Los Angeles Municipal Code § 57.5607 Blasting

Section 5607 of the CFC is hereby adopted in its entirety with the following exceptions, modifications, and additions.

Blasting operations shall be in compliance with Sections 57.5607.16.1 through 57.5607.16.5.1.

No person shall use any explosive materials for the purpose of blasting unless a valid permit has been issued therefore as set forth in Section 57.105.7, except members of the Police or Fire Departments acting within their official capacity and in the proper performance of their duties.

No blasting operation requiring a permit under this article shall be performed except under the direct supervision of a Blasting Operator holding a valid Certificate of Fitness authorizing such person to conduct and supervise blasting operations within the City of Los Angeles.

General precautions for blasting operation shall comply with Sections 57.5607.16.3.1 through 57.5607.16.3.9.

There shall be no smoking, open lights, or fire of any kind or radio transmission in or near any posted area where explosive materials are being handled. No source of ignition, except necessary means to light fuses or fire electric detonators, shall be permitted in any posted area containing loaded holes.

Explosive materials shall be stored in an explosive magazine until such time as they are required for use.

No explosive material container shall be opened with metallic tools, except that knives, metallic slitters, or similar tools may be used to open cardboard cartons containing explosive materials.

Paper cartons, sawdust, and other rubbish from explosive material containers shall be removed to a safe place and burned.

Explosive materials shall not be placed or left within 25 feet of any electric light or power circuit except during transportation.

No blasting or preparation for blasting shall be done during the approach or progress of an electrical storm.

The Blasting Operator shall set the time for all blasting. Before firing any charge, the Blasting Operator shall give adequate warning in all directions and shall make sure that all persons are out of the blasting area. No person shall return to the blasting area until permitted to do so by the Blasting Operator, as announced by audible or visual signal.

No hole for blasting shall be fired within 100 feet of any other hole which is loaded and not intended to be fired at the same time.

All detonators, fuses and explosive materials left over after loading operations are completed shall be promptly returned to their explosive magazines.

General loading explosive materials for blasting operations shall comply with Sections 57.5607.16.4.1 through 57.5607.16.4.15.

Machines and all metal tools not used for loading explosive materials into bore holes shall be removed from the immediate location of bore holes before explosive materials are delivered.

Blasting operations shall be carried on with the smallest practical number of persons present and no one but authorized personnel shall be allowed in the blast area.

Under no circumstances shall the amount of explosive materials taken into a blast area exceed the amount estimated by the Blasting Operator as necessary for the blast.

Explosive materials shall be stacked in piles not less than 25 feet from the nearest holes being loaded and so spaced and distributed as to prevent propagation of an explosion between any two piles in the event of a premature detonation in any portion of the blast area.

The explosive materials containers, if any, shall be opened at the pile and carried up to the hole one case or unit at a time for immediate loading, or placed at a loading station not less than 6 feet from the hole, except that not more than 100 pounds of explosive materials shall be allowed at the loading station at any one time.

When drilling and loading are being performed simultaneously in the same area, the two operations shall be separated as widely as practicable and in no case shall drilling be conducted closer to a loaded hole than a distance equal to the deepest blast hole in the area.

Power lines and portable electric cables to equipment shall be kept a safe distance away from explosive materials and loaded holes. Cables within 100 feet of any hole which is loaded or being loaded shall be de- energized.

All drill holes shall be checked with a loading stick, dolly, or mirror before loading operations are started to make sure the hole is opened for the full depth.

Detonators, when used in firing blasts, shall have a strength of at least a number six.

The detonators shall be encased in explosive materials when inserted into a drill hole, unless a safety primer is used.

A funnel made of wood, nonferrous metal, or heavy paper shall be used to load free-flowing or bulk explosive materials down a hole. The explosive material shall be poured directly from its container through the funnel into the hole.

Only wooden rods shall be used for tamping explosive materials and such rods shall have no metal tips or parts other than non-ferrous metal ferrules for extending the length of the wooden rod. The end of the tamping stick shall be kept square and of such minimum diameter that the tamping stick will not by-pass the cartridges in the hole.

When loading explosive materials in a bore hole, tamping shall be by pressure or light blows only and never by excessive ramming.

All blast holes shall be stemmed to the collar or to a point to sufficiently confine the charge and minimize the chance of injury to personnel by flying material.

Mechanical tamping devices shall be so constructed that no metal parts will enter the bore hole unless such parts are so effectively insulated that no metal can come in contact with the explosive materiel being tamped.

The Chief shall inspect the proposed blasting operation prior to the detonation of any explosive charge to be used in blasting. No detonation shall be performed until the proposed blasting operation has been inspected and approved by the Chief.

Every person in charge of a blasting operation shall notify the Department of the estimated time of detonation. Such notification shall be made not later than 4:00 p.m. of the last working day prior to the proposed date of detonation, and in no case shall notification be made less than 24 hours prior to the estimated time of detonation.