DANGER OF EXPLOSIVES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 87, 13 November 1939, Page 4

DANGER OF EXPLOSIVES

Sir,—l read with interest your sound advicc given to farmers and * others on the care of handling explosives. Perhaps if one of our local bodies read the advice it would better for some employees. Often on. going to work the truck boss is given two cannisters one containing about 201bs of gelignite and the other detonators. These are put into the truck and often have to travel 12 to 15 miles with about four to six men on the same vehicle.

Now the rules read (conveying of explosives)— When transporting explosives by road they should be very carefully packed i,n vehicle so V that any jolting etc., will not cause them to move about. should not be conveyed with powder gelignite or other high as they may easily detonate the influence of an accidental and if other sensitive explosives are packed with them there is a strong possibility of the whole outfit being detonated.

No goods of a dangerous or easily combustable nature such as matches oils or petrol should be in the same vehicle. The driver should keep his vehicle under direct observation at all times. He should avoid any stops near occupied buildings, and on no account should smoke. He must be held fully responsible for the safe custody of the explosives in his charge, such responsibility should not cease until he has finally delivered the material at its destination and received a proper receipt for its safe delivery from the officer or worknjan detailed to take charge of it.

1 I for one often wonder what would happen if the truck containing explosives and men meet with any accident on the way to work whicfh may be fatal to some of them, would the few pounds paid out, replace the loss of a husband and father to the wives and children. Yours etc., INTERESTED.