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About Blasting
Before a permit is issued for the storage sale transportation disposal or use of explosives or blasting agents the applicant shall file with the Fire Marshal's Office a bond or evidence of a liability insurance policy with minimum limits of at least two million dollars ($2000000) combined single limit for bodily injury and property damage. Such bond or liability insurance policy shall become available for the payment of any damage arising from neglect of the applicant or his agents or his employees. Bonds or liability insurance policies may be for a specific operation or for an entire year provided that the applicant shows evidence that the bond or liability insurance policy is in continuing effect.
Time: Blasting operations shall be conducted during daylight hours except when authorized at other times by the fire official.
Personnel: The person possessing a permit to use explosives and having certification as a blaster shall perform the handling and firing of explosives. The Chief of the Bureau of Fire Prevention shall approve this certification. A certified blaster on a job site can direct the handling and firing of explosives by persons under his direct supervision who are at least twenty-one (21) years of age. A certified blaster must be capable of reading and writing the English language. A person shall not handle explosives while under the influence of intoxicants or narcotics. A person shall not smoke or carry matches while handling explosives or while in the vicinity thereof. An open flame light shall not be used in the vicinity of explosives.
Clearance at Site: At the site of blasting operations a distance of at least one hundred fifty (150) feet shall be maintained between Class II magazines and the blast area when the quantity of explosives temporarily kept therein is in excess of twenty-five (25) pounds and at least fifty (50) feet when the quantity of explosives is twenty-five (25) pounds or less.
Notice: Whenever blasting is being conducted in the vicinity of gas electric water fire alarm telephone telegraph or stream utilities the blaster shall notify the appropriate representatives of such utilities at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance of blasting specifying the location and intended time of such blasting. Verbal notice shall be confirmed with written notice. In an emergency the fire official may waive this time limit.
Responsibility: Before a blast is fired the person in charge shall make certain that all surplus explosives are in a safe place all persons and vehicles are at a safe distance or under sufficient cover and a loud warning signal has been sounded.
Precautions: Due precautions shall be taken to prevent accidental discharge of electric blasting caps from current induced by radio or radar transmitters lightning adjacent power lines dust storms or other sources of extraneous electricity. These precautions shall include:
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The suspension of all blasting operations and removal of persons from the blasting area during the approach and progress of an electrical storm;
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The posting of signs warning against the use of mobile radio transmitters on all roads within three hundred fifty (350) feet of the blasting operations;
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Compliance with nationally recognized good practice when blasting within one and one-half (1½) miles of broadcast or high power short wave radio transmitters.
Congested Areas: When blasting is done in congested areas or in close proximity to a building structure railway highway or any other installation that may be damaged the blast shall be covered before firing with a mat constructed so that it is capable of preventing rock from being thrown into the air. If the blast is of such nature or in such location that the mat by itself may not contain all debris from the blast then the blaster shall have sufficient earthen burden placed over the blast along with the mat to contain all debris from the blast.