68-105-103 - Requirements governing blasting.
68-105-103. Requirements governing blasting.
(a) The use of explosives for the purpose of blasting in the neighborhood of any public highway, dwelling house, public building, school, church, commercial or institutional building, or pipeline or other public utility facility, including, but not limited to, electrical and communications cables or wires, shall be done in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and the rules and regulations promulgated by the department.
(b) [Deleted by 2007 amendment.]
(c) Blasting operations without instrumentation will be considered as being within the limits set forth in this section, if such blasting operations are conducted in accordance with the provisions of § 68-105-104 and such other rules and regulations as may be promulgated by the department.
(d) [Deleted by 2007 amendment.]
(e) Instruments for determining particle velocity as set forth in this chapter shall be limited to such specific types of devices as have been expressly approved by the department, and the commissioner or the commissioner's duly authorized agent may enter upon any premises for the purpose of conducting or supervising any necessary instrumentations provided by this chapter.
(f) Whenever blasting operations are to be conducted within one hundred feet (100¢) of any pipeline distributing liquefied or liquid petroleum or manufactured, mixed or natural gas, the person who will conduct such blasting operations shall notify the utility company having control of such pipeline at least three (3) full working days, except Sundays and holidays, prior to blasting. Whenever blasting operations are to be conducted on a single project for a period of more than one (1) day, a single notification of intention shall constitute compliance with the requirements of this subsection (f).
(g) Blasting operations shall not be conducted within close proximity of any public highway, unless reasonable precautionary measures are taken to safeguard the public.
(h) When blasting operations are conducted at the immediate location of any dwelling house, public building, school, church, commercial or institutional building that would result in ground vibrations having a particle velocity exceeding the limits provided by this chapter, such blasting operations may proceed after receiving written consent from the property owner or owners affected.
(i) When blasting is done in congested areas or in proximity to a structure, railway, or highway, or any other installation that may be damaged, the blaster shall take special precautions in the loading, delaying, initiation, and confinement of each blast with mats or other methods so as to control the throw of fragments, and thus prevent bodily injury or property damage.
(j) When a blast is about to be fired, ample warning shall be given to allow all persons to retreat to a safe place, and care shall be taken to ascertain that all persons are in the clear. Each blaster shall follow a definite plan of warning signals that can be clearly seen or heard by anyone in the blasting area. The blaster shall inform all persons in the proximity of the established procedure, and shall take additional precautions when entry into the area is not easily denied.
(k) Where the standard table of distance is exceeded, that is, a scaled distance that is less than 50, the blaster shall provide notice to all structures in that area.
(l) (1) Any person conducting blasting operations in the vicinity of any pipeline referred to in subsection (f) shall use:
(A) A blast hole drilling pattern and blast initiation procedure that will provide the greatest relief possible in the direction away from the pipeline; and
(B) A type of explosive designed to limit propagation between blast holes.
(2) All blasting operations in the vicinity of any such pipeline shall be conducted as follows:
(A) The blast depth in the initial excavation shall be limited to the elevation of the top of the pipeline, plus one half (½) of the distance from the nearest blast hole to the pipeline;
(B) Subsequent excavations when approaching such pipelines shall be limited to one half (½) the horizontal distance from the nearest blast hole to the pipeline;
(C) Under the conditions described in subdivision (l )(1), the diameter of the blast hole shall not exceed three inches (3²), and only one (1) blast hole may be fired per delay;
(D) When a free face has been established to the finished depth of the trench, subdivisions (l) (1) and (2) shall not apply;
(E) Monitored blasting shall not exceed two inches (2²) per second peak particle velocity as measured by a seismograph at a liquid petroleum pipeline or four inches (4²) per second peak particle velocity as measured by a seismograph at all other pipelines referred to in subsection (f); and
(F) Any pipeline owner or operator seeking more restrictive vibration limits shall apply to the department under the provisions of § 68-105-109(f), and indicate on the application the desired limit, in inches per second.
(3) When blasting is done in the vicinity of other utility lines:
(A) Reasonable precautionary measures shall be taken to protect the line; and
(B) In the case of underground utilities, the blaster shall give notice to the utility company at least seventy-two (72) hours in advance of the blasting operation.
[Acts 1975, ch. 93, § 3; T.C.A., §§ 53-6103, 68-44-103; Acts 2000, ch. 619, §§ 2, 3; 2007, ch. 231, § 3; 2008, ch. 640, §§ 1, 2.]