SYNOPSIS

Blasting of rock using explosives is a necessity when other rock breaking equipment such as rock breakers, chemical or any other means could not do so. Rock blasting is actually the cheapest mean to break rock, to fragment rock or to remove rock to a design level such as road, building foundation, sump etc. in construction work. However, the use of explosives produces ground and air vibration which may cause damage to structure and annoyance issues to the public. There are many complains from the public of alleged cracks on the walls, ceiling etc. resulted from this blasting work. There are also fears from the public that the use of explosives at construction site may endanger the people and properties nearby. Blast monitoring using seismograph is actually a necessity and the authority had imposed a condition that vibration from blasting must not exceed certain limit that will minimise annoyance and reduces any risk of damage to structure.

Proper blast monitoring work not only will protect the blast contractor or the project proponent against possible litigation but also enhance the public confident that properly executed blasting work is safe. The talk is intended to introduce that blasting work even near home if properly carried out by competent professional is safe and how proper blast monitoring work is essential to convince the public and other professionals that it is safe. Useful knowledge particularly to the project engineers or managers who are likely to oversee blasting and blast monitoring work at their site and the public who are living nearby.  

BIODATA OF SPEAKER

Ir. Hj Look Keman bin Sahari graduated from Strathclyde University, Glasgow, Scotland in mining engineering in 1979 and served as engineer at Mines Department (now Jabatan Mineral dan Geoscience) from 1979 to 1996. He started his career as mining geotechnical engineer specialising in landslide investigation at Pusat Penyelidekan Mineral, Ipoh and later as Inspector of Mines serving Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Malacca. In 1990 he further his studies at Royal Military College of Science, Cranfield University, England and earned M.Sc in Explosives Ordnance Engineering. He had also attended many rock blasting courses in mining, quarrying and tunneling locally and overseas. He had given lectures on the subject at IEM.

From 1996, he works as independent consultant engineer specialising in the use explosives in mining quarrying and construction work. He also specialises in blast monitoring work. He is a committee member of IEM Training Board and Oil & Gas and Mining Technical Division. He is Professional Engineer with Practicing Certificate, Fellow of IEM, Fellow of the Institute of Quarrying and a Member of International Society of Explosive Engineers, USA