Subchapter A. GENERAL PROVISIONS

§ § 211.1 and 211.2. [Reserved].

 The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

   Access point—A point in the outer perimeter security and a point in the inner perimeter security that allows entry to or exit from the magazine or the magazine site.

   Airblast—An airborne shock wave resulting from an explosion, also known as air overpressure, which may or may not be audible.

   Blast area—The area around the blast site that should be cleared to prevent injury to persons and damage to property.

   Blast site—The specific location where the explosives charges are loaded into the blast holes.

   Blaster—An individual who is licensed by the Department under Chapter 210 (relating to blasters’ licenses) to detonate explosives and supervise blasting activities.

   Blaster-in-charge—The blaster designated to have supervision and control over all blasting activities related to a blast.

   Blasting activity—The actions associated with the use of explosives from the time of delivery of explosives to a worksite until all postblast measures are taken, including priming, loading, stemming, wiring or connecting, detonating, and all necessary safety, notification and monitoring measures.

   Building—A structure that is designed for human habitation, employment or assembly.

   Charge weight—The weight in pounds of an explosive charge.

   Concertina razor wire—Razor wire that is extended in a spiral for use as a barrier, such as along or on a fence and having a minimum of 101 coils of wire to 50 linear feet.

   Delay interval—The designed time interval, usually in milliseconds, between successive detonations.

   Detonator—

     (i)   A device containing an initiating or primary explosive that is used for initiating detonation of explosives.

     (ii)   The term includes electric blasting caps of instantaneous and delay types, blasting caps for use with safety fuses, detonating cord, delay connectors and nonelectric instantaneous and delay blasting caps.

   Display fireworks—

     (i)   Large fireworks designed primarily to produce visible or audible effects by combustion, deflagration or detonation.

     (ii)   The term includes, but is not limited to, salutes containing more than 2 grains (130 mg) of explosive materials, aerial shells containing more than 40 grams of pyrotechnic compositions, and other display pieces which exceed the limits of explosive materials for classification as consumer fireworks. Display fireworks are classified as fireworks UN0333, UN0334 or UN0335 by the United States Department of Transportation at 49 CFR 172.101 (relating to purpose and use of hazardous materials table).

     (iii)   The term also includes fused setpieces containing components which together exceed 50 mg of salute powder.

   Explosive—A chemical compound, mixture or device that contains oxidizing and combustible materials or other ingredients in such proportions or quantities that an ignition by fire, friction, concussion, percussion or detonation may result in an explosion.

     (i)   The term includes safety fuse, squibs, detonating cord and igniters.

     (ii)   The term does not include the following:

       (A)   Commercially manufactured black powder, percussion caps, safety and pyrotechnic fuses, matches and friction primers, intended to be used solely for sporting, recreational or cultural purposes in antique firearms or antique devices, as defined in 18 U.S.C.A. §  921 (relating to definitions).

       (B)   Smokeless powder, primers used for reloading rifle or pistol cartridges, shot shells, percussion caps and smokeless propellants intended for personal use.

   Flyrock—Overburden, stone, clay or other material ejected from the blast area by the force of a blast.

   Indoor magazine—A magazine located entirely within a secure intrusion-resistant and theft-resistant building which is primarily used for commercial or industrial purposes.

   Inner perimeter security—Measures taken to increase the intrusion resistance and theft resistance of a magazine that encircles an individual or a group of magazines. These measures lie within the outer perimeter security measures.

   Magazine—A structure used for the storage of explosives.

   Misfire—Incomplete detonation of explosives.

   Outdoor magazine site—The contiguous area of land upon which the following are located: a magazine or group of magazines; the outer perimeter security, and the inner perimeter security, if any.

   Outer perimeter security—Measures taken to increase the intrusion resistance of magazines that encircle the area where the magazines are situated.

   Particle velocity—A measure of the intensity of ground vibration, specifically the time rate of change of the amplitude of ground vibration.

   Peak particle velocity—The maximum intensity of particle velocity.

   Person—A natural person, partnership, association, or corporation or an agency, instrumentality or entity of state government.

   Primer—A cartridge or package of high explosives into which a detonator has been inserted or attached.

   Purchase—To obtain ownership of explosives from another person.

   Sale or sell—To transfer ownership of explosives to another person.

   Scaled distance (Ds)—A value calculated by using the actual distance (D) in feet, measured in a horizontal line from the blast site to the nearest building or structure, neither owned nor leased by the blasting activity permittee or its customer, divided by the square root of the maximum weight of explosives (W) in pounds, that is detonated per delay period of less than 8 milliseconds.

 Ds = D/(square root) W


   Stemming—Inert material placed in a blast hole after an explosive charge for the purpose of confining the explosion gases to the blast hole, and inert material used to separate explosive charges in decked holes.

   Structure—

     (i)   A combination of materials or pieces of work built or composed of parts joined together in some definite manner for occupancy, use or ornamentation.

     (ii)   The term includes everything that is built or constructed, including bridges, offices, water towers, silos and dwellings.

   Utility line—An electric cable, fiber optic line, pipeline or other type of conduit used to transport or transmit electricity, gases, liquids and other media including information.

   Wheeled vehicle—A vehicle that moves about on three or more wheels and has a gross vehicle weight of less than 11,000 pounds.

 (a)  This chapter applies to persons using, storing, purchasing and selling explosives and engaging in blasting activities within this Commonwealth. Persons using and storing explosives at underground mines are exempt from this chapter. The storage of explosives in magazines on the surface at an underground noncoal mine is subject to the applicable requirements of this chapter. The provisions of this chapter that are more stringent than the blasting provisions in Chapters 77, 87 and 88 (relating to noncoal mining; surface mining of coal; and anthracite coal) apply to blasting activities at coal or noncoal surface mines.

 (b)  Compliance with this chapter does not relieve a person who is engaged in the purchase or sale of explosives, or blasting activities, from compliance with other applicable laws or regulations of the Commonwealth.

 (a)  The Department may issue orders necessary to implement this chapter including an order to suspend, modify or revoke a license or permit authorized by this chapter.

 (b)  Before issuing an order modifying peak particle velocity or airblast limits in a blasting activity permit, the Department will first provide the permittee with an opportunity to meet and discuss modifications.

   The provisions of this §  211.103 adopted July 13, 2001, effective July 14, 2001, 31 Pa.B. 3751.