Alabama § 25-9-277 - Handling and Use of Explosives and Detonators.

§ 25-9-277. Handling and Use of Explosives and Detonators.

(a) Only designated persons shall cut, cap, and issue capped fuses and explosives.

(b) When cutting fuse, it shall be cut square across with a sharp clean instrument and the cap crimper used shall be of a type recommended by explosive manufacturers. A bench type crimper is recommended.

(c) No explosives container shall be opened with any metallic instrument.

(d) No person shall remove any explosives from a pit magazine without permission of the pit superintendent, foreman, or a person designated by the operator.

(e) Capped fuse or electric detonators shall not be stored within 50 feet of other explosives, power lines, cables, or other electrical conductors.

(f) Oils or other combustible substances shall not be stored within 50 feet of any explosives.

(g) Detonators shall not be removed from containers except as they are used for capping fuses or, in the case of electric detonators, as they are used in preparing primers, except when placed in other containers as recommended by manufacturers.

(h) Fuse shall not be cut and capped nearer than 50 feet to any explosives magazine.

(i) Paper, sawdust, wooden boxes, or cartons shall be placed at a safe distance from any magazine, and each day’s accumulation shall be removed at the end of the shift.

(j) Fuse shall be cut long enough to extend beyond the collar of a loaded drill hole, and in no case shall it be less than four feet in length.

(k) Small supplies of explosives or detonators stored in a pit shall be stored in magazines constructed in accordance with the specifications set forth in Section 25-9-131. In no case shall more than 200 pounds of explosives be stored at one time in such magazine.

(l) Magazines located in the pit should not be nearer than those standards set forth in the American Table of Distances for Storage of Explosives, a publication of the Institute of Makers of Explosives.

(m) No fuse shall be used that burns faster than one foot in 30 seconds or slower than one foot in 55 seconds according to the manufacturer’s rating.

(n) In capping fuse, at least one inch shall be cut from the end of each coil or roll of fuse used.