§ 33.65. Use.

 (a)  Open flame or fire. Section 33.15 (relating to use) applies to open flame or fire in all mines other than coal mines.

 (b)  Opening containers of explosives. Section 33.15 applies to opening containers of explosives in all mines other than coal mines. In addition, cardboard containers may be opened by an approved opener accepted by the Department.

 (c)  Experience requirement for blasters. No person may blast in mine unless he has given satisfactory proof to the mine or blaster foreman that he is a blaster licensed by the Commonwealth and is qualified and able to perform the duty of shot firer or blaster. The foreman shall secure the proof from each person required or permitted to fire shots. An unlicensed person shall not charge or fire a blast. The mine or blaster foreman shall insure that the provisions of this subsection are complied with.

 (d)  Preparation of holes. In preparing holes, there shall be compliance with the following:

   (1)  Nonsparking tamping sticks shall be used to charge holes for blasting.

   (2)  Holes shall be charged only in cartridge form unless the Department has granted permission to use ammonium nitrate fuel oil or slurries. If black powder and dynamite are used in the same hole, separate primers shall be used unless the dynamite is used to detonate the black powder or unless cordeau is used. All holes in mines where there is danger from dust or gas explosions shall be adequately tamped to a depth of not less than 8 inches, unless the hole itself is less than 8 inches in depth in which case the hole shall be tamped its full depth. This requirement is not mandatory in quarries or tunnels where the absence of gas or dust makes safeguarding against explosions unnecessary. Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to prohibit the slitting of dynamite cartridges nor the dividing of them into two or more pieces.

 (e)  Safety precautions before firing. The following safety precautions shall be strictly observed:

   (1)  No person may fire shots in any part of a mine without the presence of some other person within calling distance who can readily render assistance in event of accident or injury.

   (2)  Prior to the firing of a charge, the person in charge of the blast shall insure that all loose black powder or dynamite around the hole has been cleared away in order to prevent a premature explosion.

   (3)  Prior to the firing of a charge, the person in charge of the blast shall notify all persons who may be in danger from the blast by giving sufficient alarm before igniting the charge. This alarm shall always state the number of shots to be fired except when firing with battery or switchboard or at times when no other persons are at work in the mine. Calling out the word ‘‘fire’’ followed by a statement of the number of shots to be fired shall be accepted, as for example, ‘‘fire—six shots.’’

   (4)  In all mines where locked safety lamps are used to detect explosive gases, the mine foreman or his assistant shall be competent to test for gas, and no blast shall be fired in any mine except by permission of the mine foreman or his assistant. Before a blast in any mine is fired, the person in charge shall examine the place and adjoining places and satisfy himself that it is safe to fire a blast before giving his permission.

 (f)  Firing of charges. When dynamite is used in primary shooting, the Department recommends that it be fired by means of primacord, cordeau or electric current from a battery or switchboard. Nothing less than No. 6 blasting caps or electric blasting caps or detonators shall be used to explode dynamite at any time. The use of powder to set off blasting caps to explode dynamite is prohibited. The use of fuse and blasting caps to explode black powder charges shall be accepted. Patent squibs or other patent matches are prohibited except squibs of the Daddow or Powell type. Persons firing explosives in a mine by the use of squibs shall not shorten, nor saturate with oil, nor turn the squib down when placing it in the hole, nor ignite the squib except at its extreme end, nor do anything which may shorten the burning time of the squib. Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to prohibit the use of fuse and blasting caps in primary shooting, mud capping, block holing or pop shooting. Each blaster or shooter using an electric battery or switchboard, before connecting the charge to the leading wires, shall first insure that the wires have been disconnected from the switchboard or battery. Connecting a charge with the leading wires before placing the charge is prohibited. When fuse is used, its length shall be in accordance with the provisions of §  33.15 (relating to use). All blasting caps shall be crimped to the fuse with a crimper. The crimping of blasting caps by the use of a knife or the teeth is prohibited. No fuse shall be capped in or within 10 feet of any Class B or Class C magazine. While shafts, slopes, winzes, drifts or other mine outlets are being sunk or driven, all blasts shall be exploded by means of an approved electric blasting circuit, unless permission to use other approved means is granted by the Department.

 (g)  Safety precautions after firing. The following safety precautions after firing shall be strictly observed:

   (1)  Persons in charge of a blast shall be required to give an ‘‘all clear’’ signal when the round of shots is complete.

   (2)  After the firing of every blast a competent person shall examine the face, sides and roof of each working place that has been shot, in order to ascertain its condition. No person except the person making the examination shall enter any working face until this examination has been made.

   (3)  Where caps and fuse have been used for detonation, the total number of explosions in each blast shall be counted by the shot firer or by the mine or blaster foreman. If the total number of explosions is less than the number of charges that were to be fired, a report of the misfires shall be made to the mine or blaster foreman. When it is not certain that all charges have been exploded, no person shall enter the place where such charges were fired within the time limits and under the conditions enumerated in this section.

 (h)  Fuse lengths. Section 33.15 applies to the use of fuse in all mines other than coal mines.

 (i)  Misfired holes. Section 33.15 applies to misfired holes in all mines other than coal mines.