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IS 5916:1970 is the Indian Standard (BIS) for safety in construction with explosives. This code provides safety guidelines for the storage, transport, handling, and use of explosives in construction projects. It details procedures for blasting, managing misfires, and demolition, emphasizing personnel safety and regulatory compliance. The standard aims to prevent accidents by prescribing clear protocols for all stages of blasting operations.
Lays down safety precautions and practices for the storage, handling, and use of explosives in construction work.
Explosives — Storage and use — Part 2: Use of explosives
Covers the operational use of explosives in civil engineering, construction, and quarrying, including safety procedures.
29 CFR 1926 Subpart UOccupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), USA
HighCurrent
Safety and Health Regulations for Construction - Blasting and the Use of Explosives
Provides mandatory safety regulations for the transportation, storage, and use of explosives on construction sites.
IME SLP-17Institute of Makers of Explosives (IME), USA
HighCurrent
Safety in the Transportation, Storage, Handling, and Use of Explosive Materials
A comprehensive industry best-practice guide covering all aspects of safety with commercial explosives.
BS 5607:1998British Standards Institution (BSI), UK
HighWithdrawn
Code of practice for the safe use of explosives in the construction industry
Provided guidance on the safe use of explosives in construction, very similar in intent to IS 5916.
Key Differences
≠IS 5916:1970 is prescriptive, focusing on rules and procedures, while modern standards like AS 2187.2 mandate a formal risk assessment and the development of a detailed Blast Management Plan before any work commences.
≠The Indian standard lacks references to modern initiation systems like electronic detonators and advanced non-electric systems, focusing primarily on safety fuses and simple electric detonators common in 1970.
≠Modern standards provide detailed criteria and limits for ground vibration and air overpressure based on structure type and human comfort. IS 5916's guidance is rudimentary and lacks the sophisticated monitoring and prediction requirements of current codes.
≠Post-9/11 international standards (e.g., IME SLP-17) place a very strong emphasis on the security of explosives to prevent theft and malicious use, an aspect that is not a primary focus of the 1970 Indian standard.
≠IS 5916 specifies basic qualifications for a blaster, whereas modern standards often require a more rigorous, tiered competency framework with requirements for ongoing training and re-certification.
Key Similarities
≈All standards mandate the fundamental principle of clearing the blast area of all personnel and establishing an exclusion zone before firing.
≈The core procedures for handling a misfire, including a mandatory waiting period, securing the area, and careful investigation by an authorized person, are conceptually identical across all standards.
≈All codes require the use of audible warning signals (sirens, horns) to alert personnel of an impending blast and to signal the all-clear after post-blast inspection.
≈The critical safety rule of storing detonators and primers in a separate magazine from bulk explosives is a universal requirement in IS 5916 and all its international equivalents.
≈Prohibitions against smoking, carrying open flames, and using tools that could create sparks near explosives are fundamental safety rules common to all standards.
Parameter Comparison
Parameter
IS Value
International
Source
Misfire Waiting Period (Safety Fuse)
At least 30 minutes (Clause 12.1)
At least 1 hour
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.911(b)
Misfire Waiting Period (Electric Blasting)
At least 10 minutes (Clause 12.1)
At least 30 minutes after last attempt to fire
IME SLP-17
Initial Warning Signal Before Blast
10 minutes before the blast (Clause 9.3.2)
5 minutes before the shot
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.909(c)
Minimum Time to Return to Blast Site (Fume Clearance)
5 minutes after the blast (Clause 11.1)
Not less than 15 minutes in tunnels
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.910(b)
Electric Firing Line Conductor
Solid copper, >= 1.5 mm diameter (Clause 8.5.5)
Solid copper, at least 20-gauge (AWG) (~0.81 mm diameter)
IME SLP-17
Distance from Power Lines for Storage/Transport
No specific distance mentioned; general caution advised.
Explosives shall not be stored or transported within 50 feet (15.2 m) of a radio transmitter.
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.906(n)
⚠ Verify details from original standards before use
Key Values5
Quick Reference Values
Wait time for misfire (fuse)30 minutes
Wait time for misfire (electric)15 minutes
Pre-blast warning signal duration1 minute (series of short blasts)
Time between warning and blast5 minutes
All-clear signal1 long blast for 1 minute
Tables & Referenced Sections
Key Tables
Table 1 - Minimum Distances for Outdoor Magazines for High Explosives