West Virginia Code of State Rules › Agency 38 - Mining And Reclamation › Title 38 - LEGISLATIVE RULE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION MINING AND RECLAMATION › Series 38-06 - Rules And Regulations Governing Open Pit Mines, Exclusive Of Surface Mines, Exclusive Of Surface Mines › Section 38-6-4 - Explosives and Blasting

Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 28, July 12, 2024
4.01.
				Permissible explosives applicable to local conditions shall be used
				exclusively.
4.02. Primers shall
				not be made up until the charge is ready to be inserted in the hole. All holes,
				or series of holes, containing electric detonators shall be fired immediately
				after being charged or at end of shift: Provided, however, that if, for any
				reason, the holes cannot be fired immediately or at end of shift, all work
				shall cease within a radius of 200 feet of blast area, and work shall not
				commence again until the holes have been fired. This rule does not apply if
				primacord is used.
4.03. Frozen
				explosives shall not be used.
4.04.
				The shot firer shall wait 15 minutes before returning to a misfired shot,
				except when using an electric blasting cap.
4.05. Extra precaution shall be taken in
				recovering of the explosive and blasting cap from a misfired shot.
4.06. Immediately after each blast the shot
				firing cables shall be immediately disconnected from the blasting unit and
				shunted.
4.07. Explosives shall not
				be handled or used during an electrical storm.
4.08 Magazines shall be located at least two
				hundred (200) feet from the face and roadway an out of the line of
				blasting.
4.09 Trailer vans may be
				used for the temporary storing of explosives: Provided, however, that it is
				located in accordance with the American Table of Distances to inhabited
				buildings, passenger railroads and public highways. The trailer vans shall be
				provided with substantial means for locking, and the doors shall be kept
				locked, except for the placement and removal of stock.
4.10. Only competent persons designated by
				management shall handle explosives and do blasting.
4.11. Only electric detonators of proper
				strength shall be used and they must be fired with permissible shot firing
				units.
4.12. Drill holes shall be
				cleaned of cuttings before being charged.
4.13. Ample warning shall be given and care
				taken that all persons are in the clear before firing any shot.
4.14. After firing a shot the shotfirer, or
				any other person, shall not return to the working face until the smoke has
				cleared.
4.15. The number of holes
				fired in any one round shall not exceed the limit of the permissible firing
				unit used.
4.16. The shot firing
				circuit shall be tested with a galvanometer before firing.
4.17. While bore holes are being charged,
				equipment shall not be operated in the immediate area.
4.18. All shooting shall be done at the end
				of the working shift.
4.19. Two-way
				radio on motor vehicles shall not be used in a mine while shots are being
				loaded.
4.20. Tamping poles shall
				be made of wood or other nonsparkable material.
4.21. Shooting stations shall be kept locked
				when not in use and only authorized persons shall have the keys.
4.22. Prill loading machines shall be of an
				approved type and equipped with static strip hose and grounded.
4.23. When caps and fuse are used an approved
				cap crimper shall be used.
4.24.
				When shots are fired by means of caps and fuse, two or more persons shall do
				the firing.