8 AAC 61.1020. Additional explosive and blasting standards

(a) In addition to the requirements set out in 29 C.F.R. 1910.109 (e), as amended, an employer shall ensure the following:

(1) all employees doing excavation, tunnel, quarry, earth removal, or construction work, and who are emplacing explosives for detonation, installing primers, fuses, wires, or other means of detonation, or detonating explosives, are required to obtain a certificate of fitness for explosive handlers issued by the department, the standards and application procedures for certificate of fitness for explosive handlers are contained in 8 AAC 62.020 - 8 AAC 62.070;

(2) an employee handling explosive materials shall be supervised by a holder of a certificate of fitness for explosive handlers and shall be at least 18 years of age.

(b) Notwithstanding 29 C.F.R. 1910.109(e)(1)(v), if fewer than six hours of daylight will occur in a 24-hour period, blasting operations may be performed at night if the employer ensures that the following additional safety requirements for employees are met:

(1) all affected employees must be notified before night-time blasting operations are begun; notification must be by verbal communication and by posting a notice in a place where notices to employees are usually posted by the employer;

(2) the department must be notified at least 72 hours before blasting work is begun, indicating the location where blasting will be done and the approximate length of time the blasting will be in progress; upon completion of the blasting operations, the department must be notified of completion;

(3) written procedures on how night blasting operations will be controlled must be made available upon request to the department when blasting is to be done within one-half mile of populated areas; these procedures must show the specific precautions that will be taken to ensure control of the site where blasting will be done and must place an emphasis on the protection of employees;

(4) the blaster must have a current state certificate of fitness for explosive handling and must be designated in writing by the employer for each night-blasting project; the blaster shall be responsible for all activities of employees within the blasting area and within 100 feet of the blasting area; the blaster shall control access by employees to this area;

(5) a minimum of four mobile flood light complexes must be used to illuminate the blasting area; each flood light complex must have its own generator plant, complete with four 1,000 watt flood lights, and must be capable of illuminating the blasting area so that there will be no shadows or darkened areas; additional flood light complexes must be brought into use if the blaster considers them necessary for safe operations to protect employees;

(6) the employer shall control access to the entire site to ensure that an employee does not enter unsafe areas during the blast;

(7) the blaster must be protected from flying rock by either adequate shelter or by keeping a safe distance from the blast; all other employees shall leave the blast site and keep a sufficient distance away from flying rock due to the blast;

(8) after the blast, and before any employees or equipment enter the blast site, the flood light complexes must be repositioned to illuminate the site as specified by the blaster; the blaster shall examine the area for misfires, loose explosives, or other hazards; handheld battery-powered lamps, approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory as defined in 29 C.F.R. 19 for use in hazardous locations, may be used to supplement the flood light complexes during this examination; an employee may not enter the area until the blaster gives clearance to do so.

(c) In this section, "night" or "night time" means the hours from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise.

History: Eff. 12/6/95, Register 136

Authority: AS 18.60.020

AS 18.60.030

AS 18.60.075

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