45.1-161.285 - Misfires.
§ 45.1-161.285. Misfires.
A. Misfires shall be reported promptly to the mine foreman and no other workshall be performed in the blasting area until the hazard has been corrected.A waiting period of at least fifteen minutes shall elapse before anyonereturns to the misfired holes. If explosives are suspected of burning in ahole, all persons affected shall move to a safe location for the longer ofone hour or until the danger has passed. When such failure involveselectronic detonators, the blasting cable shall be disconnected from thesource of power and the battery ends short-circuited before electricconnections are examined.
B. Explosives shall be removed by firing a separate charge at least two feetaway from, and parallel to, the misfired charge or by washing the stemmingand the charge from the borehole with water, or by inserting and firing a newprimer after the stemming has been washed out.
C. A very careful search of the blasting area, and if necessary, of the coalafter it reaches the tipple shall be made after blasting a misfired hole torecover any undetonated explosive.
D. The handling of a misfired shot shall be under the direct supervision ofthe foreman or an authorized person designated by him.
(Code 1950, § 45-53.7; 1954, c. 191; 1966, c. 594, § 45.1-50; 1994, c. 28;1999, c. 256.)