Page "Dynamite" Paragraph 14

One of the drawbacks of dynamite was that it was dangerous to manufacture.

There were two large explosions at the Somerset West plant during the 1960s.

Some workers died, but the loss of life was limited by the modular design of the factory and its earth works, and the planting of trees that directed the blasts upward.

There were also several less notable but still newsworthy explosions at the Modderfontein factory.

After 1985, pressure from trade unions forced AECI to phase out the production of dynamite.

The factory then went on to produce ammonium nitrate emulsion-based explosives that are far safer to manufacture and to handle.