Survey and clearance of explosive hazards (EOD)

Specialists of the Center for Humanitarian Demining and Special Works will conduct a full range of activities to inspect and clear the territory (demining) of explosive hazards (EOD), the removal of found objects, their destruction in strict accordance with the legislation and the subsequent coordination of documents in the relevant authorities.

Law

The work to survey the area for explosive hazards (EOD) is carried out to prepare mined areas during the design and initial stages of construction, and is carried out on the basis of:

• Federal Law of December 21, 1994 № 68-FZ “On protection of population and territories from emergency situations of natural and man-made character,”
• Federal Law dated July 21, 1997 № 116-FZ “On industrial safety of hazardous production facilities
• Federal Law No. 184-FZ of December 27, 2002 “On Technical Regulation
• Federal Law No. 150-FZ of December 13, 1996 “On Weapons
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• Decisions of the Government of the Russian Federation of December 30, 2003 № 794 “On the unified state system of prevention and liquidation of emergency situations”;
• “Regulations on the cleaning of land (objects) from explosive objects,” enacted by Order № 1200 of the Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation on July 27, 2010;
• “Instruction on clearing the area from explosive objects,” approved by the Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters on February 1, 2016;
• “Methodological recommendations for the executive authorities of the subjects of the Russian Federation of the North-West Federal District, local authorities and organizations, enterprises and institutions specializing in the performance of work on clearing the area from explosive objects, on the order of organization and performance of work and clearing the area from explosive objects and quality control of their performance in the North-West Federal District”, approved by the decision of the interdepartmental commission under the plenipotentiary representative
• Reg Order of the Governor of the Leningrad Region of April 07, 1999, No. 165-Rg “On the organization of work to locate, neutralize, remove and destroy explosive hazards in the territory of the Leningrad Region”
• International technical standards for humanitarian demining operations IMAS.

The Center for Humanitarian Demining and Special Works is ready to carry out demining operations in the shortest possible time and with strict observance of all safety measures. Quality control of the work is carried out throughout all phases of humanitarian demining, to ensure that the services provided comply with established requirements and standards of mine action.

Stages of survey and mine clearance

Initially, a group of specialists goes to the site, conducts an initial inspection of the territory and reconnaissance, followed by a breakdown into sectors by reference points. Then a visual inspection of the surface is carried out, technological pits, rubble and remnants of structures are studied. If any explosive ordnance or similar items are discovered, an engineering and sapper team is called in to carry out the work of clearing the ordnance.

If the initial inspection of the area has not shown the presence of explosive objects, the specialists proceed to the second stage – the examination of the soil layer. To do this they drill boreholes that are usually 1-2 m deeper than the geological survey boreholes. After excavation they are filled with magnetometers, metal detectors and GPR sensors. The former enable the presence of hidden metal objects in the rock, while the latter provide an accurate picture of the underground structure.

The use of geosounding is absolutely safe, since it excludes the accidental detonation of detonators. At the same time this method makes it possible to obtain a precise scheme of the location of soil layers with the distribution of metallic and non-metallic objects within it, as well as unstable areas. All of them are displayed on the device screen and highlighted with a different color gradient.

Explosive hazard classes

If in the course of work in the surveyed area VOP were found, their external inspection and categorization is carried out. The items found may be assigned to one of 3 hazard classes:

• first-degree (low-hazard) – aircraft bombs (including cluster bombs) without detonators, projectiles without traces of passage through the barrel, grenades of all types with a pin and engineering charges;
• Second-degree (dangerous) grenades without cotter pin, projectiles fired from guns (unexploded), bombs with fuses, land mines and improvised ammunition;
• third-degree (very dangerous) – items mounted on the principle of non-extraction, projectiles and bombs in an inaccessible position for deactivation, improvised devices equipped with magnetic, seismic and acoustic detonators. Elimination of munitions of this type is, as a rule, carried out on the spot.

Formation of the act of inspection of the territory

The document is drawn up by the contractor on the basis of the terms of reference and baseline data for the work. The act shall be drawn up after the explosive objects have been cleared (including in case of their destruction) or after the survey is completed (if there were no explosive objects). The completed document is approved by all relevant authorities.