blasting

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## 496 Repealed AR 242/2022 s56. ## Connecting detonating cords to downlines and trunklines 497 An employer and a blaster must ensure that a detonating cord is not connected to a downline and trunkline until all bore holes necessary for the blasting activity are loaded. AR 191/2021 s497;242/2022;202/2024 ## Ignition precautions 497.1 An employer and a blaster must ensure that no equipment, other than equipment directly involved in the blasting activity, is operated within 8 metres of either a bore hole being loaded with explosives or a blast hole. AR 242/2022 s57;202/2024 ## Detonating ## Community protection 498 An employer and a blaster must ensure that approaches providing access to a blasting area are closed to persons other than workers who work at the work site. AR 191/2021 s498;242/2022;202/2024 ## Signs 498.1 An employer and a blaster must ensure that clearly visible signage is posted to identify the perimeter of a blasting area. AR 242/2022 s58;202/2024 ## Blast protection 499 When a blasting activity is being conducted, an employer and a blaster must ensure that - (a) only workers necessary for the blasting activity are present in the blasting area, - (b) workers are warned prior to an explosive being detonated, - (c) no explosive is detonated until workers are at a safe distance from the blasting area or are protected by suitable cover, and - (d) all workers remain at a safe distance from the blasting area or are protected by suitable cover until the requirements of section 509 are met. AR 191/2021 s499;242/2022;202/2024 ## Burning explosives 499.1 If a blaster has reason to believe that an explosive is burning in a blast hole, an employer and a blaster must ensure that workers are at a safe distance from the blasting area or are protected by suitable cover until a blaster determines it is safe for workers to return to the blasting area or exit suitable cover. AR 242/2022 s58;202/2024 500 Repealed AR 242/2022 s59.

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## 476 Repealed AR 242/2022 s42. ## Appropriate explosive strength and quantities 477 (1) An employer and a blaster must ensure that the explosives at a work site - (a) are of explosive strengths appropriate to the blasting activity at the work site, and - (b) are removed from a magazine in quantities that do not exceed what is necessary to perform the blasting activity. 477 (2) An employer and a blaster must ensure that an explosive removed from a magazine is sectioned or cut only if there is no reasonable alternative to obtain the appropriate size or strength of the explosive. 477 (3) An employer and a blaster must ensure that, if an explosive is required to be sectioned, cut or pierced, it is sectioned, cut or pierced only on a clean, non-sparking surface that will not detonate the explosive. AR 191/2021 s477;242/2022;202/2024 ## 478 Repealed AR 242/2022 s44. ## Cartridge explosives 479 (1) An employer and a blaster must ensure that cartridge explosives are not removed from their original outer cover. 479 (2) A worker must not remove a cartridge explosive from its original outer cover. AR 191/2021 s479;242/2022 ## Tools 480 (1) An employer and a blaster must ensure that only non-sparking tools that will not detonate an explosive are used for - (a) opening a package of explosives, - (b) crimping activities, - (c) cutting fuses and explosives, and - (d) any other work performed directly with explosives. 480 (2) An employer and a blaster must ensure that the work referred to in subsection (1) is performed in a safe location. AR 191/2021 s480;242/2022;202/2024 ## Priming 481 (1) An employer and a blaster must ensure that - (a) an explosive is primed as close to the location of the blasting activity as reasonably practicable, and - (b) only workers necessary to prime the explosives are present.

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## Electromagnetic radiation 501 (1) An employer and a blaster must ensure that sources of electromagnetic radiation do not interfere with blasting activities. - 501 (2) An employer and a blaster must ensure that electrical cables do not interfere with blasting activities. - 501 (3) If explosives are being detonated within 60 metres of an overhead power line, an employer and a blaster must ensure that - (a) detonating cord is used as a downline to the explosive, - (b) a leg wire detonator that is shorter than the distance from the overhead power line to the nearest ground level in the vicinity of the blasting activity is used to detonate the detonating cord, and - (c) precautions are taken to prevent damage to the overhead power line. AR 191/2021 s501;242/2022;202/2024 ## Above-ground explosive 502 An employer and a blaster must ensure that, before an explosive is detonated on the surface of the ground, - (a) a blasting mat is placed over the detonator and the explosive, or - (b) if the use of a blasting mat is not reasonably practicable, other measures are in place that will protect workers from debris being thrown in the air by the explosion. AR 191/2021 s502;242/2022;202/2024 ## Radiofrequency transmitters 503 (1) Subject to subsection (2), an employer and a blaster must ensure that - (a) no electric detonator is used in the vicinity of a radiofrequency transmitter, unless the radiofrequency transmitter is farther than the applicable minimum separation distance listed in Institute of Makers of Explosives IME SLP 20 2011, Safety Guide for the Prevention of Radio Frequency Radiation Hazards in the Use of Commercial Electric Detonators (Blasting Caps) or the distance listed in the manufacturer's specifications for the electric detonator, whichever is greater, and - (b) a radiofrequency transmitter and other devices that may interfere with blasting activities are turned off. 503 (2) An employer and a blaster must ensure that detonator leg wires are shunted…

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<!-- image --> ## VENTILATION - (ii) In installations where the abrasive is recirculated, the exhaust ventilation system for the blasting enclosure shall not be relied upon for the removal of fines from the spent abrasive instead of an abrasive separator. An abrasive separator shall be provided for the purpose. - (iii) The air exhausted from blast-cleaning equipment shall be discharged through dust collecting equipment. Dust collectors shall be set up so that the accumulated dust can be emptied and removed without contaminating other working areas. ## (5) Personal protective equipment. - (i) Employers must use only respirators approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) under 42 CFR part 84 to protect employees from dusts produced during abrasive-blasting operations. - (ii) Abrasive-blasting respirators shall be worn by all abrasive-blasting operators: - (A) When working inside of blast-cleaning rooms, or - (B) When using silica sand in manual blasting operations where the nozzle and blast are not physically separated from the operator in an exhaust ventilated enclosure, or - (C) Where concentrations of toxic dust dispersed by the abrasive blasting may exceed the limits set in §1910.1000 and the nozzle and blast are not physically separated from the operator in an exhaust-ventilated enclosure. - (iii) Properly fitted particulate filter respirators, commonly referred to as dust-filter respirators, may be used for short, intermittent, or occasional dust exposures such as cleanup, dumping of dust collectors, or unloading shipments of sand at a receiving point when it is not feasible to control the dust by enclosure, exhaust ventilation, or other means. The respirators used must be approved by NIOSH under 42 CFR part 84 for protection against the specific type of dust encountered. - (A) Dust-filter respirators may be used to protect the operator of outside abrasive-blasting operations where nonsilica abrasives are used on materia…

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- 12. Weather conditions; - 13. Type and height or length of stemming; - 14. Whether mats or other protections were used; - 15. Type of delay electric blasting caps used and delay periods used; - 16. Exact location of seismograph, if used, and the distance of seismograph from blast as indicated accurately by the person taking the seismograph reading; - 17. Seismograph records, where required including: - a. Name of person and firm analyzing the seismograph record; and - b. Seismograph reading; - 18. Maximum number of holes per delay period of eight milliseconds or greater. - B. Blasters will provide a blast report on forms approved by the OSFM and submit these forms within three working days of the blast when deemed necessary by the OSFM. - C. Blasting records shall be retained by the licensed blaster and available for inspection by OSFM during normal work hours at their place of business. These blast records shall include as a minimum for each blast: - 1. Blasting Permit; - 2. Seismograph reports when used; - 3. Blaster's Record/log; - 4. Pre-Blast Survey (if applicable). - D. Magazine log shall be available for inspection by OSFM upon request during normal work hours or hours of operation of the magazine. - HISTORY: Added by State Register Volume 23, Issue No. 6, eff June 25, 1999. Amended by State Register Volume 29, Issue No. 4, eff April 22, 2005; State Register Volume 33, Issue No. 5, eff May 22, 2009; State Register Volume 38, Issue No. 4, eff April 25, 2014; State Register Volume 38, Issue No. 6, Doc. No. 4445, eff June 27, 2014; State Register Volume 39, Issue No. 6, Doc. No. 4555, eff June 26, 2015; State Register Volume 40, Issue No. 6, Doc. No. 4617, eff June 24, 2016; SCSR 47-5 Doc. No. 5161, eff May 26, 2023. ## 71-8302.6. Blasting Safety and Operations. - A. The contractor, operator, and the blaster are responsible for the conduct of blasting operations on any site. - B. These regulations do n…

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503 (3) An employer and a blaster must ensure that, before an electric detonator is placed in or removed from a compartment of a vehicle, radiofrequency transmitters in or near the vehicle are turned off. AR 191/2021 s503;242/2022;202/2024 ## Length of safety fuse assembly 504 An employer and a blaster must ensure that a safety fuse assembly is at least 1 metre long and is long enough to - (a) protrude from the collar of the blast hole, and - (b) allow the blaster to reach a safe location after the blaster ignites the safety fuse assembly. AR 191/2021 s504;242/2022;202/2024 ## Blasting machine 505 (1) An employer and a blaster must ensure that a blasting machine is used for all electric blasting activities. 505 (2) An employer and a blaster must ensure that, after a blasting cable is connected to a detonator, workers and the blasting machine are at a safe distance from the blasting area or are protected by suitable cover before the blasting cable is connected to the blasting machine. AR 191/2021 s505;242/2022;202/2024 ## Shunting the blasting cable 506 Before and after an explosive is detonated, an employer and a blaster must ensure that \ - (a) if the blasting cable is not connected to a blasting machine, the blasting cable is shunted, or - (b) if the blasting cable is connected to a blasting machine, the blasting machine is set so it cannot detonate an explosive. AR 191/2021 s506;242/2022;202/2024 507 Repealed AR 242/2022 s63. 508 Repealed AR 242/2022 s64. ## Waiting period 509 (1) An employer and a blaster must ensure that no worker returns to the blasting area or exits suitable cover until the later of - (a) the end of the longer of the following periods: - (i) 10 minutes after the last explosive was detonated or should have detonated; - (ii) the period specified in the manufacturer's specifications of the explosive or any equipment used in the blasting activity; ## Handling Misfires

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<!-- image --> ## MISFIRES ## §1926.911 Misfires. - (a) If a misfire is found, the blaster shall provide proper safeguards for excluding all employees from the danger zone. - (b) No other work shall be done except that necessary to remove the hazard of the misfire and only those employees necessary to do the work shall remain in the danger zone. - (c) No attempt shall be made to extract explosives from any charged or misfired hole; a new primer shall be put in and the hole reblasted. If refiring of the misfired hole presents a hazard, the explosives may be removed by washing out with water or, where the misfire is under water, blown out with air. - (d) If there are any misfires while using cap and fuse, all employees shall remain away from the charge for at least 1 hour. Misfires shall be handled under the direction of the person in charge of the blasting. All wires shall be carefully traced and a search made for unexploded charges. - (e) No drilling, digging, or picking shall be permitted until all missed holes have been detonated or the authorized representative has approved that work can proceed. Stat. Auth.: ORS 654.025(2) and 656.726(3). Hist: APD Admin. Order 4-1989, f. 3/31/89, ef. 5/1/89 (temp). APD Admin. Order 8-1989, f. 7/7/89, ef. 7/7/89 (perm).

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<!-- image --> ## LOADING OF EXPLOSIVES OR BLASTING AGENTS - (f) No person shall be allowed to deepen drill holes which have contained explosives or blasting agents. - (g) No explosives or blasting agents shall be left unattended at the blast site. - (h) Machines and all tools not used for loading explosives into bore holes shall be removed from the immediate location of holes before explosives are delivered. Equipment shall not be operated within 50 feet of loaded holes. - (i) No activity of any nature other than that which is required for loading holes with explosives shall be permitted in a blast area. - (j) Powerlines and portable electric cables for equipment being used shall be kept a safe distance from explosives or blasting agents being loaded into drill holes. Cables in the proximity of the blast area shall be deenergized and locked out by the blaster. - (k) Holes shall be checked prior to loading to determine depth and conditions. Where a hole has been loaded with explosives but the explosives have failed to detonate, there shall be no drilling within 50 feet of the hole. - (l) When loading a long line of holes with more than one loading crew, the crews shall be separated by practical distance consistent with efficient operation and supervision of crews. - (m) No explosive shall be loaded or used underground in the presence of combustible gases or combustible dusts. - (n) No explosives other than those in Fume Class 1, as set forth by the Institute of Makers of Explosives, shall be used; however, explosives complying with the requirements of Fume Class 2 and Fume Class 3 may be used if adequate ventilation has been provided. - (o) All blast holes in open work shall be stemmed to the collar or to a point which will confine the charge. - (p) Warning signs, indicating a blast area, shall be maintained at all approaches to the blast area. The warning sign lettering shall not be less than 4 inches in height on a contrasting background. - (q) A bore ho…