Explosive-Powered Tool Op.

The Explosive-Powered Tool Operation Standard Operating Procedure (SOP-EPT-001) provides comprehensive guidelines on safely using explosive-powered fastening tools. It covers potential hazards such as projectile injuries, hearing damage, and chemical exposure, ensuring that workers are aware of the risks and equipped with the correct safety measures. This document is essential for construction professionals operating in high-risk environments, helping to comply with safety regulations and minimize accidents in the workplace.

• Projectile penetration of person or wall behind the work piece → fatality
• Ricochet of fastener from hard or angled surfaces → struck-by
• Misfire and delayed discharge → unintended firing
• Hearing damage from cartridge discharge
• Eye injury from spall, fragments, or fastener
• Burns from hot tool barrel and ejected cartridges
• Hand-arm injury from recoil
• Chemical exposure from spent cartridges and lead-containing materials

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and applicable state/territory WHS legislation
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Cth) — Schedule 3 (Licensed High-Risk Work, where applicable by state)
• AS/NZS 1873 series — Powder-actuated hand-held fastening tools
• Australian Code for the Transport of Explosives by Road and Rail (where transporting cartridges)
• Safe Work Australia — Code of Practice: Managing the Risks of Plant in the Workplace
• Safe Work Australia — Code of Practice: Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work
• State-specific dangerous goods / explosives regulations (e.g., Explosives Regulation 2013 (NSW))
• Explosive-Powered Tool Pre-Operational Checklist (associated document)