Unless otherwise expressly stated, the following words or phrases shall,
for the purpose of this chapter, have the meanings indicated in this section:
ACTUAL DISTANCE
The distance in feet from the blast location to the nearest dwelling
house, public building, school, church, commercial or institutional building
neither owned nor leased by the person conducting the blast.
AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION
The organization, office or individual responsible for approving
equipment, an installation or a procedure; Marple Township.
BARRICADE
The natural features of the ground such as hills, timber of sufficient
density that surrounding exposures cannot be seen when the trees are bare
of leaves, or an efficient artificial barricade consisting of an artificial
mound or properly revolted wall of earth not less than three feet thick at
the top.
BLAST AREA
The area including the blast site and the immediate adjacent area
within the influence of flying rock, missiles and concussion.
BLASTER
A person, over 21 years of age, licensed in Pennsylvania, who is
physically and mentally fit, qualified to be in charge and responsible for
the loading and firing of a blast.
BLASTING AGENT
A material or mixture intended for blasting and which meets the requirements
of the DOT Hazardous Materials Regulations, as set forth in Title 49, Code
of Federal Regulations, Part 173.114a.
BLASTING CONSULTANT
A person or firm representing the township or other parties demonstrating
established blasting expertise.
BLAST SITE
The area which explosive materials are being or have been loaded
and which includes all holes loaded or to be loaded for the same blast and
for a distance of 50 feet (15.3 meters) in all directions.
BUILDING
A structure used for human occupancy.
BULK MIX
A mass of explosive material prepared for use in bulk form without
packaging.
BULK MIX DELIVERY EQUIPMENT
Equipment (usually a motor vehicle with or without a mechanical delivery
device) that transports explosive materials in bulk form for mixing or loading
directly into boreholes, or both.
BULLET-RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION
With reference to magazine walls or doors, constructed so as to resist
penetration of a bullet of 150-grain M2 ball ammunition having a nominal muzzle
velocity of 2,700 fps (824 mps) when fired from a 0.30 caliber rifle from
a distance of 100 feet (30.5 m) perpendicular to the wall or door.
BULLET-SENSITIVE EXPLOSIVE MATERIAL
Explosive material that can be detonated by 150-grain M2 ball ammunition
having a nominal muzzle velocity of 2,700 fps (824 mps) when fired from a
0.30 caliber rifle at a distance of 100 feet (30.5 m), measured perpendicular.
The test material is at a temperature of 70° F. to 75° F. (21°
C. to 24° C.) and is placed against a one-half-inch (12.7 mm) steel plate.
COMPOSITE PROPELLANT
A mixture consisting of an elastomeric-type fuel and an oxidizer.
Composite propellants are used in gas generators and rocket motors.
DECKING
Inert material used to separate explosive charges (decks) in holes
which receive blasting agents.
DELAY INTERVAL
The time interval in milliseconds between successive detonations
of the delay devices used.
DETONATING CORD
A flexible cord containing a center core of high explosive used to
initiate other explosives.
DETONATOR
Any device containing an initiating or primary explosive that is
used for initiating detonation. A detonator may not contain more than 10 g
of total explosive material per unit, excluding ignition or delay charges.
The term includes, but is not limited to, electric detonators of instantaneous
and delay types, detonators for use with safety fuses, detonating cord delay
connectors, and nonelectric detonators of instantaneous and delay types which
consist of detonating cord, shock tube or any other replacement for electric
leg wires.
EMULSION EXPLOSIVE
An explosive material which consists of a slurry of substantial amounts
of ammonium nitrate dissolved in water droplets surrounded by an oil-like
material.
EXPLOSIVE
Any chemical compound, mixture or device, the primary or common purpose
of which is to function by explosion. The term includes, but is not limited
to, dynamite, black powder, pellet powder, initiating explosives, detonators,
safety fuses, squibs, detonating cord, igniter cord and igniters.
EXPLOSIVE-ACTUATED DEVICE
Any tool or special mechanized device which is actuated by explosive
materials. The term does not include propellant-actuated devices (see definition
of "propellant-actuated device"). Examples of explosive-actuated devices are
jet-tappers and jet perforators.
EXPLOSIVE MATERIAL
Any explosive, blasting agent, emulsion explosive, water gel or detonator.
FIRE EXTINGUISHER RATING
A rating set forth in NFPA 10, Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers.
This rating may be identified on an extinguisher by a number (5, 20, 70 etc.)
indicating relative effectiveness, followed by a letter (A, B, C, or D) indicating
the class or classes of fires for which the extinguisher has been found to
be effective.
FIRE-RESISTANT
Construction designed to offer reasonable protection against fire.
FLASH POINT
The lowest temperature at which vapors from a volatile combustible
substance ignite in air when exposed to flame.
FUEL
Any substance that will react with the oxygen in the air or with
the oxygen yielded by an oxidizer to produce combustion.
HARDWOOD
Any close-grained wood such as oak, maple, ash, hickory, etc., free
from loose knots, wind shakes or similar defects.
HIGH EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS
Explosive materials which are characterized by a very high rate of
reaction high-pressure development, and the presence of a detonation wave.
HIGHWAY
Any public street, public alley or public road.
INDEPENDENT EXPERT
Any licensed professional in the blasting or seismography field who
represents one and only one of the following: Marple Township; Delaware County;
PADOT, Pennsylvania or any state agency; the United States government or any
federal agency; the blaster, blasting company or any insurer representing
the blasting company. This independent expert cannot also evaluate claims
or make adjustment settlements for insurance carriers.
INITIATING TUBE SYSTEM
A system for initiating detonators in which the energy is transmitted
through the system by means of a detonation wave guided within a plastic tube.
INSPECTOR OF BLASTING
A person who is a professional engineer licensed in the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania, employed by the township with an extensive knowledge and
experience of blasting and blasting procedures.
LABELED
Equipment or materials to which has been attached a label, symbol
or other identifying mark of an organization acceptable to the authority having
jurisdiction and concerned with product evaluation, that maintains periodic
inspection of production of labeled equipment or materials and by whose labeling
the manufacturer indicates compliance with appropriate standards or performance
in a specified manner.
LOW EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS
Explosive materials which are characterized by deflagration of a
low rate of reaction and the development of low pressure.
MAGAZINE
Any building or structure, other than an explosives manufacturing
building, approved for the storage of explosive materials.
MASS DETONATE (MASS EXPLODE)
Simultaneous detonation or explosion of the total or substantial
amount of a quantity of explosive material caused by explosion of a unit or
part of the explosive material.
MISFIRE
A charge of explosive material that fails to detonate completely
after initiation.
MOTOR VEHICLE
Any self-propelled vehicle, truck, tractor, semitrailer, or truck-trailer
combination used for the transportation of freight over public highways.
NONELECTRIC DELAY DEVICE
A detonator with an integral delay element used in conjunction with
and capable of being initiated by a detonating impulse.
OXIDIZING MATERIAL
Any solid or liquid that readily yields oxygen or other oxidizing
gas or that readily reacts to oxidize combustible material.
PERSON
Any individual, firm, copartnership, corporation, company, association,
joint-stock association, and including any trustee, receiver, assignee or
personal representative thereof.
PHOSPHORIC MATERIALS
Two or more unmixed, commercially manufactured, prepackaged chemical
substances including oxidizers, flammable liquids or solids, or similar substance
which are not independently classified as explosives, but which when mixed
or combined form a mixture which is classified as an explosive and which is
intended for blasting. It may be classified by the Hazardous Materials Regulations
of the United States Department of Transportation as Class A or Class B, depending
on its susceptibility to detonation.
PREBLAST SURVEY
This is a survey performed prior to any explosive detonations.
PRIMER
A unit, package or cartridge of explosive material used to initiate
other explosives or blasting agents and which contains a detonator or a detonating
cord to which is attached a detonator designed to initiate the cord.
PROPELLANT
An explosive that normally functions by deflagration and is used
for propulsion purposes. It may be classified by the Hazardous Materials Regulations
of the United States Department of Transportation as Class A or Class B, depending
on its susceptibility to detonation.
PROPELLANT-ACTUATED DEVICE
Any tool or special mechanized device or gas generator system which
is actuated by a propellant or which releases or directs work through a propellant
charge.
PUBLIC CONVEYANCE
Any railroad car, streetcar, ferry, cab, bus, airplane or other vehicle
which carries passengers for hire.
RAILWAY
Any steam, electric, diesel electric or other railroad or railway
which carries passengers for hire on the particular line or branch in the
vicinity of an explosives storage or manufacturing facility.
SCALED DISTANCE (Ds)
The actual distance (D) in feet divided by the square root of the
maximum explosive weight (W) in pounds that is detonated per delay period
for delay intervals of eight milliseconds or greater; or the total weight
of explosive in pounds that is detonated within as interval less than eight
milliseconds. This means that (Ds) equals (D) divided by the square root of
(W). Thus, Scaled Distance equals Actual Distance divided by the square root
of charge weight per delay period.
SEMICONDUCTIVE HOSE
Any hose whose electrical resistance is great enough to limit the
flow of stray electric currents to safe levels, yet not so high as to prevent
relaxation of static electric charges to ground. Any hose having no more than
2.0 megohms resistance over its entire length and not less than 5,000 ohms
resistance per foot (16,393 ohms/m) meets this definition.
SENSITIVITY
A characteristic of an explosive material, classifying its ability
to detonate upon receiving an external impulse such as impact shock, flame
or other influence which can cause explosive decomposition.
SOFTWOOD
Any coarse grained wood such as fir, hemlock, spruce or pine, free
from loose knots, wind shakes or similar defects.
SPECIAL INDUSTRIAL EXPLOSIVES MATERIAL
Shaped materials, sheet forms and various other extrusions, pellets
and packages of high explosives used for high energy-rate forming, expanding
and shaping in metal fabrication and for dismemberment and reduction of scrap
metal.
STEEL
General purpose, hot or cold rolled, low carbon steel, such as ASTM
A366 or equivalent.
STEMMING
That top portion of a borehole that contains a tightly tamped backfill
or other inert material.
STRUCTURES
Roads, culverts, bridges, walls, railroad tracks.