(a) General. - (i) The Department of Environmental Quality, Land Quality Division and the State Inspector of Mines will jointly administer this Section by Memorandum of Understanding.
(b) Definition. - (i) A blaster or shot-firer is a person directly responsible for the use of explosives in surface coal mining operations or surface blasting operations incident to underground coal mining operations.
(c) Requirements. - (i) All blasting operations shall be conducted under the direction of a certified blaster having a minimum of two years of blasting experience.
- (ii) Certificates of blaster certification shall be carried by blasters or shall be on file at the mine site during blasting operations and shall be exhibited to any authorized State or Federal inspector upon request.
- (iii) A blaster and at least one other person shall be present in the blasting area at the firing of a blast.
- (iv) Persons responsible for blasting operations at a blasting site shall be familiar with the operator's blasting plan and site-specific performance standards.
(d) Training. - (i) The Department of Environmental Quality, Land Quality Division, shall establish or approve training programs for persons seeking to become certified as blasters. These training programs shall include:
- (A) Selection of the type of explosives to be used;
- (B) Determination of the properties of explosives which will produce desired results at an acceptable level of risk;
- (C) Handling, transportation, and storage of explosives;
- (D) Geologic and topographic considerations of blast designs;
- (E) Design of a blast hole with critical dimensions;
- (F) Pattern design, field layout, and timing of blast holes;
- (G) Field applications of blast designs;
- (H) Loading blast holes, including priming and boostering;
- (I) Initiation systems and blasting machines;
- (J) Blasting vibrations, airblast, and flyrock, including monitoring techniques and methods to control adverse affects;
- (K) Secondary blasting applications;
- (L) Current Federal and State rules applicable to the use of explosives;
- (O) Preblasting surveys, including availability, coverage, and the use of in-blast designs;
- (P) Blast plan requirements;
- (Q) Certification and training;
- (R) Signs, warning signals, and site control; and
- (S) Unpredictable hazards, including lightning, stray currents, radio waves, and misfires.
- (ii) Reciprocity of blaster's certificates from other approved State or Federal programs will require approval of the Administrator and the State Mine Inspector and at a minimum, knowledge of site-specific performance standards and blasting plan.
(e) Examination. - (i) To attain certification, a candidate must receive a passing score on the written and oral examinations which are prepared and approved by the Administrator.
- (ii) The written examination for candidates for blaster certification shall test their competence in and practical application of the topics set forth in Section 6(d).
- (iii) The oral examination for candidates for blaster certification shall test the use of explosives in relation to site-specific performance standards and the blasting plan under which they will be operating.
(f) Issuance of Certification. - (i) Certificates will be issued to those candidates receiving a passing score on the certification examination. The certification will expire five years from the issuance date.
(g) Renewal. - (i) Certificates may be renewed upon completion of the training, examination and certification program as required by the Administrator.
(h) Revocation. - (i) Following written notice and opportunity for hearing, the blasting certification will be revoked or suspended upon finding of:
- (A) Noncompliance with any blasting-related order of Land Quality Division or the State Inspector of Mines;
- (B) Unlawful use in the workplace of, or current addiction to, alcohol, narcotics, or other dangerous drugs;
- (C) Violation of any provision of the State or Federal explosives laws or regulations; and
- (D) Providing false information or a misrepresentation to obtain certification.
- (ii) If advance notice and opportunity for hearing cannot be provided, an opportunity for a hearing shall be provided as soon as practical following the suspension or revocation.
- (iii) Upon notice of revocation, the blaster shall immediately surrender to the Land Quality Division the revoked certification.
(i) Maintenance of Certificates. - (i) Certificates will be protected from loss, theft, or unauthorized duplication and any such occurrence shall be reported to the Land Quality Division immediately.
- (ii) Certificates shall not be assigned or transferred.
- (iii) The blasters shall not delegate their responsibilities to any individual who is not a certified blaster.