Classification of Explosive:

A. On the basis of Explosive Rules:

1) Class-1:-Gunpowder
2) Class-2:- Nitrate Mixture
3) Class-3:-Nitro Compounds, Blasting Gelatine (Div-I), PETN (Div-II)
4) Class-4:- Chlorate Mixture
5) Class-5:- Fulminate
6) Class-6:- Safety Fuse (Div-I), Detonating Cord(Div-II), Detonators & Relays(Div-III)
7) Class-7: -Fireworks
8) Class-8:- Liquid O2 (LOX)
B. On the basis of Strength
1) Low Explosive:- Gunpowder, fireworks, safety fuse
2) High Explosive:- Slurries, Emulsion, Booster, Detonators, Detonating-Cord
3) Blasting Agent:- Blends of Fuel and Oxidizer or ANFO, Watergel, Slurries & Emulsion.
C. On the basis of Usage
1) Permitted : P1, P2,P3,P4,P5 (for U/G gassy coal or Non-coal mines)
2) Non-permitted : for the rest of mines having blasthole Small dia (SD<32 mm) and Large
Dia (LD> 100 mm).
D. Sensitivity to detonator:
1) Cap-sensitive: - which can be detonated by no. 8 detonator. e.g. Cast Booster/Primer.
2) Non cap-sensitive:- which can’t be detonated by detonator and requires additional high
explosive, e.g. ANFO, Column charge
E. On the basis of risk of which explosive presents on Initiation:
1) Category-X:- Slight fire or explosion risk
2) Category-Y:-Mass fire or Moderate explosion risk
3) Category-Z:- Mass explosion risk & Major Missile effect
4) Category-ZZ:-Mass explosion risk & Minor Missile effect
F. USA Department of Transportation
1) Class A: - Explosive possessing detonation or otherwise maximum hazard.
2) Class B: - Which possesses flammable hazard.
3) Class C: - which contains Class A or Class B explosives or both.
G. On the Basis of Fume Classification (USA)
1) Class -1
2) Class-2
3) Class-3
H. UN (United Nations)Classification of dangerous goods
UN Class 1(Explosives), Class 2 (Gases), Class 3 (Flammable liquid), Class 4 (Flammable Solids; substances
liable to spontaneous combustion; and substances which in contact with water emit flammable gases),
lass 5 (Oxidizing substances; organic peroxides), Class 6 (Poisonous and infectious substances), Class 7
(Radioactive Materials), Class 8 (Corrosive substances)
Therefore explosives, which come within the purview of the Explosives Rules, are hazardous goods of
UN Class 1. The UN Class 1 i.e. explosives, have been further divided into 6 divisions as follows:

1) Class -1 Division 1.1 (U N Class 1 Division 1): Substances and articles which have a mass
explosion hazard e.g., Gun powder, class 3 explosives, Detonators (ordinary or electric),
Detonating fuse, shaped charge, demolition charge, boosters, tetryl, smoke less powder,
fireworks composition etc.
2) Division 1.2 (U N Class 1 Division 2): Substances and articles, which have a projection,
hazard but not a mass explosion hazard.
3) Division 1.3 (U N Class 1 Division 3): Substances and articles, which have a fire hazard and
either a minor blast hazard or a minor projection hazard or both but not, a mass explosion
hazard.
4) Division 1.4 (U N Class 1 Division 4): Substances and articles, which present no significant
hazard, e.g., practice grenades, Safety fuse, fireworks,
5) Division 1.5 (U N Class 1 Division 5): Very insensitive substances, which have a mass
explosion, hazard e.g., non- cap sensitive class 2 explosives.
6) Division 1.6 (U N Class 1 Division 6): Extremely insensitive articles, which do not have a
mass explosion hazard.