Yes, we have a $20,000,000 public liability policy that lists Rock Drilling and Blasting as our primary activity.
Always ask to see your Drill and Blast Contractors public liability insurance certificate of currency. Contractors with little experience or a poor track record will not be able to obtain public liability insurance.
Blasting back yard pools is generally no problem. However, the closer the pool is to the house, the smaller the explosive charge must be so as not to exceed a safe vibration level – smaller blasts mean more of them which equates to more time and higher costs. In some cases non explosive rock splitting options can be used.
Airborne stone dust can be hazardous. For this reason we go to a lot of extra trouble to capture stone dust with a state of the art multistage “H” rated HEPA Vacuum Dust Extraction system. This system keeps stone dust safely contained.
Demolition Dave has been an industry leader in safely managing stone dust using wet drilling since 2003. In 2007 we replaced wet drilling with our first HEPA Vacuum Dust Extractor.
The short answer is “as many holes as we can safely cover”.
Demolition Dave will save you time and therefore money wherever possible by using millisecond delay detonators on vibration sensitive projects. Every job is different but it would not be unusual for us to fire 30-40 holes in one shot using millisecond delay detonators.
Modern blasting techniques utilise the process of millisecond delay blasting. These detonators have a built in time delay element so that every hole has a different delay period; in other words they all fire in very fast succession. Typical time delay spacing is 25mS per hole. The huge advantage in using this system is that it does not matter whether you fire 3 holes or 300 holes; the peak vibration level is the same.
Demolition Dave will always use millisecond delay detonators, where appropriate, when working near buildings. This is an intrinsic part of our blast vibration management strategy.
Not all blasting contractors have the licence endorsement to offer this service. If you want to save money, it is certainly worth asking if your blasting contractor will be using millisecond delay detonators.
A little history for those who are interested:- In the old days, shots were fired one hole at a time using a safety fuse. The next improvement to come along was Detonating Cord. This product allows many holes to be fired together – a BIG time saver… however, this has a VERY big drawback in that when all of the holes fire at exactly the same time, the resultant ground vibration can be VERY large.
Blasting out in a paddock? No problem! But in a suburban backyard, this procedure will certainly bring complaints …or worse, damage claims. Lack of understanding on this point and/or the culpable use of detonating cord has caused a lot of damage in the past, to both buildings AND the reputation of the blasting industry.
NO we do not have a license to sell.
As one of Melbourne’s more experienced rock blasting contractors, we can provide you with a cost-effective solution to assist in the excavation of even the very toughest igneous rock such as granite, granodorite and rhyodacite – the stuff that destroys excavator-mounted hydraulic breakers..
Whether you are building a highway or a driveway, digging a large dam, a back yard swimming pool, laying a service connection or a major pipeline, perhaps you are excavating under a house for a new room or seismic testing in remote areas, we can help make your project a success..
Our drilling equipment ranges from the small pneumatic hand drill for confined spaces, to the heavy “sinker” for small-medium size jobs or where access is an issue. For larger jobs we have a custom made excavator-mounted drill and a large hydraulic tracked drill is available if required.
Our services are available to the building and construction industry, earth movers, owner builders, pool companies, utilities, road construction companies, fencing contractors, the mineral exploration industry, government or anyone who has a legitimate need for the ultimate power tool!
