Manual Detection and Disposal of Explosive Ordnance to a Depth of 0.07 m: Procedures and Implementation

Article 20

Technical process for investigation, survey, and clearance of unexploded ordnance promulgated together with Circular 121/2021/TT-BQP (Effective from November 05, 2021) regulates manual clearance of unexploded ordnance to a depth of 0.07 m as follows:

1. Application cases: areas that are minefields with types of plastic-shell mines with little metal that are difficult for current detectors to detect; areas that are minefields mixed with many ferromagnetic objects.

2. Equipment: personal protective equipment, small red and white flag markers; manual tool kit; safety pin; collection tools.

3. Implementation steps:

a) From the roadside edge separating the detection grid, use marking tape or white flag markers to mark the detection row (width from 1 to 1.5 m), mark as you detect, placing a flag every 1.5 m. Only place flags to mark the first detection strip's boundary; subsequent detection strips use the boundary flags of the first detection strip (adjacent) to mark the undetected boundary in a rolling manner;

b) Use a probe combined with visual observation to find mines and unexploded ordnance according to technical requirements (probe from near to far, from left to right and vice versa; probe tip inclined at an angle of 30° to 40° relative to the natural ground surface; probe in a star pattern with probe tips spaced 0.03 m to 0.05 m apart and depth from 0.07 m to 0.1 m);

c) When there is a signal, probe to identify the signal, then proceed to dig to inspect the signal according to the correct technique.

- If the signal is a mine or unexploded ordnance, handle it safely, collect and bring it to the designated place; if it is not safe for collection or is unknown unexploded ordnance, mark it with a red flag for further processing;- If the signal is not a mine or unexploded ordnance, collect and bring it to the designated place.

d) When multiple people are searching in an area, the distance between the two nearest people must be ≥ 15 m.

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Note on Abbreviation Conventions:

1. Unexploded ordnance: UO.
2. Investigation: INV.
3. Survey: SUR.
4. Unexploded ordnance clearance: UOC.
5. Investigation, survey, and unexploded ordnance clearance: INV, SUR, UOC.

Sincerely!