Current through Register Vol. 6, March 22, 2024
(1)
(a) A person seeking certification as a
blaster shall submit to the department an application on a form provided by the
department. The applicant shall include a verifiable statement that he has
successfully completed a training course, provided by the department, the
operator, or other person, meeting the requirements of ARM
17.24.1262(1) and
incorporating the training manual prepared by the department.
(b) The department shall make available to
the public, upon request and payment of a reasonable fee, a copy of the
training manual. The training manual must be updated as necessary.
(2) The department shall issue a
blaster certification to each applicant who:
(a) has two years field experience in
blasting;
(b) has successfully
completed a 24-hour blaster training course meeting the requirements of ARM
17.24.1262; and
(c) achieves a
grade of 80% or higher on an examination administered by the department. The
examination must, at a minimum, reflect the training manual prepared by the
department and examine in the topics set forth in ARM 17.24.1262. The
examination must also incorporate an equally weighted section that covers
practical field experience on blasting procedures and occurrences. An applicant
who fails may retake the examination. If the applicant fails the examination a
second time, he shall successfully complete a blaster training course again and
reapply for certification before retaking the examination.
(3) Blaster certifications are
nontransferable.
(4) A
certification shall expire three years after issuance. The department shall
recertify if the blaster:
(a) submits to the
department, at least 60 days prior to the expiration of his certification, an
application for recertification on a form provided by the department;
(b) has documented successful completion of
16 hours of refresher training meeting the requirements of ARM
17.24.1262 during the
certification period; and
(c) has
conducted or directed blasting operations within the 12 months immediately
preceding the date of application for recertification or receives a grade of
80% or better on a recertification examination. The only new developments that
the department may include in the recertification examination are those that
have been included in the updates to the training manual. The applicant for
recertification may take the examination twice.
(5) The department shall certify any person
who has a current state or federal blaster certificate under any program
approved by the Federal Coal Regulatory Authority under 30 CFR Part 850 and can
demonstrate that he or she has met requirements equivalent to those in (1) and
(2). The period of the department's certification must be coextensive with the
period of certification under the other program but may not exceed three
years.
AUTH:
82-4-205,
82-4-205(7),
82-4-231(10)(e),
MCA; IMP: 82-4-231(10)(e),
MCA