some of the major points you must remember when
not have cracks or crevices where explosives might
refueling are as follows:
lodge. Such defects must be repaired as soon as
possible after discovery.
Never refuel inside a building.
Tow the equipment outside for refueling if the
FIRE PREVENTION AND CONTROL
fuel supply is exhausted while in the building.
Fire is a great hazard to life and property,
Accomplish refueling at least 100 feet from the
especially when ammunition and explosives are
nearest explosive area and at least 20 feet from
involved. Because explosives are very sensitive to heat
inert warehouses or buildings.
and can react at temperatures lower than those that are
Ensure that doors and windows of buildings
required to ignite paper, wood, or fabrics, personnel
involved in explosive operations must keep in mind
through which vapors may enter are closed.
that excessive heat must be prevented. It is the
Use the smallest size refueling unit available
responsibility of all personnel concerned with
(500-gallon size or less).
ammunition and explosives to recognize and observe
Ensure that a continuous grounding path is
good practices for the prevention of fires and to
maintained from the tank being filled to the tank
understand procedures for fighting and controlling
being emptied. The entire system must be
fires thoroughly that involve explosive materials. This
electrically grounded.
subsection discusses fire prevention and control for
mine shops and storage facilities.
Ensure that the motors of both pieces of
equipment are turned off unless the motor is
Flame-Producing Devices
required for pumping fuel.
Run equipment motors for a sufficient time after
Flame-producing devices, such as matches and
cigarette lighters, are not allowed in explosive areas.
refueling and recapping the tanks to ensure that a
All personnel, involved in storage, handling, and
fire which might result from fuel vapors on the
production of ammunition and explosives, are not
equipment occurs before the return to the
operational area.
allowed to carry matches or lighters on their person.
Only installed electric lighters shall be allowed in
Do not, in the event of a fuel spill, restart the
smoking areas, and these must be of a type that can be
motors of either piece of equipment until the fuel
lighted only by a positive action, such as closing a
tank is capped and the spill is washed down with
switch or pressing a button.
water or until the equipment is manually moved
at least 50 feet from the spill.
Motor Vehicles
NOTE
Motor vehicles and equipment that use internal
combustion engines and that are used in the vicinity of
2
Never direct the contents of a CO fire extinguisher at
explosives to transport ammunition, explosives, and
or into an open fuel tank in the event of a fire. High
other hazardous materials must be equipped with a
2
velocity streams of CO when injected into the
spark- and flame-arresting device in the exhaust
concentrated vapors of hydrocarbon fuels (such as JP,
system.
gasoline, diesel, etc.) can generate static electricity,
despite a grounded fuel hose, and may ignite the fuel
Refueling
vapor and cause an explosion.
Motor vehicles that contain ammunition or
explosives must not be refueled within magazines or
Vegetation
explosive areas. With this in mind, you should ensure
that this equipment is fueled before any operation to
Vegetation, such as grass, leaves, undergrowth,
keep refueling to a minimum. Refueling of gasoline- or
and weeds, can become a serious fire hazard to
diesel-powered materials-handling equipment (MHE)
structures and facilities. Vegetation can be ignited by
is extremely hazardous when working with explosives
sparks from motor vehicles, by careless use of flame-
or other hazardous materials. If you are involved in
o r s p a r k - p r o d u c i n g d ev i c e s , o r b y l i g h t n i n g .
sustained operations and the MHE requires refueling,
Therefore, vegetation near explosive facilities must be
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