Kentucky Administrative Regulations › Title 405 - ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT CABINET - DEPARTMENT FOR NATURAL RESOURCES › Chapter 18 - Performance Standards for Underground Mining Activities › Section 405 KAR 18:120 - Use of explosives

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 1, July 1, 2024
RELATES TO:
				KRS
				350.151,
				350.430
NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS Chapter 350 in
				pertinent part requires the cabinet to promulgate rules and administrative
				regulations establishing performance standards for protection of people and
				property, land, water and other natural resources, and aesthetic values, during
				underground mining activities and for restoration and reclamation of surface
				areas affected by underground mining activities. This administrative regulation
				sets forth specific requirements for the use of explosives for surface
				blasting, including qualified supervision of blasting, preblasting surveys,
				warning signals, restrictions on timing and location of blasting, limitations
				on airblast and ground vibration, seismographic measurements, and records of
				surface blasting operations.
Section 1.
			 General Requirements.
(1) This administrative
			 regulation applies only to surface blasting activities incident to underground
			 mining, including but not limited to, initial rounds of slopes and
			 shafts.
(2) Each permittee and each
			 person who conducts blasting operations shall comply with all applicable local,
			 state, and federal laws and regulations in the use of explosives.
(3) Each permittee shall have all surface
			 blasting operations conducted under the direction of a blaster certified in
			 accordance with
			 405 KAR
			 7:070. A certified blaster and at least one (1) other
			 person shall be present at the firing of a blast. Persons responsible for
			 blasting operations at a blasting site shall be familiar with the blasting plan
			 and site-specific performance standards.
(4)
(a) An
			 anticipated blast design shall be submitted if blasting operations will be
			 conducted within:
1. 1,000 feet of any
			 building used as a dwelling; public building; school; church; or commercial,
			 community, or institutional building outside the areas affected by surface
			 operations and facilities; or
2.
			 500 feet of an active or abandoned underground mine.
(b) The blast design shall be presented as
			 part of the permit application or shall be submitted to the department's
			 appropriate regional office at least thirty (30) days prior to initiation of
			 the blast.
(c) The blast design
			 shall contain sketches of the drill patterns, delay periods, and decking; shall
			 indicate the types and amounts of explosives to be used, critical dimensions,
			 and the locations of structures to be protected; shall include a general
			 description of structures to be protected; and shall contain a discussion of
			 design factors to be used, which protect the public and meet the applicable
			 airblast, flyrock, and ground vibration standards in this administrative
			 regulation.
(d) The blast design
			 shall be prepared and signed by a certified blaster.
(e) The cabinet may require changes to the
			 design submitted in order to ensure compliance with KRS Chapter 350; SMCRA; and
			 405 KAR Chapters 7 through 24.