New Brunswick Blasting Code
Regulation 89-108 under the Municipalities Act
O.C. 89-606 Filed August 15, 1989
Under section 93 of the Municipalities Act, the Lieutenant-Governor in Council makes the following Regulation:
Section 1: Citation
This Regulation may be cited as the Blasting Code Approval Regulation - Municipalities Act.
Section 2: Approval
The Lieutenant-Governor in Council approves the code annexed as Schedule A for adoption by municipalities within New Brunswick.
Schedule A: Blasting Code
Section 1: Definitions
In this Code:
"inspector" means a person who has been appointed or designated by a municipality to administer a by-law that adopts this Code or a portion of this Code.
"quarry" means a place where consolidated rock has been or is being removed by means of an open excavation in order to supply material for construction, industrial or manufacturing purposes and includes an open pit mine.
Section 2: Application
This Code applies to blasting operations conducted in a quarry located within the boundary of a municipality.
Section 3: Information and Records
A person who conducts blasting operations shall prepare and maintain the following information and records:
(a) Overall Plan
An overall plan, to scale, duly certified and signed, indicating:
- The site of the quarry, including the location of the physical plant and any storage areas
- The neighboring territory within six hundred metres from the operating site of the quarry
- The name and layout of public highways, roads, watercourses, lakes, wells and other similar features within six hundred metres from the site of the quarry
(b) Equipment Description
A description of the equipment to be used, including any device designed to abate or eliminate any emission, deposit, issuance or discharge of waste or contaminants.
(c) Working Area
The surface area of the land to be stripped and worked as well as the average and maximum depths to be worked.
(d) Dust Control
A description of the location and the method of eliminating dust recuperated by the dust collector system, where applicable.
(e) Pre-Blast Survey
A copy of a pre-blast survey, if required, which complies with section 5.
Section 4: Insurance
4(1) Insurance Requirements
A person who operates a quarry and conducts or permits blasting operations in the quarry and the person who does the blasting shall each have and maintain a valid insurance policy with:
4(2) Inspection
A person referred to in subsection (1) shall, upon request, provide a copy of the insurance policy to an inspector for inspection.
Section 5: Pre-Blast Surveys
5(1) Survey Requirement
A person who operates a quarry and conducts or permits blasting operations in the quarry shall prepare, if required by an inspector, a survey of all buildings and structures that may be affected by the blasting operations within such distance from the quarry as is required by an inspector.
5(2) Survey Contents
A pre-blast survey shall include an inspection of each residence for which the person who operates the quarry has been given permission to enter by the owner or occupant of the residence and shall record the following:
- (a) The age of the residence
- (b) The type of basement construction and the location and size of any exterior and interior cracks
- (c) The type of wall covering and the location and size of any exterior and interior cracks
- (d) The window conditions
- (e) The window frame and door frame conditions, especially at the corners of the residence
- (f) Any protruding nails, plumbing or electrical fixtures
5(3) Distance Determination
In determining what distance from the quarry should be covered in a pre-blast survey, an inspector shall take into consideration:
- The geology of the rock in the area
- The charge weight to be used
Blasting Operations
Section 6: Time Restrictions
Where a quarry is situated less than six hundred metres from any residence, no person shall conduct blasting operations between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.
Section 7: Distance Restrictions
No person shall conduct blasting operations:
- Within seventy metres of a public thoroughfare
- Within fifteen metres of the boundary of property owned by any person other than the owner of the property on which the quarry is located
Section 8: Day Restrictions
Unless otherwise permitted by by-law, no person shall conduct blasting operations on a Saturday, Sunday or a statutory holiday.
Section 9: Notification Requirements
Where a blasting operation is scheduled to occur, the person in charge of the blasting operation or the person who operates the quarry shall:
- (a) Inform property owners within ninety metres of the site of the scheduled time of blasting
- (b) Use an audible warning system prior to the blast
Section 10: Qualified Personnel
The handling and use of explosives shall be carried out by a qualified powderman and in compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and regulations under that Act.
Section 11: Concussion Limit
Concussion resulting from blasting operations shall not exceed the peak pressure level limit of 128 decibels.
Section 12: Vibration Limit
Vibration resulting from blasting operations shall not exceed the peak particle velocity limit of 1.25 centimetres per second.
Section 13: Monitoring
Monitoring of concussion and vibration resulting from blasting operations shall be carried out by the person who operates the quarry at that person's expense on a schedule as determined by an inspector from time to time.
Section 14: Results Submission
A person who operates a quarry and who conducts or permits blasting operations in the quarry shall submit, when requested by an inspector, the results of any monitoring referred to in section 13.
Section 15: Measurement Standards
All measurements of concussion and vibration resulting from blasting operations shall be made in accordance with the procedure prescribed in sections 17 and 18.
Section 16: Records Availability
Any information and records required under section 3 and any records of blasting required under the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the regulations under that Act shall be made available to an inspector upon request.
Section 17: Measurement of Concussion
17(1) Instruments Required
The following instruments shall be used for the measurement of concussion:
- (a) A peak pressure level detector
- (b) An acoustic calibrator
- (c) A windscreen, if necessary
- (d) A microphone
17(2) Measurement Location
The measurement location for concussion shall be at a point of reception outdoors within seven metres from a building at a location designated by an inspector.
17(3) Battery Check
If a peak pressure level detector is battery powered, the condition of the battery shall be checked after the detector has warmed up and stabilized and again after each measurement has been made and no detector shall be used unless the condition of the battery is confirmed to be within the range recommended by the manufacturer for proper operation.
17(4) Calibration
A peak pressure level detector shall be calibrated after it has warmed up and stabilized and again after each measurement has been made.
17(5) Settings
A peak pressure level detector shall be set to read the peak pressure level using linear response and a "hold" facility, if available.
17(6) Microphone Placement
A microphone shall be located:
- Not less than one metre above the ground
- Not less than one metre from any sound reflective surface
- Not less than arm's length from the body of the person operating the peak pressure level detector
17(7) Personnel Restrictions
Not more than one person, other than the operator of the peak pressure level detector, shall be within seven metres of the microphone and that person shall be behind the operator of the detector.
17(8) Microphone Orientation
A microphone shall be oriented so that the concussion wave to be measured is incident at an angle recommended by the microphone manufacturer for flattest frequency response in a free field.
17(9) Reporting Values
Where a measurement of concussion is reported, the value of peak pressure level to the nearest decibel shall be reported.
17(10) Invalid Measurements
A measurement of concussion shall not be reported:
- (a) If the meter calibration after the measurement is more than 0.5 decibel different from that before the measurement
- (b) If the battery condition after the measurement is not within the range recommended by the manufacturer for proper operation
- (c) Unless the wind-induced sound pressure level is more than ten decibels below the measured peak pressure level
17(11) Measurement Restrictions
A measurement of concussion shall not be taken:
- (a) If the relative humidity is above the maximum for which the meter specification is guaranteed by the manufacturer
- (b) During precipitation
- (c) When the air temperature is outside the range for which the meter specification is guaranteed by the manufacturer
Section 18: Measurement of Vibration
18(1) Instruments Required
The following instruments shall be used for the measurement of vibration:
- (a) A vibration velocity detector
- (b) A vibration calibrator
- (c) A transducer
18(2) Calibration
An electrical reference signal of known voltage and frequency shall be used in the field for calibration of the vibration velocity detector, excluding the transducer, and a reference vibration source shall be used for laboratory calibration of the vibration velocity detector, including the transducer.
18(3) Measurement Location
Vibration measurements shall be made at a point of reception inside a building below grade or less than one metre above grade, preferably on a basement floor close to an outside corner.
18(4) Battery Check
If the vibration velocity detector is battery powered, the condition of the battery shall be checked after the detector has warmed up and stabilized and again after each measurement has been made, and the detector shall not be used unless the battery condition is confirmed to be within the range recommended by the manufacturer for proper operation.
18(5) Calibration Schedule
- Field calibration of the vibration velocity detector shall be carried out before and after each measurement
- Laboratory calibration of the complete vibration velocity detector, including the transducer, as used in the field, shall be carried out not less than once every calendar year and the results of the laboratory calibration shall be certified
18(6) Transducer Installation
A transducer shall be affixed to a part of the building referred to in subsection (3) so as to prevent movement of the transducer relative to the building.
18(7) Three-Vector Measurements
If three vector components of vibration velocity are recorded individually, the transducers shall be oriented such that the three axes of measurement are:
- (a) Vertical
- (b) Radial - along a horizontal line joining the location of the blast to the location of measurement
- (c) Transverse - along a horizontal line at right angles to the line joining the location of the blast to the location of measurement
18(8) Reporting Values
Where a measurement of vibration is reported, the peak particle velocity in centimetres per second shall be reported.
18(9) Invalid Measurements
A measurement of vibration shall not be reported:
- (a) If calibration after the measurement is more than five per cent different from that before the measurement
- (b) If the battery condition after the measurement is not within the range recommended by the manufacturer for proper operation
Section 19: Report of Measurement
The following information shall be contained in a report of a measurement made under section 17 or 18:
(a) Description of the Area
- The location and description of the blasting operation
- A dimensioned sketch including photographs, if possible, of the location of the blasting operation, the nearest premises and the measurement location
- A description of the measurement location
- Meteorological conditions at the time of the measurement, including:
- Approximate wind speed in kilometres per hour
- Wind direction
- Air temperature in degrees Celsius
- Approximate relative humidity
- Degree of cloud cover
- Whether or not a condition of thermal inversion prevailed
(b) Equipment List
A list of all equipment used for making the concussion or vibration measurement indicating:
For concussion measurements:
- Type, model and serial number of peak pressure level detector
- Type, model and serial number of microphone
- Type, model and serial number of acoustic calibrator
- Whether a windscreen was used
- Whether extension cables or additional amplifiers were used
For vibration measurements:
- Type, model and serial number of vibration velocity detector
- Type, model and serial number of transducer
- Type, model and serial number of vibration calibrator
(c) Measurement Details
- The location where measurements were taken, the time period involved and the orientation of instrumentation using a sketch, if necessary
- Details of all calculations
- The peak pressure level in decibels or peak particle velocity in centimetres per second
- Comparison with the applicable peak pressure level limit or peak particle velocity limit
N.B. This Regulation is consolidated to September 30, 1989.
Quick Reference Summary
This document is the property of Maritime Blasting Services Ltd., Moncton, NB