7 Colo. Code Regs. § 1101-9-6-4

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 20, October 25, 2024

Section 7 CCR 1101-9-6-4 - Safety Fuse Initiation of Blasts

(A) A safety fuse that is deteriorated or damaged in any way shall not be used.

(B) The hanging of safety fuse on nails or other projections which will cause a sharp bend to be formed in the fuse is prohibited.

(C) Before assembling fuse detonators and safety fuse, a short length shall be cut from the end of the supply reel so as to assure a fresh cut end in each fuse detonator.

(D) Only cap crimpers specifically designed for the purpose of crimping caps shall be used for attaching fuse detonators to safety fuse. Crimpers shall be kept in good repair and accessible for use.

(E) No fuse detonators and safety fuse shall be assembled, or primers made up, in any magazine or near any possible source of ignition or initiation.

(F) The assembly of fuse detonators, safety fuse and making of primers shall only be done in a place selected for this purpose and at least 100 feet away from any storage magazine.

(G) The burning rate of the safety fuse in use at any time shall be measured, posted in conspicuous locations, and brought to the attention of all workers concerned with blasting.

(H) New rolls of fuse shall be tested for burn rate prior to use and all partial rolls shall be tested at least every 30 days. A record of the burn rate shall be kept by the permittee.

(I) The length of safety fuse shall be in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. In no case shall the length of fuse be less than 3 feet and shall not have a burn time of less than 120 seconds at the time of initiation.

(J) Lighting of safety fuse shall be done with hot wire lighters, pull-wire lighters, thermalite connectors, or igniter cord and thermalite connectors.

(K) Matches, cigarette lighters, cigarettes, pipes, cigars or other unsafe means shall not be used to ignite safety fuse.

(L) Igniters shall be used in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations and shall not be attached to a safety fuse until the charge is at the blast site and the crew is fully prepared to light the charge.

(M) At least two persons shall be present when fuse detonator and safety fuse blasting is done by hand-lighting methods.

(N) When blasting with safety fuses, consideration shall be given to the length and burning rate of the safety fuse and shall be used in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. A sufficient time of not less than 120 seconds, with a margin of safety, shall always be provided for the blaster to reach a place of safety.

(O) No more than 12 safety fuses shall be lit by each blaster when hand lighting devices are used. However, when two or more safety fuses in a group are lit as one by means of igniter cord or other similar fuse-lighting devices, they may be considered as one fuse.

(P) Fuse detonators and safety fuse shall not be used for firing mud cap charges unless charges are separated sufficiently to prevent one charge from dislodging other shots in the blast.

(Q) Only sufficient primers for one day's use shall be made up at a time.

(R) Any loose cartridges of explosives, detonators, primers and assembled fuse detonators and safety fuse unused at the end of the shift shall be returned to their respective and separate magazines and locked up.

(S) Safety fuse shall not be used in blasting operations in populated areas, public areas, on highways or adjacent to roads open to traffic.

(T) When the fuse lighter has been ignited, the blaster shall assume initiation of the safety fuse has occurred.

(U) If the safety fuse does not show evidence of initiation, the blaster shall not attempt any further initiation and retreat to a safe location for at least one hour.

(V) When safety fuse is used, workers shall not return to a misfire for at least one hour.

(W) If explosives are suspected of burning, all persons in the endangered area shall move to a safe location and no one shall return to the area for at least one hour after signs of burning have ceased.

7 CCR 1101-9-6-4

38 CR 03, February 10, 2015, effective 3/10/2015

41 CR 21, November 10, 2018, effective 12/1/2018

42 CR 06, March 25, 2019, effective 5/1/2019