Free Custom «History of Explosives Safety Precautions» Essay Paper

According to Commander, Naval Ordnance Systems Command, 1972, explosives safety history is rich. The explosives power of destruction as documented in history is astounding and the development that is attributed to the close of 19^th century and early 20^th century was enormous. Explosives development as history puts it was influenced by the civil wars and people’s movement from Europe. Coupled by the nuclear power development, many nations have been made able to produce explosives. According to some of these countries arguments, the development of these explosives was influenced by self defense and industrial use, technological development as well as for mining purpose. Explosives safety precautions came into practice after ammunition storage were serially destroyed. The first of such an occurrence took place in July 01 1926 at New Jersey at Lake Denmark Naval Ammunition Storage Depot. Due to this electrical storm, 19 fatalities were recorded, as well as widespread destruction of property. This resulted to congress empowerment of Army and Naval officers to undertake investigations and ascertain whether similar conditions existed in other shells depot. The results of the investigation showed that such disasters may reoccur. Such did prompt congress to compose a board of colonels to create the explosives safety standards and make sure that there was compliance. This took place in 1928.

 

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According to Davidson, 2003, the board grew into “Department of explosives safety board (DDESB).” Historical origin documents it has a formal program started in USA in the aftermath of Lake Denmark disaster. According to historical information, the explosives safety Explosives development was highly influenced by happenings of war in the quest of superior weapons provision with disregard of the safety impacts. In United States for example, the development of explosives safety precautions was influenced by civil war repercussions. The explosives safety precautions effort was given a boost by the presence of confederate soldiers who were attributed to the civil war explosives development without the governing principles. As an example, during the civil war America developed an Iron cast, which was similar to a lump of coal and the soldiers based on this to explode it. Once it was thrown into a ships coal load and it’s shoved into the boiler, it would react with heat resulting to an explosion. The two brothers continued to raid havoc and were nicknamed ‘bomb brothers’ based on their exceptional abilities to develop gun powder and explosive devices.

Explosives safety precautions were also influenced by Torpedo explosives which were developed by Gabriel and had the ability to cause destruction in both water and dry land.

Explosives safety specialist came into perspective as a highly skilled professional to evaluate risk and hazards. Specialist came into play to evaluate the risks that are involved in conventional and toxic chemical ammunition operations. Explosives specialists are for provision of specialist protection against the effects of immunization and other explosives. These specialists are supposed to influence the explosives safety precautions.

Due to the development of landmines, explosives safety precautions needed to be more focused. This meant that, explosives had posed a higher hence the need to curb them. Duuring Richmond Virginia conflict with the Union Army, Gabriel Rains developed an explosive that would be placed on the ground which came to be known as the landmine. Using ten inch artillery shells, the “landmine” had sensitive fuses and primers installed and buried under the sand. This was a higher risk development hence the critical need of explosives safety precautions. According to Gabriel, this device would go off when stepped on. During the American civil war, the Hanes grenade was also discovered. The weapon on a stick did not work properly all the time it was used though it was associated with effectiveness when deployed. Weapons; M1841 and the six ponder smoothbore;10 pounder parrot as well as the three inch ordinance riffle development was influenced by civil war. As a result, the safety procedures for explosives were paramount and they congress at this point continued to ponder on the ways of making the safety precautions more effective. Due to the presence of civil war, explosives were developed and artilleries as well as rifles were molded. However, after the second civil war, the there was dire need to tighten safety and discourage the development of more weapons. Otherwise, the respective technologies were already in place as far the explosives safeties are concerned but there was a need to lobby the United Nations towards establishment of explosives safety precautions.

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The start of ww2 resulted in advancement of the explosives manufacturing technology. It is during this time that evolution of the explosive devices is said to have come to levels that are scary hence the need to advance the explosives safety precautions. The emergence of technologically conscious scientist’s enabled the molding of bombs. During World War 2, T9E175 mm cannon were available for usage as the most current of any likely weapons. T9E175 mm was a better version of the cannons that were used during the prior American Civil war. A superior weapon used in the ww 2 was the T9E1 which had the ability to release at least 3 rounds in a single shot. Due to such developments, the explosives safety precautions had to be advanced.

World War 2 also led to the development of other amazing weapons such as the BLU-82/B which was basically used to clear the landing zones. This was an emergency weapon that was used by the military in the process of setting places for an emergency landing. This weapon evolution was practical in that it left no dents as opposed to the past invented bombs. Based on the ability of this weapon, which was to clear at least 260 square feet, where a helicopter would land with ease, it was not used to target but to further the fighters operations.

Explosives evolution and safety precautions during the word war two continued and in mid 1920s, mark 1 (M1) which was a four thousand three hundred pound bomb came into existence. The destruction caused by this weapon was massive and this led to it withdrawal from practice and usage during war. On top of this, the mass of this bomb was so great and the fighter jets and helicopters lacked the ability to transport it. As a reprieve, VB-3 Razon; a guided bomb was developed. This was equipped with tillers and cranes which enabled it to take control of its fall; either to the right or left. This bomb was mostly used to target the pathways and bridges against the Japans, As a result, the need to curb the negative effects and have standardized explosives safety precautions. Based on the fact that Japan was the target, and they developed balloon bombs for retaliatory attacks, there was need to set up precautions to curb the damages.

The war became too fierce and with no signs to an end, and worries began to emerge on the likely development of nuclear bombs. Edward and Herbert, the York brothers first created a nuclear weapons laboratory in 1952. These became the initial steps of the nuclear Bomb. Such an Atomic Bomb was first created and made to explode in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Atomic bombs since then have been feared based on the fact that they had enormous energy and effects. Atomic bombs were used In Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The two Japanese towns were exploded using two bombs nicknamed “little boy” and “Fat man”. The impacts of the Atomic bombs were heavy and scary basing on what was experienced in Japan. As a result, the Second World War came into a halt.

The historical development of explosives safety precautions were very much influenced by the technological molding of the explosive and weapons. Due to the respective effects of these explosives it became necessary to curb the impacts by introducing the explosives safety precautions. These safety precautions are set to ensure that the explosives’ are regulated to prevent unnecessary harm to the general population. Explosives safety precautions started from the USA army and disasters to levels where these precautions were influenced by development of weapons and explosives. For instance, the development of explosives that could lead to more harm greatly influenced the drafting of the safety precautions. In summary, the safety precautions were influenced by the scientist’s development of superior explosives and vulnerability to disasters. This meant that explosive safety precautions were historically set out to curb the possibility of creating harm through the prevention of disasters.