Explosives & Blasting Safety in Indonesian Mining – Comprehensive Study Notes

INTRODUCTION

Training material: “Peraturan Keselamatan Kerja Peledakan (2019)” – Directorate of Mining Engineering & Environment, DG Mineral & Coal, MoEMR.
Focus: Legal obligations, technical standards, safe-work procedures, permitting, and competence requirements surrounding industrial explosives in Indonesian mineral & coal operations.

COMPLETE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

• Primary statutes
– UU~1~{\text{(1970)}} Keselamatan Kerja
– UU~4~{\text{(2009)}} Pertambangan Minerba
– UU~23~{\text{(2014)}} Pemerintahan Daerah
– UU~32~{\text{(2009)}} Lingkungan Hidup
• Core Government Regulations (PP)
– PP~19~{\text{(1973)}} Pengawasan Keselamatan Pertambangan
– PP~23~{\text{(2010)}} (multiple amendments, last PP~8~{\text{(2018)}}) Pelaksanaan Usaha Pertambangan
– PP~55~{\text{(2010)}} Pembinaan & Pengawasan
– PP~78~{\text{(2010)}} Reklamasi & Pascatambang
– PP~18~{\text{(2016)}} Perangkat Daerah
• Presidential Regulation
– Perpres~68~{\text{(2015)}} (+ Perpres~105~{\text{(2016)}}) organisation of MoEMR
• Ministerial Regulations
– Permen~ESDM~11~{\text{(2018)}} Tata Cara Pemberian Wilayah, Perizinan & Pelaporan (+ Permen~22~{\text{(2018)}} amendment)
– Permen~ESDM~13~{\text{(2016)}} OT&K
– Permen~ESDM~26~{\text{(2018)}} Good Mining Practice & Supervision
• Key Ministerial / DG Decisions
– Kepmen~555.K/26/M.PE/1995 (K3 Pertambangan Umum)
– Kepmen~1806.K/30/MEM/2018 RKAB guideline
– Kepmen~1827.K/30/MEM/2018 Good Mining Practice guideline
– Kepdirjen~309.K/30/DJB/2018 Juknis Keselamatan Bahan Peledak & Fasilitas BBM
• Police Regulation
– Perkap~Polri~17~{\text{(2017)}} Perizinan, Pengamanan & Pengendalian Bahan Peledak Komersial
• Circular Letter No.~2698/37.04/DBT/2016 (11-10-2016) on Explosives Warehouse Security – urgent directives to all KTT.

2016 CIRCULAR – MINIMUM SECURITY MEASURES

• Fence around warehouse
– Material hard to cut
– Minimum height 2.5\,\text{m}
– Unclimbable + full-area lighting
• Ventilation openings
– Sized to block human entry
– Fixed bars, gap \le 9\,\text{cm}
– Thermal control per Kepmen~555 \le allowed temperature (Art.62-7)
• Surveillance
– 24\,\text{h} CCTV covering whole area, continuous monitoring
• Guard force
– Min. 2 security personnel at post

JUMLAH (QUANTITATIVE) REQUIREMENTS FROM JUKNIS 309.K/30/DJB/2018

• Types of warehouses & maximum holdings
– Main (Utama):
* Peka detonator: building \le 150\,\text{t}, container \le 4\,\text{t}
* Peka primer: building \le 500\,\text{t}, tank \le 100\,\text{t}, container \le 10\,\text{t}
* Ramuan: building \le 2{,}000\,\text{t}, tank \le 300\,\text{t}, container \le 1{,}000\,\text{t}
– Temporary (Sementara):
* Detonator \le 8\,\text{t} (building), 4\,\text{t} (container)
* Primer \le 20\,\text{t} (building), 10\,\text{t} (container)
* Ramuan \le 4{,}000\,\text{t} (building); 20\,\text{t} (tank/container)
– Transit: Primer & Ramuan only – capacities relate to daily consumption
– Underground magazine: \le 5\,\text{t} or 2×24-h consumption
• Safe distance (excerpt for detonator magazines):
– For capacity \le 50\,\text{kg} → A=71\, B=43\, C=29\,\text{m}
– For \le 1000\,\text{kg} → A=152\, B=113\, C=56\,\text{m}
– Where A = dwelling, B = fuel store/major road, C = minor road/rail
• Surface magazine construction
– Non-flammable, lightweight roof
– Two separated rooms/doors (detonator vs others)
– Single entrance, adequate ventilation, lightning rod, \ge 1 escape route
• Underground magazine siting
– \ge 100\,\text{m} from shaft or other magazine
– 25\,\text{m} from workplace, 50\,\text{m} from blasting site, 10\,\text{m} from raise/ladder

EXPLOSIVE MATERIAL CHARACTERISTICS & HANDLING RULES

• Sensitivities: heat, friction, impact, vibration, stray current, magnetic field
• Handling principles
– Avoid extremes, use trained personnel
– Only authorised blasters (Juru Ledak) manipulate explosives

GOVERNMENT–COMPANY SAFETY SYNERGY MODEL

Regulasi & pedoman
Perusahaan HIRA → SOP
Standard equipment supply
Competent workforce
Continuous monitoring
Reporting & incident feedback

DEFINITIONS (SELECTED)

• Bahan Peledak: chemical(s) that undergo rapid exothermic reaction yielding hot, high-pressure gas.
• Detonator: initiator containing primary explosive; categories – electric, plain, non-electric, electronic.
• Bahan Peka Primer: requires primer/booster + detonator.
• Pekerjaan Peledakan: full spectrum from mixing → misfire handling → environmental control.
• Juru Ledak: company-appointed blaster, holder of KIM.

STORAGE LAYOUT & STACKING RULES

• Detonator magazine (container capacity 4\,\text{t})
– Max stack height 180\,\text{cm}
– Max 4 boxes width, min aisle 80\,\text{cm}, gap to wall 30\,\text{cm}
• Primer magazine 25–50 kg bags
– Same height 180\,\text{cm}, width \le 4\,\text{bags}
– 1000\,\text{kg} supersacks remain on pallet, forklifts only, aisle per manoeuvre, no parking inside
• Ramuan magazine
– 25–50 kg: width \le 8\,\text{bags}
– 1000\,\text{kg}: height \le 3\,\text{pallets}
• General rules
– Original packaging, on 30\,\text{cm} dunnage, date of receipt marked
– Detonators segregated in detonator magazine
– Primer may be co-stored with detonator but not with ramuan
– Ramuan may be co-stored with detonator or primer but not vice-versa

WAREHOUSE EQUIPMENT & ADMINISTRATION

• Critical fittings
– Thermometer, gas-tight safety lamps, warning signs “Dilarang Merokok”, lightning protection (checked every 6\,\text{mo} or after severe storm)
– Perimeter fence \ge 2.5\,\text{m}, 5\,\text{m} offset, earthen bunds for detonator/primer mags
– CCTV 24\,\text{h}, double-lock doors, no iron-soled shoes
• Fire protection
– \mathrm{AN}\ < 5\,\text{t} → automatic extinguisher – >5\,\text{t} → external hydrant; portable \mathrm{APAR} outside each entrance
• Record books
– Stock ledger incl. type, quantity, date in/out, destination, requester & receiver signature
– Weekly physical stocktake by appointed officer
– Inspectors verify reception, storage & issue conformity

TRANSPORT OF EXPLOSIVES

• Escort vehicle in front, siren + lights; delivery truck follows same lane
• Transport unit requirements
– Red rotary lamp, 30\times40\,\text{cm} red flag at rear of cab
– “AWAS BAHAN PELEDAK” signage on three sides
– Non-conductive bed or insulated liner
– Detonators in separate non-conductive box
– Locked compartments for detonator vs booster
– Equipped with \mathrm{APAR}, No Smoking signs, roadworthy certified by KTT/PTL

COMPETENCE & LICENSING – JURU LEDAK

• Certification ladder
– KPP Pertama: security & stemming; issued internally after training
– KPP Madya: transport, mixing, priming & loading; requires external Class II Blaster course
– KIM (Kartu Izin Meledakkan): full initiation authority; needs Class II certificate, age \ge 21, issued/endorsed by KaIT/Kepala Dinas, valid for specified mine
– Loss of practice → downgrade to KPP Madya; change of employer → KIM returned within 1\,\text{mo}

ACCIDENT STATISTICS & CASE STUDIES

• National injury distribution by location (2013–17)
– Quarry/Pit \approx 13\,–\,18\%, Workshops 20\%, Underground 16\%; blasting incidents statistically <2\% but high consequence
• Incident samples
– 2007 Fatality at PT Adaro: 70\times100\times40\,\text{cm} fly-rock; shelter placed inside unsafe radius; SOP & supervision failures
– 2012 PT Adaro: MMU rollover – cavity under heap + unsafe positioning
– 2013 PT KPC: MMU speeding, lack of supervision
– 2014 PT Asmin Koalindo Tuhup: premature blast due to hot/reactive ground
– 2014 PT Vale: inadequate secondary blast drilling & charge control
– 2015 PT Freeport: unrecognised misfire; explosives left in hole

PERMITTING & ADMINISTRATIVE FLOW (MINERBA SECTOR)

RKAB approval = umbrella authority (since 2018) encompassing:
• Construction of transport/storage facilities
• Sleep blasting plan
• Explosives purchase quota
• TKA, CAPEX, fuel storage, equipment trials, ship ops
Explosives storage
• Submit design drawings (scale 1{:}100 & 1{:}5000), tech specs, HSE facilities
• Obtain “Persetujuan Membangun Gudang”
• Notify KaIT at 80\% completion for physical inspection → “Berita Acara”
• Receive “Izin Operasional Gudang” when compliant
Sleep blasting (“Peledakan Tidur”)
• Detail max sleep time, hole count, location; SOP + risk assessment
• Approval → field supervision & written acceptance
Explosives purchase & use
• Company projects annual quantities by type; authority grants per-semester quota
• Evaluation based on production target, prior 2–3 quarter consumption, stock & magazine capacity
• Endorsed RKAB attachment forms basis for National Police purchase permit
KIM issuance
• Submit new/renewal request with certificates
• Expired >1\,\text{yr} or certificate >6\,\text{mo} old → refresher required
• DG Minerba validates and signs card

SAFE BLASTING PHILOSOPHY

• Integrated controls: regulation, SOP, competence, equipment, monitoring, feedback
• Key hazards: fly rock, ground vibration, air-blast, misfire, premature detonation, reactive ground, vehicle rollover, static electricity
• Engineering & administrative barriers must align to prevent catastrophic loss

NUMERICAL/FORMULA HIGHLIGHTS

• Fence height \ge 2.5\,\text{m}
• Vent-bar spacing \le 9\,\text{cm}
• Weekly stocktake \Delta t = 7\,\text{d}
• Lightning rod test interval \Delta t = 6\,\text{mo}
• Underground magazine distance d{shaft}\ge100\,\text{m} • Guard requirement n{guard}\ge 2

ETHICAL & PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

• Loss/theft of explosives poses national security threat – strict 24\,\text{h} guarding & CCTV mandated.
• Environmental stewardship: blast design must manage vibration (< sensitive building limits), fly-rock exclusion zones, dust/noise.
• Worker competence → moral & legal obligation; failure → criminal liability (K3 & Police explosives law).

REVISION & COMPLIANCE CHECKLIST (FOR KTT)

✓ Confirm all magazines meet capacity, construction & distance tables.
✓ Maintain up-to-date SOPs reflecting site-specific hazard assessment (IBPR).
✓ Ensure blasters possess current KIM/KPP; schedule refreshers.
✓ Submit RKAB on time; attach explosives-related plans & quotas.
✓ Monitor consumption vs approved quota; apply for adjustments before over-run.
✓ Investigate & report every dangerous occurrence or accident; integrate lessons learned.

SUMMARY TAKEAWAYS

• Indonesian mining explosives management is rule-dense; primary sources include Kepmen~555, Permen~26/2018, Kepdirjen~309/2018, Circular 2698/2016.
• Compliance rests on four pillars: secure infrastructure, competent people, documented procedures, and continuous oversight/reporting.
• Quantitative standards (capacities, distances, stacking geometry) must be memorised and audited.
• RKAB now functions as single-window approval covering warehouse, sleep blasting, purchase quotas, and related facilities – failure to embed plans means no permit.
• Accident history shows small procedural lapses (shelter placement, speed, misfire detection) can yield fatal outcomes; robust safety culture is non-negotiable.