur for human health. Thus, the author
insisted on getting in touch with the employees of this quarry, in order to know the commitment
that the company has to the health and well-being of its employees. In this order, the author
questioned about 12% of the employees of this quarry, where each got different answers and
points of view.

28
 9.2. OBSERVATIONS
After completing the questionnaire, for better acceptance and consolidation of the material, the
author, in addition to relying only on questionnaires, made some observations via the internet,
since it would be expensive to move to the province of Nampula where the quarry is located to
do participant observation.

The observations noted by the author via internet were:

 Low risk managment;

 Inadequate usage of personal protective equipment by the employees;
 Weak knowledge of the hazardous nature of fly rock on the part of the employees;
 Poor qualification of employees.

29
10.0. DATA ANALYSIS, INTERPRETATION AND RESULTS

10.1. DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

The drilling and blasting steps at the Joao Baptista quarry in Nampula province are outsourced,
but all steps are carried out by the contractors as well as the contractors.

10.2. TRANSPORT OF BLAST MATERIAL

The Joao Baptista Quarry does not have explosive deposits. Due to safety factors, the material
arrives by road transport (Figure 1), being applied and returned to the place of origin, when the
required quantity is exceeded. Detail of the internal view of the explosives transport chest,
containing the supplies packed in cardboard boxes. Therefore, the company does not keep
material on its premises, increasing its level of security.
Figure 1 - Road transport of explosives.

Source: Joao Baptista Quarry, 2022

Figure 2 details the external view of the explosives transport chest, with the safety signaling
characteristic for road transport of loads considered dangerous - "Explosive 1.1 D"

30
Figure 2 - Road transport of explosives.

Source: Joao Baptista Quarry, 2022

10.3. LOADING EXPLOSIVES

After the completion of the rock drilling work, that is, the completion of the adopted fire plan,
the process of filling the holes with explosives begins. Each hole is filled with so-called initiating
accessories, which start the process. At this stage, any and all procedures are considered
extremely delicate and must be performed with great care.

Figure 4 shows the moment of filling the holes with explosives, where it can be seen that the
technicians pay close attention to the loading process. Detail the care with the placement of the
cartridges (emulsion type), introduced one by one, and the detonation accessory (in yellow color)
that will start the bottom charge of the hole.

Figure 4 - Process of loading explosives into the holes in the bench.

31
 Source: Joao Baptista Quarry, 2022

10.4. SAFETY PROCESS BEFORE DETONATION

In the company studied, the safety limit is higher than that required by the specific Regulatory
Norm. All people who are not directly involved in the blasting process are moved to a safe,
minimum distance of 600 meters, and the roads that connect the vicinity of the mining unit are
closed.

10.5. SAFETY PROCESS AFTER DETONATION

The area is only released after the investigation of the place by qualified professionals, and
confirmation that it is safe for the return of productive activities

Cracks resulting from the detonation of explosives are also observed in the access benches,
which may come off and fall into blocks due to detonation, as can be seen in Figure 5.

32
Figure 5 - Cracks on the free face of the bench

Source: Joao Baptista, 2022

10.6. USE OF PPE IN HANDLING EXPLOSIVES

According to NR 6, PPE (Individual Protection Equipment) is understood to be any device or
product, for individual use, used by the worker, intended to protect against risks likely to threaten
safety and health at work (BRASIL, 2015). ).
It is very important to mention the obligation to use, handle and maintain PPE (Individual
Protection Equipment), such as boots, glasses, helmet and semi-facial mask. Explosives are
chemically composed of allergic and carcinogenic products, which can bring serious problems to
the health of the worker, if the worker does not protect himself from these environmental agents,
using correctly the PPE's specific to the activity.
Figure 8 shows the use of specific PPE's (gloves) during the loading of explosives and
accessories by handling an initiation fuse, in the holes in the bench to be dismantled.

33
Figure 7 - Use of PPE's in the loading of explosives

Source: Joao Baptista, 2022

34
11.0. RESULTS
Having carried out the non-participant observations of the rock drilling and blast activities, the
main risks and their consequences for the employee were identified:

• Physical Risks: Noise; Vibrations; Non-ionizing radiation (solar, UVA, UVB); Cold; Heat;
Moisture;

• Chemical Hazards: Mineral dust; Chemicals;

• Accident Risks: Machinery and equipment; Fires and explosions; Slope stability; Risk of falls;
Venomous animals;

• Ergonomic: Lifting and transporting the rods; Improper posture requirement; Imposition of
excessive rhythms; Extended workdays.

Table 1 – Frequency category of scenar

Category Denomination Frequency Range Description
(annual)

A EXTREMELY F<10-4 Conceptually

REMOTE possible, but
extremely unlikely
to occur during the
lifetime of the
process/installation.

B REMOTE 10-4<F<10-3 Not expected to

occur during the
lifetime of the
process/installation.

C IMPROBABLE 10-3<f<10-2 Unlikely to occur

during the lifetime
of the

35
 process/installation.

D PROBABLE 10-2<f<10-1 Expected to occur

up to once during
the lifetime of the
process/installation.

E FREQUENT F<10-1 Expected to occur

several times during
the lifetime of the
process/installation.

Source: Author, 2022.

Figure 8: Number of accidents at Joao Baptista quarry in the period from 2010 to 2020

Accidents at Joao Baptista Quarry

between 2010-2020
ano numero de acidentes
9 11 14 14 15 18 21 10 13 6 10

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Source: Author, 2022

In the figure above, we can conclude that occupational accidents resulting in drilling and
dismantling activities at the Joao Baptista quarry in Nampula have shown diversified values or
results. Where in some years there are slight increases is the case of the year 2013 to 2014 that
there was only an increase in an accident, and constant in the years 2012 and 2013.

36
Table 2 - Main risks of occupational accidents involved in drilling and dismantling activities in
João Baptista quarry.

Risks dust Noise falls Acciden Heat Ergonomic Vibration

assessed by t s s
activity in a
crushed stone
mining
Bench Drilling X X X X X X X
Explosive X X X X X
scharging and
detonation
Rock loading X X X X X X
and
transporting
Crushing and X X X X X X
sieving

37
12.0. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

12.1. CONCLUSION
The drilling activity is of paramount importance for the extraction of rocks in quarries, however,
it exposes the worker to a large number of risks to their health and safety. In this work, we
carried out a qualitative survey of the main risks existing in that activity, its consequences for the
worker, in addition to suggesting some prevention measures. It should be noted that in addition
to those mentioned, other control measures can and should be applied in order to mitigate such
risks, according to the particularities of each mining enterprise. It is up to the employer to
implement measures to control the risks of rock drilling and to carry out training in health and
safety of workers, while the employee is responsible for raising awareness of the risks and
respecting the safety standards established by the company. Considering the risks mentioned in
this work, the most serious and that deserve greater attention from those involved are worker
exposure to free silica and noise. Both risks are characteristic of the drilling activity, and their
elimination is difficult. In addition to the use of personal protective equipment, masks and ear
protectors, the employee involved in this activity must periodically undergo audiometry, chest X-
ray, among other tests, which attest to the effectiveness of PPE and the conservation of their
health. The qualitative study carried out in this article indicates the need for quantitative
assessments, for individual exposure to noise and mineral dust, carried out by trained
professionals. However, it assumes a guiding role, as it highlights the risks involved in the rock
drilling activity, as well as lists the protection measures for this worker.

38
 12.2. RECOMMENDATIONS

After detected all possible sorts of occupation accident in drilling and blasting operations at
Joao Baptista Quarry, and trying to mitigate them in order to have a good environment at the
work, the author recommends:

 Adoption of new technologies in safety;

 Existence of an occupational health and safety policy, defined and authorized by the
organization's management, which clearly establishes the global health and safety
objectives and the commitment to improve the performance of safety and health at work;
 The relationship of ergonomics with underground mining and work safety management
must be in tune for a better work environment;
 Ergonomic and work safety practices in the operational scope;

39
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43
 14. APPENDICES
14.1. Questionnaire for the employees.

Smoothly read the question bellow and answer them according to you concernment. Some
questions contain three (3) others two (2) options to be select putting a X in the correct one.
These questions were made in order to understand the cause of occupational accident in drilling
and blast operations in Vale Moçambique.

1. What activity cause more accident between drilling and bast?

a) Drilling ( )

b) Blast ( )

c) Both ( )

2. What must be done in order to mitigate the occupational accidents caused in these
activities?

a) Stop mining ( )

b) Hard rules in safety

c) Just protecting yourselves by using the PPE’s ( )

3. What has the company been doing to mitigate the impacts caused by drilling and blasting
operations?
a) Giving PPE’s to the workers ( )

b) Letting the workers buy the PPE’s by your own ( )

c) Nothing ( )
4. What is more affected by this operations?
a) Worker ( )

b) Community nearby ( )

c) Others ( )
5. Does the company aware of all this effects?
a) Yes ( )

44
 b) Not ( )

6. Has the Government made some interventions to minimize these issues?

a) Yes ( )

b) Not ( )
7. Has the company been developing methods or techniques to mitigate the accidents in these
activities?

a) Yes ( )

b) Not ( )
8.What sorts of issues have the workers facing due to these activities ?
a) Diseases ( )

b) Less efficiency ( )

c) Others ( )

9.That type relationship exists between workers and the company?

a) Good ( )

b) Reasonable ()

c) Bad ( )

45
 14.2. Answers by the workers

Questions Options Respondents Percentege (%)

1 Drilling 74 4.9

Blast 80 5.33

Both 26 1.73

2 Stop mining 2 0.13

Hard rules in safety 160 10.66

Just protecting yourselves by 18 1.2

using the PPE’s

Giving PPE’s to the workers

3 180 12

Letting the workers buy the 0 0

PPE’s by your own ( )

Nothing ( ) 0 0

Worker
4 180 12

Community nearby 0 0

Others 0 0

Yes
5 180 12

Not 0 0

6 Yes 170 11.33

No 10 0.66

46
7 Yes 179 11.93

No 1 0.07
Diseases
8 150 10

Less efficiency 30 2

Others 0 0

9 Good 150 10

Reasonable 21 1.4

Bad 19 0.6

47