Patent ID: 7958824

Claim:
A blasting apparatus for use by a blast operator to control at least one detonator at a blast site, the blasting apparatus comprising: optionally, a central command station for generating and transmitting at least one command signal; if the central command station is present, at least one blasting machine, and if the command station is not present, at least two blasting machines, for generating or receiving at least one command signal, optionally processing, and transmitting said at least one command signal to said at least one detonator; at least two biometric analyzers, the central command station, if present, and each blasting machine being associated with a corresponding biometric analyzer for recording information regarding at least one biometric feature of a candidate blast operator; at least two blast authorizing means, each of said at least two blast authorizing means being associated with a corresponding biometric analyzer and receiving and processing said recorded biometric feature information to generate a biometric signature in the central command station, if present, or the blasting machine corresponding to the blast authorizing means; and comparison means to compare biometric signatures generated by the at least two blast authorizing means, and enable said blasting apparatus to actuate said at least one detonator upon identification of at least two biometric signatures from the at least two blast authorizing means that are determined to have been derived from the same blast operator.