The Cardinal Rule requires exposing the minimum number of which items to the minimum amount of which resources to maintain safety?

The Cardinal Rule requires exposing the minimum number of which items to the minimum amount of which resources to maintain safety?

• A. Tools, time, money
• B. People, time, explosives
• C. Supervisors, downtime, energy
• D. Equipment, personnel, space

Answer: (B)

The Cardinal Rule in explosive safety is to keep the number of people exposed to hazards as small as possible and to minimize the amount of explosive material present. That makes a choice that explicitly references both people and explosives the best fit, since it directly states reducing both the number of people exposed and the quantity of explosive involved. The inclusion of time in that option doesn’t change the core idea—exposure and hazard quantity—though time relates to how long people are exposed, which is a related consideration. The other options focus on resources like tools, money, downtime, energy, or space, which aren’t the elements this rule targets.

The Cardinal Rule in explosive safety is to keep the number of people exposed to hazards as small as possible and to minimize the amount of explosive material present. That makes a choice that explicitly references both people and explosives the best fit, since it directly states reducing both the number of people exposed and the quantity of explosive involved. The inclusion of time in that option doesn’t change the core idea—exposure and hazard quantity—though time relates to how long people are exposed, which is a related consideration. The other options focus on resources like tools, money, downtime, energy, or space, which aren’t the elements this rule targets.