Hawaii Operational Safety Team

Safe Operating Practice 8-98

Explosive Handling in Oahu and Neighbor Island Ports

Revised August, 2004

Issue.  There is an increasing risk posed to ports in Hawaii from explosive handling operations.  Presently, in Hawaii explosive handling limits at designated waterfront facilities are not established.  There is a need to accurately assess explosive handling operations in the recent past along with consideration to current explosive handling permit applications.  It is our goal to ensure that these operations pose a minimal risk to safety, property, and business.

Discussion.  There are current written nationwide and Department of Defense guidelines for handling explosive materials.  These guidelines were established through direct testing and unfortunately, devastating accidents through mishandling.

Recommendations of HOST:

1.  Create safety standards and guidelines for explosive handling operations at designated waterfront facilities in Oahu and neighbor island ports.

2.  Capture the minimum safety standards in the HOST Safety Operating Practice Handbook.

Resolution.  Representatives from industry, State of Hawaii Harbors Division , the USCG, and Military Sealift Command created and put forth safety standards for explosive handling in Oahu and neighbor island ports.  The attached has been approved by HOST.

Explosive Handling in Oahu and Neighbor Island Ports

The following establishes minimum guidelines for all explosive handling operations aboard vessels and at Designated Waterfront Facilities in Oahu and neighbor island ports.

1.  Before Division 1.1 and 1.2 materials may be discharged from, loaded on, handled or restowed on board a vessel at any place in Hawaii , the carrier must obtain a permit from the Captain of the Port (COTP).

2.  Application and Permit to Handle Hazardous Materials, Form CG-4260, will be used to satisfy the permit requirements of 33 CFR 126.9 and 49 CFR 176.415.

3.  Companies or individuals shall also be required to comply with, and notify municipal authorities, i.e. Harbor Master and HIOSH.

4.  A single form CG-4260 can be used to cover the same load (transaction) for both the facility and the vessel.

5.  A separate permit is required for each load.

6.  Permit applications will be submitted to the COTP three working days prior to the load-out date for processing and approval.

7.  Permit approval shall be based on the specified separation distances contained in Enclosure (1).  This is done in order to assess the risk to life and property posed by a given explosive handling operations, and is a fundamental part of the permit approval process.

8.  If a freight container of explosives is transported by highway or rail and driven directly onto or off a barge or vessel and total operations do not exceed a 24-hour period, the COTP may permit the operation without imposing the limitations of separation distances.

Certain industries routinely ship small quantities of division 1.1 and 1.2 explosives and large quantities of 1.5.  An explosive permit for a continuing period may be allowed for a particular vessel which routinely handles explosives at the same waterfront facility.

The Harbor Master and Captain of the Port will consider a modification of these requirements under certain circumstances and pier arrangements providing sufficient management practices reduce the risk to the port.  If any explosive shipment exceeds the amount listed in Enclosure (1), the shipper shall complete the following safety management practices:

1.  Verbally notify the COTP no less then three days prior to the load-out.   Submit an individual permit (CG-4260) no less than 5 (five) working days prior to the load-out.

2.  Contact all companies within the quantity-distance arc to inform them of the inherent risk associated with this shipment.

3.  Restrict the handling of explosives to such times as when inhabited buildings are either lightly occupied or not occupied.

4.  Restrict the handling of explosives to such times as when public traffic routes are lightly traveled (i.e., after normal working hours, after rush hour, or during nights and/or weekends).

5.  Other safety measures taken, based upon written expert guidance, will be authorized, i.e., tests performed by XYZ experts say that “dropping .5 tons of Division 1.5D from 10 feet will not detonate the cargo in an intermodal container.  Therefore, ABC Co. may offload this type of cargo by lifting the containers no more than 10 feet off the pier.”

1 Encl: Net Explosive Weight Pier Limits

Net Explosive Weight Pier Limits

“Explosive arc” is a term for the use of the quantity-distance (Q/D) separation for a given Net Explosive Weight (N.E.W.) as a radius in order to plot Q/D separation on a chart.

This is done in order to assess the risk to life and property posed by a given explosive handling operation, and is a fundamental part of the permit approval process.

Q/D separation is figured using the following formula:  D=KW^⅓ where D = distance, K = 24, W = net explosive weight N.E.W. (lbs.).  “K” is the symbol for a factor of acceptable risk, or safety.  There are many different “K” factors for computing safety zones for various explosives and other hazmats under various conditions.

It is important to note that this distance should be used as minimum guideline.  Separation distances are not absolute safe distances but rather are relative safe or protective distances, and greater distances should be used whenever practicable.

The separation distances (Q/D) below were measured from the point where the explosives/ammunition are to be handled to inhabited buildings, public highway routes, or sensitive areas, such  as large oil storage tanks.

The weight limits below are for any shipments containing class 1.1 explosives (formally class A).

The proposed weight limits below are for shipments containing class 1.5D explosives (Ammonium Nitrate).  These figures are specific to Hawaii and are derived purely from past explosive handling by Industry.  However, it should be noted that these limits are subject to change as regulated under the jurisdiction of the Captain of the Port.