Workplace Air Quality at Explosive Material Manufacturing and Handling Units

Abstract

Worldwide, large quantities of explosives are manufactured for use in various types of
ammunitions, arms, and mines. Toxic pollutants in the workplaces of three major activities, viz.,
explosive and solid propellant preparation facility, solid propellant shell assembling facility, and
solid propellant shell proof firing facility, were studied. The suspended particulate matter (SPM)
concentration in grinding room (13.9 mg/m3) and sieving room (19.3 mg/m3) of solid propellant
preparation facility was observed to be two to threefold higher than the permissible limit. The
SPM in the dentex preparation section was found to be significantly high (10.8 mg/m3). The
personal exposure was fourfold higher (21 mg/m3) than the permissible limit. It was emerged that
concentration of particulate is a major concern in all the processing sections. Since the chemical
nature of these particulates is expected to be more toxic in nature, it requires greater attention.
At firing point, carbon monoxide appeared to be a major concern.