The Blast Log Team

Bill Birch

Dr. Bill Birch - Director

For 21 years Bill worked for British Coal Opencast specialising in environmental issues (particularly blasting) and then worked for 19 years as a lecturer in surface mining at the University of Leeds, undertaking extensive and innovative research projects in blasting and related issues.

Bill was Director of the Blasting and Environmental Research Group (BERG) at the Energy and Resources Research Institute, University of Leeds. Bill is also active as an expert witness in the area of blasting issues.

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Alan Cobb

Dr. Alan Cobb - Director

Alan has over 30 years consulting experience in blasting related issues including blast design; the monitoring, modelling and prediction of environmental effects; and geotechnical implications of quarry blasting, rock mass characterisation and blast fragmentation.

Alan also acts as an expert witness regarding blasting issues and worked closely with the University of Leeds on research projects, which included the effects of blasting on tunnels.

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Ruth Allington

Ruth Allington - Director

Ruth has over 25 years consulting experience within the quarrying industry. She has a range of experience in the design of mines and quarries, including co-ordination of technical inputs to the design process and optimisation of operations.

Ruth is also active as an expert witness and has extensive experience in the interpretation of operational, geological and hydrogeological issues relating to surface mines and quarries.

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Shazad Hosein

Dr. Shazad Hosein - Operations Manager/Blasting Engineer

Shazad has over 19 years experience in blasting and explosive techniques, monitoring, analysis and prediction.

Shazad also has extensive experience of environmental (vibration & air overpressure) issues relating to quarrying operations, human response and implementing monitoring schemes.

He also developed the detonator optimisation software program.

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Peter Dawson

Peter Dawson - Blasting Technician

Peter has over 9 years experience working as a blasting technician. Peter's role as a technician includes on-site monitoring, data processing and reporting.

Consultants

Simon Bolitho

Simon Bolitho - Associate Consultant

Simon is a chartered engineer with specialist knowledge in explosives use and drilling & blasting techniques.

Simon has over 20 years experience in mining, quarrying and civil engineering applications. Previously employed by Dyno Nobel and EPC-Groupe.

He was also a course teacher on explosive use, drilling and blasting designs, technical and environmental management and monitoring.

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