These blasting cartridges are pyrotechnic articles of category P2. In particular, they are used in construction sites to break up rocks thanks to the suppression generated by the pyrotechnic composition they contain.
During construction works carried out on behalf of a real estate company in a residential area, an incident occurred when blasting cartridges were fired.
A fragment of rock was projected by the blast, puncturing a fence and landing in the yard of a private residence, located a few metres from the blasting site. Local residents, who had not been informed of the use of explosives in the vicinity, filed a complaint.
The contractor who performed the blasting operation indicated that he had not respected the practice of covering the blast area with a certain volume of soil to avoid rock fragmentation and projections. He possessed a training certificate, issued by a pyrotechnics distribution company based in the south of France, but the certificate had expired. Rock excavation cartridges are reserved for professional use. Anyone handling these items must be able to prove that they have the required knowledge (certificate of knowledge, authorization). There are currently 2 approved training centres in France. The company of the cartridge supplier is not one of them.
In addition, the cartridges involved in the blasting operation (models consisting of 60 g of deflagrating substances) had been sent under conditions that did not comply with the regulations governing the transport of dangerous goods.
