Barricade in blasting safety refers to:

• A. A device to measure blast speed
• B. A barrier that prevents access to the magazine
• C. A building or structure containing explosives effectively screened from inhabited buildings by a barricade
• D. A sign posted for evacuation

Answer: (C)

In blasting safety, a barricade is the barrier between the explosive area and nearby inhabited structures that shields people and property from the blast’s effects. The idea is to have a building or structure containing the explosives that is effectively screened from inhabited buildings by a barricade, so flyrock, fragmentation, overpressure, and vibration are kept away from the public. The barricade itself is typically a solid barrier made of earth, rock, concrete, or other sturdy material that absorbs or deflects the blast energy. This option accurately captures the protective role of barricades in preventing damage and injury to nearby areas. The other descriptions refer to a device for measuring blast speed, a gatekeeping barrier to a magazine, or a sign for evacuation, none of which describe the shielding function that barricades are meant to provide.