Explosives Regulations

Division 1.—Preliminary.

Definitions.

9. In this Part, unless the contrary intention appears—

“approved trailer” means a vehicle, being a trailer, that complies with the requirements specified in Part I. of the Second Schedule;

“approved vehicle” means a vehicle, not being a trailer, that complies with the requirements specified in Part II. of the Second Schedule;

“attendant” means a person appointed under this Part to travel on a vehicle as an attendant, and includes a supervisor when he travels on a vehicle and acts as an attendant;

“convoy” means two or more vehicles in convoy;

“vehicle” means a vehicle used for transporting goods by road.

Application of Part.

10. This Part and orders made in relation to the transport by road of goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives do not apply to or in relation to the handling of a quantity of goods consisting of Commonwealth

explosives included in a Group specified in the first column of the following table if the net explosives weight of the goods is less than the weight shown opposite to the Group in the second column of that table:—

Attendants.

11.—(1.) Where goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives are to be transported by road in a single vehicle, the supervisor of the transportation, or, if there is no supervisor of the transportation, the supervisor of the loading of the goods, shall appoint a person, being a person who is competent to act as a driver in an emergency, to travel on that vehicle as an attendant.

(2.) Where goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives are to be transported by road in a convoy, the supervisor of the transportation, or, if there is no supervisor of the transportation, the supervisor of the loading of the goods, shall, in accordance with the next two succeeding sub-regulations, appoint persons, of whom at least one is competent to act as a driver in an emergency, to travel as attendants on vehicles in the convoy.

(3.) Where a convoy consists of less than five vehicles, one attendant shall be appointed to travel on the first vehicle in the convoy and one attendant shall be appointed to travel on the last vehicle in the convoy.

(4.) Where a convoy consists of five or more vehicles, one attendant shall be appointed to travel on the first vehicle in the convoy, one attendant shall be appointed to travel on the last vehicle in the convoy and additional attendants shall be appointed to travel on other vehicles in the convoy so as to ensure that between each vehicle on which an attendant is travelling there are not more than three vehicles without an attendant.

(5.) A supervisor may travel on a vehicle and act as an attendant.

Division 2.—Loading.

Application of Division.

12. This Division applies to the loading of goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives on to vehicles for the transporting of the goods by road.

Vehicles on which explosives to be loaded.

13.—(1.) Subject to the next succeeding sub-regulation, the supervisor of the loading of goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives shall not permit those goods to be loaded on to a vehicle other than an approved vehicle.

(2.) Where an approved vehicle is not available, the supervisor may permit the goods to be loaded on to an approved trailer.

(3.) For the purposes of this regulation, a vehicle belonging to the naval, military or air forces of the Commonwealth that complies with the requirements specified in Part II. of the Second Schedule other than the requirements specified—

(a) in item 2 of that Part; or

(b) in the case of a vehicle that is not a vehicle of the type known as a semi-trailer—in item 4 of that Part, shall, when used for the transportation of ammunition for the purposes of any of those forces, be deemed to be an approved vehicle.

Loading of explosives in Group 1, 2, 3 or 4.

14. Goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives included in Group 1, 2, 3 or 4 shall not be loaded on to a vehicle unless the goods are packed in a container specially designed for the carriage of those goods or in a container of a kind known by any of the following names:—

Box, ammunition, C.190.

Box, ammunition, Cal. 50M2 for Cordite Samples only.

Case, magazine.

Case, powder.

Case, transport, detonators.

Case, transport, explosives.

Cylinder, transport, detonators.

Magazine, portable (Aust.).

Containers to bear Group label.

15.—(1.) Subject to the next succeeding sub-regulation, goods consisting of a boxed Commonwealth explosive shall not be loaded on to a vehicle unless the number of the Group in which that explosive is included appears on the outside of the containers holding the goods.

(2.) Where the name of a Commonwealth explosive, preceded by the symbol t, is set out in the first column of the First Schedule, the last preceding sub-regulation does not apply to or in relation to goods consisting of that explosive.

Vehicles to be clean.

16. Goods consisting of a Commonwealth explosive shall not be loaded on to a vehicle unless the part of the vehicle on which the goods are to be loaded is clean and free from articles other than those necessary to secure the load.

Engines to be stopped during loading.

17. Goods consisting of a Commonwealth explosive shall not be loaded on to a vehicle while the engine of the vehicle is running.

Segregation of explosives.

18.—(1.) Goods consisting of a Commonwealth explosive included in one Group of explosives shall not be loaded on to a vehicle with goods consisting of an explosive included in another Group of explosives except, subject to the next succeeding sub-regulation, for the purpose of providing a full load for the vehicle.

(2.) Goods consisting of a Commonwealth explosive included in Group 7a, 12, 13 or 15 shall not, under any circumstances, be loaded on to a vehicle with goods consisting of an explosive included in another Group of explosives.

Limits of load.

19. The net explosives weight of goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives loaded on to a vehicle shall not exceed ten thousand pounds and a vehicle shall not be loaded with goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives beyond its load capacity.

Securing of load.

20. Immediately after goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives have been loaded on to a vehicle, the goods shall be properly secured on the vehicle and protected against damage or theft.

Offences.

21. Where a requirement of regulation 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20 of these Regulations is not complied with in relation to the loading of goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives on to a vehicle, the supervisor of the loading and the driver of the vehicle shall each be deemed to have contravened the regulation containing that requirement.

Division 3.—Transportation.

Route.

22. A supervisor of the transportation by road of goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives, or, if there is no such supervisor, the supervisor of the loading of the goods, shall plan in advance the route to be followed by the vehicle or convoy in which the goods are to be transported and shall, as far as practicable, plan a route that does not pass through closely populated areas or pass along a street or road that carries an electric tramway.

Compulsory halts.

23.—(1.) Where goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives are being transported on a vehicle by road and, on a particular day, the distance to be travelled is greater than fifteen miles, the vehicle shall be halted for a period of ten minutes in the first available area in which there are no adjacent buildings—

(a) after the vehicle has travelled the first seven miles on that day; and

(b) at the end of each one hundred minutes of travelling during that day subsequent to that first halt.

(2.) Where a vehicle in which goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives are being transported by road is not halted as required by the last preceding sub-regulation, the supervisor, if any, of the transportation and the driver of the vehicle shall each be deemed to have contravened this regulation.

Inspection by driver.

24. When a vehicle, including a vehicle in a convoy, is halted as required by the last preceding regulation, the driver of the vehicle and the attendant, if any, travelling on the vehicle shall immediately inspect the vehicle to determine—

(a) that the vehicle is in a serviceable condition;

(b) that the load is secure and intact; and

(c) that undue heat is not generated by movement of the load, rubbing of the tyres on the vehicle, deflation of the tyres, faulty brake adjustment or from any other cause.

Discovery of defects.

25.—(1.) If the driver of a vehicle, or an attendant travelling on a vehicle, on which goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives are being transported by road under the supervision of a supervisor discovers a defect in or damage to the vehicle or goods, he shall forthwith report the defect or damage to the supervisor.

(2.) If a vehicle on which goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives are being transported, or those goods, becomes or become defective or suffers or suffer damage—

(a) the driver of the vehicle shall forthwith remedy the defect or damage if it is not serious and can be remedied without undue delay or danger to the vehicle or to any other vehicle; and

(b) the driver of the vehicle shall not proceed on the journey while the defect or damage continues to exist unless the driver, or, if the transportation is under the supervision of a supervisor, the supervisor, is of the opinion that the defect or damage does not affect the safety of the vehicle or of any other vehicle.

Major defects.

26.—(1.) If a vehicle on which goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives are being transported, or those goods, becomes or become defective or suffers or suffer damage, and the defect or damage cannot be remedied by the driver of the vehicle without undue delay or danger to the vehicle or to other vehicles—

(a) the vehicle shall, if possible, be moved as close as practicable to the side of the road and away from the vicinity of any buildings;

(b) passing traffic shall be warned to slow down;

(c) the nearest police station shall be advised;

(d) the consignor or the consignee of the goods, whichever can be more conveniently communicated with, shall be advised of the defect or damage as soon as possible; and

(e) the vehicle and the goods shall be dealt with in accordance with the instructions, if any, of the consignor or the consignee, as the case may be.

(2.) If a vehicle on which goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives are being transported, or those goods, catches or catch fire, the requirements of the last preceding sub-regulation shall be complied with and, in addition—

(a) appropriate action shall be taken to extinguish the fire and, if the fire cannot be readily extinguished, approaching traffic shall be stopped at a safe distance; and

(b) the nearest police station and fire brigade shall, if practicable, be called upon for assistance and advised of the nature of the load and of the hazards involved.

(3.) If any requirement of either of the last two preceding sub-regulations is not complied with, the supervisor, if any, of the transportation of the goods, the driver of the vehicle concerned and the attendant, if any, travelling on the vehicle shall, unless it was impossible to comply with that requirement, each be deemed to have contravened this regulation

Person may be called upon to assist.

27.—(1.) Subject to the next succeeding sub-regulation, where a vehicle on which goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives are being transported, or the goods, becomes or become defective or suffers or suffer damage, the supervisor, if any, of the transportation of the goods, the driver of the vehicle or the attendant, if any, travelling on the vehicle may require any person to assist in carrying out the requirements of the last preceding regulation and, if that person does not assist in the manner required, he shall be deemed to have contravened this regulation.

(2.) The assistance that may be required of, a person under the last preceding sub-regulation shall not be such as to place that person in danger.

Major repairs.

28.—(1.) Where goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives are being transported on a vehicle, the supervisor, if any, appointed to supervise that transportation or the driver of the vehicle shall not effect any major repairs, or permit any major repairs to be effected, to that vehicle while the goods are loaded on the vehicle.

(2.) For the purposes of the last preceding sub-regulation, repairs shall be deemed to be major repairs if they are of a kind that ordinarily require the entry of a vehicle into a garage, work-shop or service station.

Refuelling.

29. Where goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives are being transported on a vehicle, a person shall not refuel that vehicle or permit that vehicle to be refuelled—

(a) while the engine of the vehicle is running;

(b) from a petrol pump or in a place from which fuel is supplied to the public;

(c) in a place (other than a Commonwealth explosives area) where there are adjacent buildings; and

(d) unless a person carrying a fire extinguisher suitable for use on a petrol or an oil fire remains in close proximity to the vehicle while the refuelling is taking place.

Distance between loaded vehicles.

30.—(1.) The driver of a moving vehicle on which goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives are loaded shall not bring that vehicle within a distance of seventy-five yards of any other moving vehicle on which goods consisting of explosives are loaded.

(2.) Where a convoy of vehicles by which goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives are being transported is halted, the driver of a vehicle in the convoy shall not bring that vehicle within a distance of seventy-five yards of any other vehicle in the convoy.

Loaded vehicles not to be driven into buildings or halted in populated areas.

31. The driver of a vehicle on which goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives are loaded shall not—

(a) except for the purposes of loading or unloading the goods— drive the vehicle into, or halt the vehicle in proximity to, a building (other than a building within a Commonwealth explosives area); or

(b) except in the case of necessity—halt the vehicle in a closely populated area.

Level crossings.

32.—(1.) The driver of a single vehicle on which goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives are being transported, and the driver of the first vehicle of a convoy in which goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives are being transported, shall not drive the vehicle across a railway

level crossing unless the vehicle is first halted so that the distance between the railway rail nearest to the vehicle and that part of the vehicle nearest to that rail is less than forty feet and more than ten feet.

(2.) The driver of any vehicle on which goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives are being transported shall not—

(a) drive the vehicle across a railway level crossing unless the supervisor, if any, of the transportation, or an attendant, has, after proceeding on foot to a point at which he can clearly observe and satisfy himself that there is no danger from an approaching train or other railway vehicle, signalled the vehicle across; or

(b) except in an emergency, change gear while driving the vehicle over a railway level crossing or while any part of the vehicle is within ten feet of a railway line at that crossing.

Speed of vehicles.

33. The driver of a vehicle on which goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives are being transported shall not drive that vehicle at a speed in excess of thirty-five miles an hour and the supervisor, if any, of the transportation by road of goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives shall not permit a vehicle on which those explosives are being transported to be driven in excess of that speed.

Vehicles not to be driven during hours of darkness.

34. The driver of a vehicle on which goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives are being transported shall not drive that vehicle on land other than a Commonwealth explosives area between the hours of sunset and sunrise unless, in the case of emergency, the supervisor, if any, of the transportation, or, if there is no supervisor, the driver, considers that, in the interests of safety, the vehicle should be driven between those hours.

Explosives not to be carried in cabin.

35. A person shall not place or carry goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives, or permit goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives to be placed or carried, in the cabin of a vehicle.

Intoxicating liquor.

36.—(1.) A person shall not carry intoxicating liquor, or permit intoxicating liquor to be carried, in or on a vehicle on which goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives are loaded.

(2.) A person shall not drive a vehicle on which goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives are loaded, or act as an attendant on such a vehicle, if he is under the influence of intoxicating liquor.

Carriage of fuel.

37. The driver of a vehicle on which goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives are being transported shall not carry fuel for that, or any other, vehicle, or permit fuel for that, or any other, vehicle to be carried, in or on the vehicle elsewhere than in the fuel tank of the vehicle.

Supervisor may instruct driver to cease driving.

38.—(1.) Where goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives are being transported on a vehicle and the supervisor, if any, of the transportation considers, for any reason, that it is desirable that the driver of the vehicle should cease to drive the vehicle, he may direct the driver not to drive the vehicle.

(2.) A driver of a vehicle who fails to comply with a direction given under the last preceding sub-regulation shall be deemed to have contravened this regulation.

Attention of drivers and attendants to be drawn to certain matters.

39. Where goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives are to be transported by road, the supervisor of the transportation, or, if there is no supervisor of the transportation, the supervisor of the loading of the goods, shall satisfy himself that the attention of each driver of, and of each attendant travelling on, a vehicle on which the goods are to be transported has been drawn—

(a) to the provisions of these Regulations;

(b) to the number of the Group of explosives in which the explosives comprised in those goods are included;

(c) to the probable effect of fire on the load; and

(d) to the proper action to be taken in the event of damage to, or spilling from, the load.

Division 4.—Unloading.

Inspection before and during unloading.

40. A supervisor of the unloading from a vehicle of goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives shall inspect the vehicle and the goods immediately on the arrival of the vehicle at the place where it is to be unloaded and shall examine the goods as they are unloaded from the vehicle for the purpose of detecting evidence of damage, spilling or pilfering.

Measures to be taken after unloading completed.

41. After goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives have been unloaded from a vehicle, the supervisor of the unloading shall—

(a) cause the part of the vehicle in which the goods were carried to be thoroughly cleaned; and

(b) cause any signboard on the vehicle that would lead to the belief that the vehicle was loaded with explosives—

(i) to be so covered or placed that it cannot be read; or

(ii) to be removed from the vehicle.

Engines to be stopped during unloading.

42. A supervisor of the unloading from a vehicle of goods consisting of Commonwealth explosives shall not permit the goods to be unloaded while the engine of the vehicle is running.