ABSTRACT
The bomb technician must have a well-founded understanding of explosives and explosive effects. Most devices will utilize an explosive; knowledge of explosives will aid the technician in selecting the most appropriate render-safe procedure as well as establishing adequate safety. Especially for a technician in a bomb suit, a scant few feet may spell the difference between severe/fatal injuries and even total safety. Many bomb squads have invested in communication systems for robots and bomb suits that are designed to safely operate in proximity to electrical detonators. Tragic incidents have occurred, including for bomb technicians involved with disposal operations, when copper azides, formed within detonators, have self-initiated from otherwise normal or delicate movement. Explosives perform many valuable functions in applications such as manufacturing, mining, and demolition. Bomb technicians encounter home-made explosives in response to clandestine labs, recoveries of home-made explosives (HME), HME-based improvised explosive devices, and in postblast investigations.
