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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 years they have attended 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 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 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 (606) 260-5875

​​​​​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.stewart6614@gmail.com

Austin Powder

Tom Hairhoger
(740) 968-1555 - Office​ / (304) 543-1038 - Cell
tom.hairhoger@austinpowder.com 

Larry Wardrip
(304) 543-7223 - Office
larry.wardrip@austinpowder.com

Hardin “Chip" Davis
2637 Cecilia Rd
Elizabethtown, KY 42701
(270) 300-1370
hardin.davis@austinpowder.com

Dirk Carolan
1080 Garland Hollow Rd
Pegram, TN 37143
(615) 352-6998
dirk.carolan@austinpowder.com

Curtis Hoskins
375 Austin Powder Ln
Lafollette, TN 37766
(423) 562-2227 - Office / (423) 494-2578 - Cell
curtis.hoskins@austinpowder.com

Bluegrass Chapter, International Society of Explosive Engineers (BSEE)
Training Coordinator – Martin W. Brashear (606) 260-5875 martin.brashear@ky.gov
Chapter President – Brian Lewis (859) 621-1249 brianlewis@bedrockcontractinginc.co
Chapter Secretary – Dana Coppage (502) 933-5900 DanaCoppage@htaenterprises.com
8-hour blaster retraining offered twice a year in eastern and central Kentucky

​Bobby Ray Bach Jr.
(276) 365-2185
bobby.bach@vadrillco.com

Carlos Delgado
308 Stoneybrook Dr
Lexington, KY 40517
(859) 273-9249
camanel@copper.net

​CRH Americas Materials, Inc.
William Reisz
2110 N Leland Dr
Huntingburg, IN 47542
(812) 489-1668
william.reisz@na.crh.com 

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

​Dyno Nobel

Alexander Tyson, Senior Consultant
Business Development, South Central States US
(815) 705-8077
alexander.tyson@am.dynonobel.com
8-hour retraining program

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

​Russell Middleton
940 Hickory Cove Rd
Rogersville, TN 37857
(276) 220-1890
russell.middleton@am.dynonobel.com

​G. Stephen Howard, Account Manager Southeast Region
2795 East Cottonwood Parkway, Suite 500
Salt Lake City, UT 84121
(270) 836 4691 - Cell
Stephen.Howard@am.dynonobel.com

​Frank Sparks
725 VI Ranch Rd
Bristol, TN 37620
(423) 914-0353
Frank.sparks.62@gmail.com

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

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

​James Winfield
203 Rowan St
Meridian, AL 35759
(814) 574-8612
james.winfield@austinpowder.com

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

Lon Santis
11104 Innsbrook Way
Ijamsville, MD 21754
(202) 288-2029
santis@ermanagers.com

Michael A. Fritz
211 Daybreak Rush
Canton, GA 30114
(770) 712-7281
mickfritz49@gmail.com

Midland Powder Technical Services
Seth Burns
(270) 925-3750
Sburns.mpc@live.com
8-hour training program

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

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

​Overton Consulting Services
Ernie Overton
905 Burbank Rd
Indianapolis, IN 46219
(219) 204-2481
ernie.overton53@gmail.com

​Paul Johnson
(606) 436-4895 - Home / (606) 216-4619 - Cell
Pjohnson_2@hotmail.com
8-hour training program

​Petr Explosives Training School (PETS)
Dr. Vilem Petr
(303) 273-0303 - Office / (720) 273-8550 - Cell
vpetr@petrexplosivesgroup.com
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@ramets.com
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
gleasonkurt@aol.com 

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

Safety First Consulting
Tom Dotson
(606) 595-8073
safetyfirstconsulting@hotmail.com
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
thatter@saulsseismic.com
(606) 303-4293 - Cell​

Keith Best
​​(614) 374-9247 – Cell
kbest@saulsseismic.com

Jeff Taylor
(502) 682-8196 - Cell
jtaylor@saulsseismic.com 

​Southern Kentucky Blasting Consultants
Coleman England
(859) 242-2100 - Office
cengland@roadrunner.com
8-hour training program

​Terry Dozer
515 Rose Hill Dr
Central City, KY 42330
(270) 543-8667
Terryd46@att.net
8-hour training program

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

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

​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@uky.edu

​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
joshcalnan@uky.edu

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



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