Pennsylvania Code
Title 25 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Part I - Department of Environmental Protection
Subpart D - Environmental Health and Safety
Article IV - Occupational Health and Safety
Chapter 211 - STORAGE, HANDLING AND USE OF EXPLOSIVES
Subchapter G - REQUIREMENTS FOR MONITORING
Section 211.171 - General provisions for monitoring
Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 44, November 2, 2024
(a) If the square root scaled distance of a blast is 90 or numerically less at the closest building not owned or leased by the blasting activity permittee or its customer, ground vibration and airblast monitoring shall be conducted. The Department may require the permittee to conduct ground vibration and airblast monitoring at other buildings or structures even if the scaled distance is greater than 90.
(b) If monitoring is required, a ground vibration and airblast record of each blast shall be made part of the blast report.
(c) If monitoring is performed with instruments that have variable "trigger levels," the trigger for ground vibration shall be set at a particle velocity of no more than 0.25 inch per second unless otherwise directed by the Department.
(d) If the peak particle velocity and airblast from a blast are below the set trigger level of the instrument, a printout from the instrument must be attached to the blast report. This printout must provide the date and time when the instrument was turned on and off, the set trigger levels and information concerning the status of the instrument during the activation period. When an instrument is used that does not provide this information, the Department will allow the permittee to supply on/off times on a signed statement.
(e) Blasting seismographs shall be deployed in the field according to the guidelines established by the International Society of Explosives Engineers' Standards Committee.
The provisions of this §211.171 amended under sections 1917-A and 1920-A of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P.S. §§ 510-17 and 510-20); section 4.2 of the Surface Mining Conservation and Reclamation Act (52 P.S. § 1396.4b); section 11(e) of the Noncoal Surface Mining Conservation and Reclamation Act (52 P.S. § 3311(e)); sections 7 and 11 of the act of July 1, 1937 (P.L. 2681, No. 537) (73 P.S. §§ 157 and 161); sections 3 and 4 of the act of July 10, 1957 (P.L. 685, No. 362) (73 P.S. §§ 166 and 167); Reorganization Plan No. 8 of 1981 (71 P.S. § 751-35); section 2(f) of the act of May 18, 1937 (P.L. 654, No. 174) (43 P.S. § 25-2(f)); and Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1975 (71 P.S. § 751-22).
