General Licensed Blasters in Kentucky
House Bill 268 was passed during the 2010 general session of the Kentucky General Assembly and amended KRS 351.315, This amendment became effective on July 15, 2010. KRS 351.315(4) originally required licensed blasters holding a general blasters license to receive sixteen (16) hours of a cabinet approved blaster's training during the three (3) year life of a license for a renewal. HB 268 amended this provision and now requires that for renewal, the blaster holding a general Kentucky blaster's license must receive eight (8) hours of cabinet approved training annually, during the three (3) years life of a license.
Any license issued prior to July 15, 2010, will continue to be subject to the original terms of KRS 351.315(4). In other words, a blaster possessing a general Kentucky blaster's license that had been issued prior to July 15, 2010, will have to prove that the required sixteen (16) hours of training was obtained within the three (3) years preceding a renewal. Although anyone who holds a blaster's license that was issued prior to July 15, 2010, will not be required to obtain eight (8) hours of annual training for the next renewal of that license, the cabinet encourages those blasters to do so. Renewals after July 15, 2010, would require a blaster to provide proof of eight (8) hours of annual cabinet approved training for each of the three (3) years for all subsequent renewals.
This means if a licensed blaster in Kentucky holds a limited blaster's license that was issued prior to July 15, 2010, there are no changes. However, as previously required, those blasters will need to demonstrate that they have received a minimum of four (4) hours of cabinet approved training during the three (3) years prior to their license renewal date.
If a blaster presently holds a general blasters license (not a limited license), then nothing changes until you renew the license. Once the license is renewed; however, those blasters will be required to obtain (and be able to demonstrate to the cabinet) that they have received eight (8) hours of cabinet approved training annually to renew the blaster's license three (3) years from the date the license is renewed.
For purposes of KRS 351.315(4), the cabinet will approve training when the training is in a setting that will allow the students to focus their exclusive attention on the material being presented by the instructor and where effective learning can occur. Further, the training will be cabinet approved training and will be taught by cabinet approved instructors. Each course will have a distinct learning objective that will be stated prior to the beginning of the class. Students will be evaluated by the cabinet or by an approved trainer to determine whether they have adequately learned the content of the course.
You will receive a note with your license renewal explaining these new requirements.
Please take note, if a blaster does not receive eight (8) hours of cabinet approved training during EACH YEAR of the three (3) years while holding a blasting license, the blasters will NOT be able to renew their license the next time the license is due for renewal.
If you have any questions regarding these requirements, email Cameron Mullen, Branch Manager, Noncoal, Explosives and Blasting Branch, or by phone (502) 782-3089.