Part XII: Explosives Safety Regulations
New Brunswick Occupational Health and Safety Act
Note: This Part does not apply to an underground mine. (Section 146)
Control of Blasting Operations
Section 147: Blaster Certification
(1) Subject to subsection 148(2), an employer shall ensure that a blasting operation is conducted by a blaster who holds an appropriate certificate of qualification issued under the Apprenticeship and Occupational Certification Act for the work involved.
(2) Where more than one blaster is involved in a blasting operation, an employer shall designate one of the blasters to supervise the blasting operation.
Section 148: Qualification Requirements
(1) No person other than a blaster with the appropriate certificate of qualification shall conduct or supervise a blasting operation.
(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), a person who, as of December 31, 1991, has conducted or supervised blasting operations for a period of not less than six months in the open pit mining industry may continue to do such work until June 1, 1993 without holding a certificate of qualification as a blaster issued under the Apprenticeship and Occupational Certification Act.
(3) The provisions of this Part that apply to a blaster apply to a person referred to in subsection (2) with the necessary modifications.
Section 149: Safety Responsibility
(1) A blaster who conducts a blasting operation or, where there is more than one blaster involved, the blaster who supervises the blasting operation, shall ensure the safety of all persons within and adjacent to the blasting area.
(2) All persons within or adjacent to a blasting area shall comply with the directions or instructions given by the blaster responsible for ensuring the safety of persons within or adjacent to the blasting area.
Section 150: Assistants
(1) A person who is not a blaster or a blaster who does not hold the appropriate certificate of qualification may assist in a blasting operation.
(2) A blaster conducting or supervising a blasting operation shall exercise continuous visual supervision over a person or blaster referred to in subsection (1).
General Safety
Section 151: Employer Responsibilities
An employer shall ensure that:
- (a) Only an authorized employee has access to explosives
- (b) No person carries explosives in clothing
- (c) No smoking or open flame is permitted:
- (i) Within 30 m of any place where an explosive is stored, or
- (ii) Within 15 m of any place where an explosive is being handled, used or transported
- (d) Primed explosives are not transported, stored or handled inside a vehicle or near any electrical equipment
Section 152: Electrical Detonator Transport
Where it is necessary to transport electrical detonators in a vehicle equipped with a radio transmitter, an employer shall ensure that:
- (a) The detonators are transported in a resilient rubber-lined or felt-lined closed metal container, electrically bonded to the vehicle
- (b) The radio transmitter is switched off whenever the box is open
- (c) The detonators are transported in their original containers with their leg wires folded and shunted, as shipped by the supplier
Section 153: Storage Requirements
(1) Where explosives are unloaded from a transport vehicle and are to be used the same day, an employer shall ensure that blasting explosives and detonator products are placed at least 50 m apart where possible and are:
- (a) Under visual observation at all times, or
- (b) Locked in separate dayboxes that meet the standards set out in "Magazine Standards for Blasting Explosives and Detonators", revised in 1982 and published by the federal Department of Energy, Mines and Resources
(2) Where blasting explosives or detonator products are to be stored overnight, an employer shall ensure that they are stored in accordance with the requirements of the Explosives Act (Canada).
Section 154: Magazine Safety
An employer shall ensure that:
- (a) No article or thing liable to ignite spontaneously or likely to cause an explosion or fire is taken into or stored beside a magazine used to keep or store explosives
- (b) Tools and implements used to open containers of explosives are made only of non-sparking materials
Section 155: Blasting Machine Inspection
An employer shall ensure that a blasting machine is inspected at least annually by a competent person and that the blasting machine is maintained in good working condition.
Handling
Section 156: Blaster Responsibilities
A blaster shall ensure that:
- (a) Blasting explosives and detonator products are kept and handled separately until the last practicable moment when the blaster primes the explosive
- (b) No explosive is primed in any place where explosives are stored
- (c) Primed explosives are not slit or tamped
- (d) The wrapping is not removed from nitroglycerine-based products
- (e) Only commercially manufactured safety fuse assemblies are used
- (f) Safety fuse assemblies are not less than 1 m in length
- (g) Time expired, deteriorated or damaged explosives are not used
- (h) Where more than one drill hole is fired in any one round using safety fuses, the holes are fired by means of one igniter cord
- (i) Where there is any danger to property or persons from flyrock from a blast, blasting mats of adequate size and strength are used
- (j) Frozen explosives are used in accordance with the manufacturer's recommended procedure
- (k) Drill holes are of sufficient size to admit the free insertion to the bottom of the hole of the explosive to be used without ramming, pounding or undue pressure
- (l) Only tamping rods of wood or other non-metallic, non-sparking material are used
- (m) Drill holes are not tied in until the last practicable moment before firing and are fired in a single operation
- (n) No drilling is done in a previously blasted area until the surface to be drilled is exposed and carefully examined for remnants of explosives or holes containing explosives
- (o) Where remnants of explosives or holes containing explosives are found, the explosives are detonated or removed before drilling commences
Section 157: Electrical Storms
At the approach of an electrical storm and until the electrical storm has passed, a blaster shall ensure that:
- (a) Blasting operations cease
- (b) If an electric means of initiation is being used, lead wires are short-circuited
- (c) All persons leave the danger area and no one enters the danger area
Section 158: Drilling Safety Distances
(1) An employer and a blaster shall each ensure that no drilling is done within a distance equal to one and one-half times the depth of the drill hole to any drill hole containing explosives and that notwithstanding the depth of the drill hole, a minimum distance of 6.5 m is maintained at all times.
(2) Where, due to the nature of the ground being drilled, it is necessary to load a drill hole immediately after drilling is complete and subsequently to drill adjacent holes, an employer shall establish a code of practice detailing the procedure to be followed in such a situation to ensure employee safety.
Section 159: Loaded Drill Holes
An employer and a blaster shall each ensure that loaded drill holes are clearly identified and secured and are protected from the passage of machines or equipment over them.
Section 160: Work in Blasting Area
(1) No person shall conduct or direct any work in a blasting area without the approval of the blaster conducting the blasting operation or, where there is more than one blaster involved, the blaster supervising the blasting operation.
(2) Except for the tools and equipment used by a person who has obtained the approval required under subsection (1), a blaster shall ensure that only tools and equipment necessary to the blasting operation are brought into a blasting area.
Section 161: Firing Authorization
An employer shall ensure that:
- (a) No person other than a blaster with the appropriate certificate of qualification, a person referred to in subsection 148(2) or a person referred to in subsection 150(1) fires a charge
- (b) A blaster, a person referred to in subsection 148(2) or a person referred to in subsection 150(1) who fires a charge by lighting a safety fuse is accompanied by another person
Section 162: Restricted Activities
No person other than a blaster with the appropriate certificate of qualification, a person referred to in subsection 148(2) or a person referred to in subsection 150(1) shall:
- (a) Prime an explosive
- (b) Make any connection that leads or will lead from the primed charge to an initiating device
- (c) Connect any delay or sequencing device or program the delay or sequence for the blast
- (d) Fire a charge
Before Firing
Section 163: Electric Detonator Testing
Before firing a charge, a blaster shall ensure that electric detonators are:
- (a) Tested for continuity with a blasting meter before being used
- (b) Shunted or short-circuited after being tested until they are connected in circuits
Section 164: Circuit Testing
Before connecting an electric blasting circuit to the lead wires and before connecting the lead wires to the power source, a blaster shall ensure that the electric blasting circuit is tested with a blasting meter for continuity and resistance as calculated.
Section 165: Pre-Firing Safety
Before making the final connection of lead wires to the power source when using an electric initiation of blasting or before firing when using any other initiation method, a blaster conducting the firing of a charge shall ensure that:
- (a) Sufficient audible warning is given to all persons in the danger area
- (b) All persons have moved out of the danger area
- (c) All roads and approaches to the danger area are guarded in order to prevent anyone from entering
- (d) All machines and equipment are clear of the effects of the blast
Section 166: Blasting Machines and Safety Switches
(1) Where an electric initiation of blasting is used, a blaster shall ensure that:
- (a) Only a blasting machine or a safety switch box referred to in subsection (2) is used
- (b) The blasting machine does not exceed the manufacturer's rated capacity
(2) Where firing of a charge is done from power lines, an employer shall ensure that a safety switch box:
- (a) Is provided to the blaster and is constructed so that the door may be closed and locked only in the "OFF" position
- (b) Is kept locked and is not accessible to anyone other than the blaster responsible for firing the charge
Section 167: Extraneous Electricity
(1) In this section, "extraneous electricity" means unwanted electrical energy greater than 50 mA that is present at a blasting area and that may enter an electric blasting circuit, and includes stray electrical current, static electricity, radio frequency energy and time-varying electric and magnetic fields.
(2) Where an electric initiation of blasting is used, a blaster shall ensure that electric blasting circuits are kept on the ground, except that bare connections may be elevated to prevent current leakage.
(3) A blaster shall ensure that electric initiation of blasting is not used:
- (a) Where there is a danger from extraneous electricity
- (b) When blasting within 100 m of electric power lines
Section 168: Minimum Distances from Transmitters
An employer and a blaster shall each ensure that electric initiation of blasting is not carried out at a distance from any transmitter less than the minimum distances shown in the following tables:
Commercial AM Broadcast Transmitters (0.535 to 1.705 MHz)
Power delivered to antenna
Transmitters Up to 50 MHz (excluding Commercial AM Broadcast)
Calculated for a specific loop pickup configuration. Power delivered to antenna.
Mobile Transmitters Including Amateur and Citizen's Band
Citizen's Band Class D Transmitters (26.96 - 27.41 MHz)
VHF TV and FM Broadcasting Transmitters
UHF TV Transmitters
Maritime Radio Navigational Radar
Note: Department of National Defence and Coast Guard operate at much higher power (200,000,000 watts).
After Firing
Section 169: Post-Blast Procedures
(1) A blaster who fires a charge shall ensure that no person other than the blaster enters a danger area where the charge has been fired until the blaster makes a thorough inspection of the site after the charge has been fired and approves the danger area as safe.
(2) A blaster who fires a charge by an electric means of initiation shall ensure that no person enters a danger area where the charge has been fired until the blaster disconnects the lead wires from the power source, short-circuits the leads and, where applicable, locks the safety switch box.
(3) Notwithstanding subsection (1), a blaster may be accompanied by an assistant when making an inspection under subsection (1).
Misfires
Section 170: Misfire Procedures
(1) Where a charge has misfired or is suspected of having misfired, the blaster who fired the charge shall remain outside the danger area until:
- (a) Thirty minutes after the last charge was due to explode if a safety fuse was used
- (b) Ten minutes after the last charge was due to explode for all other means of initiation
(2) On expiration of the time referred to in subsection (1), the blaster who fired the charge shall enter the danger area, make a thorough inspection of the site and approach the misfired or suspected misfired charge to assess the situation or potential hazard.
(3) Where no misfired charge is found, the blaster who fired the charge may approve the danger area as safe and shall cause an all clear signal to be sounded.
(4) Where one or more misfired charges are found, the blaster who fired the charge:
- (a) Shall readjust the danger area boundary if required
- (b) Shall inform the employer of the situation
- (c) Shall conspicuously mark all misfired charges
- (d) Notwithstanding subsection 169(1), may allow sufficient personnel to enter the danger area to assist in treating the misfire
Section 171: Misfire Code of Practice
(1) An employer shall establish a code of practice for the safe handling of misfired charges and shall have the code of practice available for inspection by an officer.
(2) A blaster shall follow the code of practice referred to in subsection (1).
Section 172: Cause Investigation
An employer shall, as far as practicable, ensure that the cause of a misfired charge is established and that corrective action is taken to prevent recurrence.
Records
Section 173: Blaster's Log Book
(1) A blaster who conducts or supervises a blast shall maintain a log book recording the following:
(a) Before the blast:
- (i) Job location
- (ii) Names of blaster and assistants
- (iii) Diagram of blasting pattern and sequence of firing
- (iv) Type and the amount of blasting explosives and detonators
- (v) Number, depth and placement of charges in each hole
- (vi) Resistance calculations for each series and circuit when using an electric means of initiation
- (vii) Precautions taken to control flyrock, air blast and ground vibrations
- (viii) Placement of persons to guard the danger area
- (ix) Reason for any delay in blasting
(b) After the blast:
- (i) Date and time of blast
- (ii) Weather conditions at time of blast
- (iii) Results of post-blast examination for misfires and other dangers
(2) A blaster shall keep a log book referred to in subsection (1) for three years after the last blast recorded in the log book and shall make the log book available for inspection by an officer.
Section 174: Certificate Availability
A blaster who conducts, supervises or participates in a blasting operation shall keep the certificate of qualification referred to in subsection 147(1) in a safe place at the place of employment and make it available for inspection by an officer.
Section 175: Magazine Log Book
(1) An employer shall ensure that an employee in charge of a magazine maintains a log book for the magazine and records the amount of blasting explosives by type, detonators by period, leg wire length and series that are or have been stored in the magazine from the time the magazine was first used or for the three years previous to the date of the most recent entry, whichever is the shorter period.
(2) An employer shall ensure that the log book referred to in subsection (1) is not kept in the magazine and that it is made available for inspection by an officer.
Warning Signs
Section 176: Sign Requirements
(1) Where a blasting operation by an electric means of initiation is about to commence and while it is in progress, an employer shall ensure that signs bearing the words "Blasting Operations - Turn Off Radio Transmitters" and "Opérations de sautage - éteindre les émetteurs radio" in letters of luminous paint not less than 150 mm high on a contrasting background are posted on all roads within 100 m of the blasting area.
(2) An employer shall ensure that signs bearing the words "End of Blasting" and "Fin de sautage" indicate to drivers of vehicles when they are leaving the area referred to in subsection (1).
(3) An employer shall ensure that the signs described in subsections (1) and (2) are removed or covered after each blast is completed.
Housekeeping
Section 177: Waste Disposal
(1) An employer shall ensure that empty explosives cartons and wrappings are:
- (a) Collected from the site before blasting
- (b) Disposed of after the blast is completed
(2) An employer shall ensure that time-expired, surplus or damaged explosives are destroyed only by a blaster or other qualified person using methods approved by the supplier.
Section 178: Post-Blast Safety
An employer shall ensure that:
- (a) Blasting mats are used where there may be a hazard to persons or property from flying debris
- (b) Loose rocks are scaled off the sides of excavations and removed from the crest after blasting and before any work is resumed
Code of Practice Requirements
Section 179: Special Applications
(1) Where black powder is to be used, an employer shall establish a code of practice for the safe use of the black powder.
(2) Where any explosive other than black powder is to be used in the following applications, an employer shall establish a code of practice for the safe use of the explosive:
- (a) In a confined space
- (b) Underwater
- (c) For demolition of buildings and other structures
- (d) For river ice control
- (e) In theatrical applications where the special effects includes explosives used alone or in conjunction with fireworks
- (f) For oil well or wild gas well control
- (g) For seismic operations
- (h) For any other unusual use as determined by the Chief Compliance Officer
Quick Reference: Key Distance Requirements
Regulations: 93-8; 97-121; 2001-33
This document is the property of Maritime Blasting Services Ltd., Moncton, NB