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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​KRS 351.315, Section 4 requires all Kentucky (general) licensed blasters, prior to obtaining their Kentucky blaster license renewal, to show proof that during the preceding three (3) years they have attended sixteen (16) hours of department-approved, blasting-specific retraining. Licensed (general) blasters that renew their license after July 15, 2010, will fall under the new training requirements and will need eight (8) hours of training annually. Please see Blasters’ New Training Requirements effective July 15, 2010, for details. Limited Blaster’s License holders must show proof of a minimum of four (4) hours of approved blaster retraining.

** All DNR blasting inspectors are approved for retraining instruction as determined by the manager of the Explosives & Blasting Branch.

​Kentucky Blasting Conference (KBC) 

51st Annua​l Kentucky Blasting Conference
Date: TBD
CEUs: 8 CE Hours possible on Thursday 
            4 CE Hours possible on Friday 
Location: Central Bank Center, Lexington, Kentucky (Former Lexington Convention Center)​
Registration: Online registration is suggested available on the KBC web site​
For more information contact: Martin Brashear​

​​​​​8 -Hour Blaster Re​​training Class - May 16, 2025

​Recognized & Approved by Kentucky and Tennessee
Date/Time: May 16, 2025 from 8:00AM - 5:00PM
Location: Knott County Sportsplex, 450 Kenny Champion Loop #8765, Leburn, KY 41831
RSVP: iseebluegrasschapter@gmail.com by April 25
Cost : $50 Payable on day of class – lunch provided ​


​​Approved Blaster Training Programs

Kentu​​​cky Blastin​g Conference
8-12 Hours Blaster Retraining Program
https://kyblastingconference.com/

Arnold Jay Stewart
(606) 794-9167
Jay Stewart

Austin Powder

Tom Hairhoger
(740) 968-1555 - Office​ / (304) 543-1038 - Cell
Tom Hairhoger

Larry Wardrip
(304) 543-7223 - Office
Larry Wardrip

Hardin “Chip" Davis
2637 Cecilia Rd
Elizabethtown, KY 42701
(270) 300-1370
Chip Davis

Dirk Carolan
1080 Garland Hollow Rd
Pegram, TN 37143
(615) 352-6998
Dirk Carolan

Curtis Hoskins
375 Austin Powder Ln
Lafollette, TN 37766
(423) 562-2227 - Office / (423) 494-2578 - Cell
Curtis Hoskins​

Bluegrass Chapter, International Society of Explosive Engineers (BSEE)
Training Coordinator Martin Brashear​​
Chapter President Brian Lewis (859) 621-1249
Chapter Secretary Dana Coppage (502) 933-5900
8-hour blaster retraining offered twice a year in eastern and central Kentucky

​Bobby Ray Bach Jr.
(276) 365-2185
Bobby Bach

Carlos Delgado
308 Stoneybrook Dr
Lexington, KY 40517
(859) 273-9249
Carlos Delgado

​CRH Americas Materials, Inc.
William Reisz
2110 N Leland Dr
Huntingburg, IN 47542
(812) 489-1668
William Reisz

Detonation Safety Engineering
Larry C. Schneider, P.E.
121 Cherrywood Dr
Nicholasville, KY 40356
(859) 312-0625
Larry Schneider
8-hour retraining program

​Dyno Nobel

Alexander Tyson, Senior Consultant
Business Development, South Central States US
(815) 705-8077
Alexander Tyson
8-hour retraining program

​Joe Nawrocki
2201 Regency Rd, Suite 704
Lexington, KY 40503
(540) 665-9936 - Office / (443) 838-4799 - Cell
Joe Nawrocki
8-hour retraining program

​Russell Middleton
940 Hickory Cove Rd
Rogersville, TN 37857
(276) 220-1890
Russell Middleton

​​Frank Sparks
725 VI Ranch Rd
Bristol, TN 37620
(423) 914-0353
Frank Sparks

Geoscan Seismic Services, Inc.
Clinton Evans
P.O Box 1009
Grundy, VA 24614
(276) 935-2101 - Office / (276) 218-0040 - Cell
Clinton Evans
http://www.geoscanseismicservices.com/
8-hour training program

Greg Charles
1599 Upper Chloe Creek
Pikeville, KY 41501
(606) 422-4559
Greg Charles​

Hex Consulting, LLC
Stephen Howard, President
486 Mermie Rd
Hardin, KY 42048
(270) 363-3351 - Office / (270) 836-4691 - Cell
Stephen Howard
30-hour Initial Blaster Class

​James Winfield
203 Rowan St
Meridian, AL 35759
(814) 574-8612
James Winfield​

Kenneth A. Smith
269 West Main St
Hopkinton, MA 01748
(508) 603-5230 - Office / (508) 889-0327 - Cell
Kenneth Smith

Lon Santis
11104 Innsbrook Way
Ijamsville, MD 21754
(202) 288-2029
Lon Santis

Michael A. Fritz
211 Daybreak Rush
Canton, GA 30114
(770) 712-7281
Michael Fritz

Midland Powder Technical Services
Seth Burns
(270) 925-3750
Seth Burns
8-hour training program

​Nelson Brothers, LLC
Neal Lee
3243 Ladd Ridge Rd
Athens, OH  45701
(740) 603-5232
Neal Lee
8-hour training program

​Orica USA, Inc.
Jody Richey
(615) 859-6082 - Office / (615) 268-7671 - Cell
Jody Richey​
8-hour training program

​Overton Consulting Services
Ernie Overton
905 Burbank Rd
Indianapolis, IN 46219
(219) 204-2481
Ernie Overton

​Paul Johnson
(606) 436-4895 - Home / (606) 216-4619 - Cell
Paul Johnson
8-hour training program

​Petr Explosives Training School (PETS)
Dr. Vilem Petr
(303) 273-0303 - Office / (720) 273-8550 - Cell
Vilem Petr
Registration link: https://petrexplosivesgroup.com/learndash-courses/

Ram Inc. Explosives Technical Services
R.A. McClure Inc.
2116 Hardin Lane
Powell, OH 43065
(740) 363-6976 - Office / (740) 362-3946 - Field
R McClure
https://ramets.com​
8-hour training program

RESPEC
Brian Lewis, Explosives Engineer / Senior Drill and Blast Specialist
Explosives Engineering​
146 East 3rd St
Lexington, KY 40508-1826
(859) 259-0959 - Office / (859) 621-1249 - Cell

​Rock Management Services, LLC
Kurt Gleason
1212 Sival Road NW
Ramsey, IN 47166
(502) 817-4586
Kurt Gleason

Rock Solutions
Neil Wilson
2006 Edmonton Rd
Tompkinsville, KY 42167
(270) 407-5881
Neil Wilson
Annual Retraining Only

Safety First Consulting
Tom Dotson
(606) 595-8073
Tom Dotson
https://www.safetyfirstconsulting.org/drilling_blasting_explosives
KY approved 8-hour online retraining course may be used to satisfy the 8-hour annual retraining requirement

​Saulsseismic

Terry Hatter
(606) 303-4293 - Cell​​
Terry Hatter

Keith Best
​​(614) 374-9247 – Cell
Keith Best

Jeff Taylor
(502) 682-8196 - Cell
Jeff Taylor

​Southern Kentucky Blasting Consultants
Coleman England
(859) 242-2100 - Office
Coleman England
8-hour training program

​Terry Dozer
515 Rose Hill Dr
Central City, KY 42330
(270) 543-8667
Terry Dozer
8-hour training program

​Thoroughbred Drill & Blast Consultants
Nathan Rouse
(859) 221-8797
Nathan Rouse
https://tbredblast.com/​

Timothy R. Harmon
622 Clubhouse Rd
Lebanon, CT 06249
(860) 334-4304 - Cell / (860) 642-3411 - Home
Timothy Harmon

​University of Kentucky

Jhon Silva, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Mining Engineering
234H Mining and Mineral Resources Bldg
Lexington, KY 40506
(859) 257-1173 - Office
Jhon Silva

​Josh Calnan, PhD, PE
Director of Blasting and Explosives Research & Research Coordinator
Department of Mining Engineering
131 Mining and Mineral Resources Bldg
Lexington, KY 40506
(859) 257-8032 - Office / (704) 657-9255 - Cell
Josh Calnan

Virginia Explosives and Drilling Company
Allen Rice, Technical Representative
(276) 597-4449 - Office / (276) 244-0037 - Cell
Allen Rice​




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