Methods

All items of ammunition related debris should be considered to be hazardous until positively identified as being inert. The residual hazard likely to be encountered within a project area can be broken down into three main categories:

1. Live, unexploded munitions - Unexpended ammunition is live but has been discarded, either as the result of a weapons jam or by being dropped. It will be relatively safe as, not having been subjected to firing, all safety mechanisms will be in place. However, after lying in a harsh environment such as a desert, both physical and chemical deterioration of components may have occurred.

2. Live, 'blind' ammunition - 'Blind' is a munition that has been fired but has not functioned as designed. It must be assumed that all safety mechanisms have been removed and the item is therefore potentially dangerous as it may function if disturbed or subjected to physical shock.

3. Expended ammunition - This is ammunition that has functioned as intended but there can be residual hazard through the presence of unexpended explosive filling.

As with all MineTech operations, a reconnaissance of each area is undertaken. Methods used will be a visual, shallow or deep instrument search or a combination of these. The type of search to be employed will be governed by the nature of the UXO threat, type of ground, and the client's requirements.

Having identified an item and establishing whether it is safe, an EOD Supervisor will determine whether or not it is safe to move. An item that is not safe to move is usually destroyed in situ.

Destruction of UXO where property is at risk should only be undertaken using various precautions to prevent blast damage to property. Any persons or livestock are always moved to prescribed safety distances for each UXO being destroyed.