The standard for commercial explosives and blasting agents in demolition and construction, ANSI/ASSP A10.7-2018: Safety and Health Requirements for Construction and Demolition Use, Storage, Handling and Site Movement of Commercial Explosives and Blasting Agents, has been released. Blasting agents and commercial explosives are a valuable tool in construction work if used properly and safely.
Depending on the size of the structure, it might be necessary to use commercial explosives or blasting agents to demolish a building safely. Wrecking balls and hammers are useful for smaller structures, but when the scope of a building is larger than those tools can reasonably help with, the items looked at in ANSI/ASSP A10.7-2018 come into play. An explosive is a compound or compound mixture that, after it is subjected to heat, impact, shock, or friction, goes through a decomposition. During this decomposition process, energy discharges as gas and heat.
The tallest building to be voluntarily demolished was the Singer Building in New York. This building, which was located in the southern part of Manhattan, was taken down in 1968. At the time of its construction in 1908, the 612-foot building was the tallest in the world. One Liberty Plaza now stands where the Singer Building used to be.
ANSI/ASSP A10.7-2018, an American National Standard, is relevant to all personnel involved in any construction or demolition project that entails the use of blasting agents or commercial explosives. ANSI/ASSP A10.7-2018 should be used in conjunction with federal, state, and local regulations.
It is important to remember that ANSI/ASSP A10.7-2018 does not apply to the following:
- Display or consumer pyrotechnics
- Small-arms ammunition or explosive power packs in the form of explosive-activated or explosive-charged construction devices such as explosive rivets
- Explosive bolts
- Explosive charges for driving pins or studs
- Cartridges for explosive-actuated power tools
- Powder actuated fastening systems.
ANSI/ASSP A10.7-2018 provides guidelines to the construction industry for a variety of matters. The standard gives information on safe off-highway transportation, storage, and the application of commercial explosives and blasting agents for construction and demolition. ANSI/ASSP A10.7-2018 also has information and guidelines for after the blast.
ANSI/ASSP A10.7-2018: Safety and Health Requirements for Construction and Demolition Use, Storage, Handling and Site Movement of Commercial Explosives and Blasting Agents is available on the ANSI Webstore.
