People please read and understand what is written in this post one of the most dangerous things you can do is remove or play with UXO
If you should find a suspicious item, that may be UXO, do not touch or disturb it. It's been there for many years, it won't hurt you if you don't disturb it.
Unexploded ordnance (UXO, sometimes abbreviated as UO), unexploded bombs (UXBs), or explosive remnants of war (ERW) are explosive weapons (bombs, shells, grenades, land mines, naval mines, cluster munition, etc.) that did not explode when they were employed and still pose a risk of detonation, sometimes many decades after they were used or discarded. World War I munitions filled with poisonous gas continue to be a hazard. Munitions found are often destroyed in controlled explosions, but accidental detonation, sometimes fatal, of very old explosives occurs.
Unexploded ordnance, however old, may explode. Recovery, particularly of deeply-buried projectiles, is difficult and hazardousjarring may detonate the charge. Once recovered, explosives must either be detonated in place or transported safely to a site where they can be destroyed.
Unexploded ordnance both in current and former combat areas and on military firing ranges. A major problem with unexploded ordnance is that over the years the detonator and main charge deteriorate, frequently making them more sensitive to disturbance, and therefore more dangerous to handle. Construction work or detecting may disturb unsuspected unexploded bombs, which may then explode. There are countless examples of people tampering with unexploded ordnance that is many years old, often with fatal results. Believing it to be harmless they handle the device and it explodes, causing deaths, injuries. For this reason it is universally recommended that unexploded ordnance should not be touched or handled by unqualified persons. Instead, the location should be reported to the local police or military so that bomb disposal or Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) professionals can render it safe.
Actions on finding a suspicious item:
If a suspect UXO item is found - DO NOT TOUCH, disturb or tamper with the item in any way. This includes making any attempt to move the item to a 'safe' location.
Carefully note the appearance of the item and the location. Take a photograph if it is possible to do so without further approaching or disturbing the item.
If possible, mark the location so that it can be found later. Coloured tape or paint make easily recognised marker material. Note the route to the item.
Inform the property owner.
Inform the Police that a possible ammunition item has been found. They will instigate a request for Defence personnel to attend and dispose of the item.
Unless the UXO was deliberately disturbed (picked up, played with, kicked, thrown, etc), there are no known instances in Australia where an item of UXO has injured a member of the public.
If you should find a suspicious item, that may be UXO, do not touch or disturb it. It's been there for many years, it won't hurt you if you don't disturb it.
Unexploded ordnance (UXO, sometimes abbreviated as UO), unexploded bombs (UXBs), or explosive remnants of war (ERW) are explosive weapons (bombs, shells, grenades, land mines, naval mines, cluster munition, etc.) that did not explode when they were employed and still pose a risk of detonation, sometimes many decades after they were used or discarded. World War I munitions filled with poisonous gas continue to be a hazard. Munitions found are often destroyed in controlled explosions, but accidental detonation, sometimes fatal, of very old explosives occurs.
Unexploded ordnance, however old, may explode. Recovery, particularly of deeply-buried projectiles, is difficult and hazardousjarring may detonate the charge. Once recovered, explosives must either be detonated in place or transported safely to a site where they can be destroyed.
Unexploded ordnance both in current and former combat areas and on military firing ranges. A major problem with unexploded ordnance is that over the years the detonator and main charge deteriorate, frequently making them more sensitive to disturbance, and therefore more dangerous to handle. Construction work or detecting may disturb unsuspected unexploded bombs, which may then explode. There are countless examples of people tampering with unexploded ordnance that is many years old, often with fatal results. Believing it to be harmless they handle the device and it explodes, causing deaths, injuries. For this reason it is universally recommended that unexploded ordnance should not be touched or handled by unqualified persons. Instead, the location should be reported to the local police or military so that bomb disposal or Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) professionals can render it safe.
Actions on finding a suspicious item:
If a suspect UXO item is found - DO NOT TOUCH, disturb or tamper with the item in any way. This includes making any attempt to move the item to a 'safe' location.
Carefully note the appearance of the item and the location. Take a photograph if it is possible to do so without further approaching or disturbing the item.
If possible, mark the location so that it can be found later. Coloured tape or paint make easily recognised marker material. Note the route to the item.
Inform the property owner.
Inform the Police that a possible ammunition item has been found. They will instigate a request for Defence personnel to attend and dispose of the item.
Unless the UXO was deliberately disturbed (picked up, played with, kicked, thrown, etc), there are no known instances in Australia where an item of UXO has injured a member of the public.
