A company specializing in sensitivity and reactivity of propellants, explosives and pyrotechnic materials has chosen Tooele Army Depot for the location of their test site to complete work for commercial clients, the Department of Transportation, Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms as well as the Department of Defense.
Safety Management Services, Inc. finalized a contract in March with TEAD to utilize the depot's Ammunition Equipment Division's testing site. SMS services include in-process simulation, shielding and barricade validation.
The company is also one of four groups in the United States that is authorized by Department of Transportation to examine, test and recommend appropriate shipping descriptions, division and compatibility group for explosives.
Tooele and SMS's partnership is critical because both organizations have developed specialized processes and expertise in safely handling explosive components while providing proper guidelines and training to outside organizations.
"I'm very impressed by the safe, professional and efficient manner that TEAD has worked to accomplish key site preparation milestones and support client testing," said Bob Ford, SMS president. "TEAD has a true entrepreneurial spirit."
To further support SMS's services sensitivity equipment was installed at the depot testing site to include associated ventilation systems and work stations. Three properly sited storage magazines and a large storage container for portable test equipment and instrumentation were also placed. Also, a 50-foot drop tower was designed, built and made ready for use within the first month of the contract.
"We're proud to support SMS with a location to conduct their tests," said Col. Yolanda C. Dennis-Lowman, TEAD commander. "Our capabilities and expertise are a good fit to SMS's requirements. We look forward to developing our partnership to help develop safety standards for many of our nation's most important missions."
Through testing results, SMS will perform consequence analysis on incident scenarios to determine the potential effects on thermal flux, fragments and overpressure on personnel, equipment and facilities. These tests allow their clients to identify the risk applied with hazardous materials and develop risk-minimizing solutions based on sound engineering and explosives safety principles while making them as cost-effective as possible.
"The established safety culture, explosives expertise and the entrepreneurial spirit at TEAD provides the ideal environment for growing our testing capabilities while providing safe, timely and cost effective services for our clients," said Ford.
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