Continuous improvement is a blast!

A PIONEERING workshop to adopt best practice and improve expertise in explosives and shotfiring was recently hosted by Lafarge in the North-East. Believed to be the first of its kind in the industry, the CPD (Continuing Professional Development) workshop was specifically designed for the company’s quarry managers, explosive supervisors and senior shotfirers.

Rob Farnfield, one of the UK’s leading authorities on the use of explosives, led the two-day workshop. Also presenting was Rob Pearce Principal Inspector of Health and Safety with the Health & Safety Executive.

Thrislington Quarry and Hardwick Hall Hotel in Sedgefield, Co. Durham, were the venues for the event, which included presentations, breakout groups and practical exercises. As well as looking at new techniques and providing an opportunity to update knowledge and skills, the course also reviewed the legal issues of blasting and how to improve safety.

Lafarge production manager Richard Page said the event kick-started a process of standardizing Lafarge’s blast specifications and helped to develop stronger communication links between shotfirers and explosives supervisors across the company.

‘This is an area the whole industry needs to improve in and this type of CPD workshop will no doubt become commonplace in a few years time. In that respect we are one step ahead of the game,’ he said.