Range Booking and Inspection Procedure

Purpose. Describes how range and training area activities are requested, confirmed, inspected before and after use and recorded.

1.Receiving a request

A using unit must submit a Range Activity Request Form at least ten working days before the activity. The range support coordinator will enter the request in the Range and Training Area Bookings system on the day it is received with the status Requested. Incomplete requests will be returned to the unit with the missing items listed.

2.Assessment and confirmation

The coordinator must check the request against the range standing orders for the range requested, the activity type, the weapons and natures listed, the number of personnel and the range safety officer named. Conflicts with other bookings, maintenance closures and fire danger periods must be resolved before confirmation. The booking will be confirmed in writing to the unit and the status updated.

• Activity permitted on that range under standing orders
• Range safety officer qualified and named
• No clash with other bookings or closures
• Fire danger rating checked for the period

3.Pre-use inspection

On the morning of the activity, or the working day before for early starts, a range inspector must walk the range using the inspection checklist in the standing orders. Targets, stop butts, danger area signage, gates, access tracks and fire fighting equipment must be checked. The inspection result must be recorded and any defect that affects safety will stop the activity until rectified.

4.During the activity

The range safety officer of the using unit holds control of the range during the activity. Sentinel staff will monitor the boundary, respond to requests for support and record any incident, misfire or unexploded ordnance report in the WHS incident register. Contractors working inside the range boundary must be supervised by a Sentinel staff member at all times.

5.Post-use inspection and clearance

After the activity the range inspector must confirm that the range has been cleared of brass, packaging and waste, that targets are stood down and that any unexploded ordnance has been marked and reported. The booking will be marked Completed only when the post-use inspection is recorded and the unit has signed the handover.

6.Records

The request form, confirmation, both inspections and the handover will be filed against the booking. Range use statistics will be reported to the customer monthly.