Patent ID: 7100488

Claim:
A method for handling an explosive which is disposed at a specific location having obstacles proximate to the explosive, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a plurality of elongate support members, each elongate support member comprising at least two channels running substantially the entire length of the elongate support member, some of the channels in some of the elongate support members being disposed back to back and some of the channels in some of the elongate support members being disposed at right angles to one another; (b) providing a plurality of rectangular, planar side wall members, the side wall members having at least two different lengths, the side wall members having four side wall peripheral edges; (c) providing a plurality of rectangular, planar roof members, the roof members having at least two different lengths, the roof members having four roof peripheral edges; and (d) providing a plurality of rectangular, planar metal plates; (e) providing a plurality of tee sections each having four channels, each channel being disposed at a 90° angle with respect to adjacent channels; (f) assembling a containment structure using the elongate support members, side walls members, roof members, metal plates and tee sections, the containment structure being custom designed to surround the explosive and to avoid the obstacles at the location, the containment structure being assembled by: (i) constructing side walls which surround an area having the explosive but which avoids the obstacles at the location, the side walls comprising a plurality of side wall members whose side wall peripheral edges are retained within the channels of the elongate support members, each side wall being attached to one or more adjacent side walls by elongate support members; (ii) constructing a roof which encloses the area surrounded by the side walls, the roof comprising a plurality of roof members whose roof peripheral edges are retained within the channels of elongate support members, the roof being attached to the side walls by elongate support members; and (iii) disposing metal plates in abutment with the side walls and with the roof; and (g) thereafter, handling the explosive within the containment structure; whereby any inadvertent detonation of the explosive and any resultant shrapnel therefrom is safely contained within the containment structure.