**[Appendix A]{.underline}**

**[Blaster Training Requirements § 850.13(b)]{.underline}**

The following is a list of potential topics to be covered in blaster
training and testing based of the Federal rules.

**[1(i) Explosives -- selection of type to be used]{.underline}**

-   ANFO

-   Emulsions

-   Cast Primers

-   Blends 25/75 50/50 75/25

-   Detonating Cord

-   Initiators

-   Dynamite

-   Pre-split

**[1(ii) Explosives -- determination of the properties which will
produce desired results at an acceptable level of risk]{.underline}**

-   Water Resistance

-   Gas Pressure (Detonation)

-   Detonation Velocity

-   Sensitivity

-   Coupling

-   see IC 8925

-   Density

-   Fume class

-   Sensitiveness

-   Relative Bulk strength

**[1(iii) Explosives -- handling, transportation, and
storage]{.underline}**

-   MSHA Rules

-   ATF

-   US DOT

-   Possessor License

-   RESPA Registration

-   Internal Controls/ Accountability

-   Vehicle requirements

-   Magazine requirements

-   Handling requirements

**[2(i) Blast designs -- geologic and topographic
considerations]{.underline}**

-   Rock Type

-   Rock Integrity

-   Structure/Dip

-   Fractures

-   Voids

-   Phreatic Surfaces

-   Outcrops

-   Drilling -- Logs

-   Equipment requirements

-   Overburden type, amount and placement

-   Steepness of slope

-   Old mine works

-   Auger holes

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­**[2(ii) Blast designs -- design of a blast hole, with critical
dimensions]{.underline}**

-   Site Selection

-   Burden

-   Stemming

-   Spacing

-   Depth

-   Sub Drill

-   Decking

-   Geology

-   Explosive Column

-   Hole diameter

-   Deck stemming

-   Bench Height to burden ratio

-   Air decks

-   Drill selection

-   Angle holes

-   Guide holes / line drilling

-   Powder factor

-   Loading factor

**[2(iii) Blast designs -- pattern design, field layout, and timing of
blast holes]{.underline}**

-   Drill Patterns

-   Location Holes (Tapes, Surveys, GPS)

-   Chevron, Echelon, Square, Row by Row

-   Left, Box-Cuts, Presplit, Coal, Conventional, Cast

-   Timing -- Rock Response Time

-   Delay Intervals

-   Cushion blasting

-   Left Lift (sinking, center pull, drop cut, sump shot)

-   V-Cut

-   Adverse effects to expect (pros and cons) and address different

-   Terminology for the different types

-   Contour

-   Pattern Layout Methods

-   Step Benches

-   Binder / Inner Burden / Parting Shots

-   Face Velocity

-   Boulders (block holing / mud capping)

-   Air Gapping

-   Bench Preparation

**[2(iv) Blast designs -- field applications]{.underline}**

-   Keeping blasts inside permit area

-   Keep within blast area

-   Blast for equipment type

-   Sediment Ponds

-   Haul Roads

-   DO NOT -- rock in culvert or stuck silos

-   Reclamation

-   Secondary Blasting

-   Nearest Protected Structures

-   Design Application

-   Coal Blasts

-   Confinement of Material

-   Confinement Factors

-   Burden Pole / Laser Profiler

-   Free Face Conditions

-   Hole Deviation

3.  **[Loading blastholes, including priming and
    boostering]{.underline}**

-   Review Drill Logs

-   Communication with Driller

-   Direct vs. Indirect (Primer Location)

-   Taping the Holes

-   Decking

-   Boosters -- When and Where

-   Primer Makeup

-   Primer Diameter -- Optimum

-   Primer Location

-   Size of Primers

-   Stemming Material / Type

-   Selection of Primer

-   Tamping Methods and Applications

-   Secondary Priming (Insurance)

-   Auger vs. Re-Pump

-   Loading Methods

-   Bulk Bag

    **[4 Initiation systems and blasting machines]{.underline}**

Initiation Systems

-   Electric (Electronic)

-   Non-electric

    -   Det. Cord

    -   Shell Tube

-   Energy Distribution

-   Delay Types

-   Lead-in Line

-   Remote / Wireless Systems

-   Site-Specific Conditions

-   Pros and Cons of Applications

-   Circuit Testing Methods

-   Failure Mode Analysis and Prevention

-   Electricity

Blasting Machines

-   Plunger

-   Twister

-   Capacitor Discharge

-   Sequential

-   Cap Fuse

-   Shot Gun Primer

**[5. Blasting vibrations, airblast, and flyrock]{.underline}**

-   ISEE "Field Practice Guidelines for Blasting Seismographs"

-   Capability of the machine / interpretation of the data

-   Utilization of Data

-   Documentation and Proper Location Based on Conditions

-   Scale Distance Calculations

-   Frequency Determination

-   Ground Vibration Prediction and Limitations

-   Waveform Interpretation -- Blast Identification

-   Weather Effects

**[5(i) Blasting vibrations, airblast, and flyrock -- monitoring
techniques]{.underline}**

Flyrock Monitoring

-   Video

-   Photographs

-   Evaluation Tools (Seismogram)

-   Post Blast inspections

Ground Vibration Monitoring

-   Sensor placements/coupling

-   Sensor location

-   Blasting Seismograph

    -   Record duration and calibration

    -   Trigger levels

    -   Waveforms

    -   Frequency

Airblast Monitoring

-   Microphone placement

-   Microphone location

**[5(ii) Blasting vibrations, airblast, and flyrock -- methods to
control adverse affects]{.underline}**

Flyrock - Methods to Control

-   Require Drill Logs

-   Laser Profile Face / Burden Poles

-   Stemming Type, Amount, Delivery, and Placement

-   Proper Shot Performance Documentation

-   Bench Height to Burden Ratio

-   Shot Size

-   Powder Factor

-   Face Orientation

-   Unconsolidated Material

-   Matting / Backfill / Burming

-   Confinement

-   Partial Misfires

-   Geology

-   Hole Deviation

-   Timing

-   Explosive Type

-   Pre-inspection of blast site

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-   Excessive toe

-   Back break

-   Weathered surface rock

Ground vibrations - Methods to Control

-   Rules

-   Distance/Charge weight

-   Confinement

Airblast - Methods to Control

-   Rules

-   Distance/Charge weight

-   Stemming type

-   Initiation system

-   Decking weak zones

    **[6 Secondary blasting applications]{.underline}**

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-   Big rocks into small rocks

-   Airblast/Flyrock

-   Mud Capping/ Confinement

-   Drilling

-   Limit \# of holes

-   Cover with blast first

-   Specialty products

-   Other Options

    -   RAM hoe

    -   Headache ball

    -   Jack hammer

        **[7 Current Federal and State rules applicable to the use of
        explosives]{.underline}**

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-   MSHA

-   State specific information

-   ATF

-   OSHA

-   EPA

-   Placards (addressed by MSHA and in the ATF regulations)

    **[8 Blast records]{.underline}**

    Focus on:

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-   Location of blast

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-   Accurate sketch/Dimensions

-   Distance reported

    -   Closest hole in pattern to nearest corner of house

    -   Calculating distances from blasts to homes with various
        coordinate systems (State plane, local, UTM, Lat-Long)

-   Amount of explosive/Hole

-   Timing/Sequence of detonation

-   Seismograph location at house

-   Initiation system

Other items:

-   Name of operator conducting the blast

-   Location, date, and time of the blast

-   Name, signature, and certification number of the blaster conducting
    the

-   blast

-   Identification, direction, and distance in feet, from the nearest
    blast

-   hole to the nearest dwelling, public building, school, church,
    community of institutional building outside the permit area, except
    those described in 816.67.

-   Weather conditions, including those that may cause possible adverse

-   blasting effects

-   Type of material blasted

-   Sketches of the blast pattern including number of holes, burden,
    spacing, decks, and delay pattern

-   Show special relationship of blast site to surrounding area

-   Freeface

-   Resulting highwall

-   North arrow

-   Previous shot material (muck pile)

-   Azimuth of primary freeface

-   Diameter and depth of holes

-   Types of explosives used and amounts

-   Total weight of explosives used per hole

-   The maximum weight of explosives detonated in an e-millisecond
    period

-   Initiation system

-   Type and length of stemming

-   Mats or other protections used

-   Seismographic and airblast records, if required, which shall include

    -   Type of instrument, sensitivity, and calibration signal or
        certification of annual calibration

    -   Exact location of instrument and the date, time, and distance
        from the blast

    -   Name of the person and firm taking the reading

    -   The vibration and/or airblast level recorded

-   Reasons and conditions for each unscheduled blast

-   Detonator quantities

-   Booster quantities

-   Timing of the actual hole

-   Delay time sequence

-   Cap firing time

-   Hole-to-hole and in-hole delays

-   Explosive column / hole cross section

-   Firing times

-   Coal seam shooting down to

-   3-D location

-   Direction to protected structures

-   Exact location of blast and methods of obtaining location

-   Document coordinates and method

-   Use of a blasting map / pit map

-   GPS

-   Survey

-   Record time (duration of the shot) for seismograph

-   Site security measures

-   Verification of what was done and the crew present for the shot

-   In comments document misfires

-   Seismograph operation should be documented

-   Attach the printout from the seismograph if available

-   Trigger levels of the seismograph

-   Attach the full wave form printout

-   Document the seismograph set up

-   Label multiple pages with shot number and date or some unique number

    **[9 Schedules]{.underline}**

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-   Distribute annually

-   Utilities, residents.

-   Warning signals

-   Mail to all within ½ mile of permit area

-   Audible outside ½ mile of the blast

-   Awareness of permit blast plan

-   MSHA joint approvals with underground mines

-   Include public safety -- outdoor activity, school schedule, welfare
    considerations

-   If beyond the blast schedule, list reasons and conditions in the
    blast record

-   State specific regulations

-   Optimum blasting times (nuisance awareness and annoyance)

-   Safety considerations

-   Atmospheric or weather conditions (fumes / dust)

-   Wind direction and temperature

**[10 Preblasting surveys]{.underline}**

-   How to conduct surveys

**[10(i) Preblasting surveys -- availability]{.underline}**

Letter (certified)

-   ½ Mile of permit area

-   Free to owner

-   Get copy to owner

-   Proof of offering

-   Right of review/Comment

**[10(ii) Preblasting surveys -- coverage]{.underline}**

-   ½ Mile of permit area

**[10(iii) Preblasting surveys -- use of in-blast design]{.underline}**

-   Historic structures/ Sensitive structures

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-   Changing vibration limits

    **[11 Blast-plan requirements]{.underline}**

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-   Address all the performance standards 816.61-68 in permit

-   Public safety issues

-   Active underground mine issues w/ MSHA

-   Public utilities -- Consultation

-   Recognize site-specific requirements

-   Blast plan development

-   Prepared by a certified blaster -- state specific

    **[12 Certification and training]{.underline}**

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-   Rules

-   State specific regulations and/or federal regulations

-   Revocation

-   Time frames

-   Application fees

-   Continuing education requirements

-   Renewals

-   What a certified blaster should be training the crew on -- OJT

-   Reinstatement

    **[13 Signs, warning signals, and site control]{.underline}**

Warning Signals

-   Horns

    -   Truck

    -   Air

    -   Bugle

    -   Air compressor

-   Conditions affecting audibility

    -   Wind -- direct

    -   Atmospheric conditions

    -   Ambient noises

-   Adequate blast area

-   Location -- all access points

-   Define responsible parties for each aspect

-   Training of flag personnel

-   Individual notification before each blast (phone or in-person)

-   Public notification

-   Communication methods for site security personnel

-   Pre-project meeting with the mine

-   Public roads

-   ATV's

**[14. Unpredictable hazard including Lightening, Stray currents, Radio
waves and Misfires]{.underline}**

-   Stray gas -- CO, NO~x~

-   Cell phones

-   Lightening

-   Stray currents

-   Radio waves/RF

-   Misfires

-   Power lines

-   Underground voids

-   Gas wells/lines

-   Radar sites (airport)

-   Untrained helpers / assistants

-   Recognition

-   Ways to deal with them

-   Avoidance

-   Reporting

-   Remedy