Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 37. PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS

CHAPTER 72. CONSTRUCTION BLASTING

Part 1. General

Construction Blasting Restrictions -- License Required -- Definitions -- Exemptions

37-72-101. Construction blasting restrictions -- license required -- definitions -- exemptions. (1) A person may not engage in the practice of construction blasting unless licensed or under the supervision of a person licensed as a construction blaster by the department.

(2) For the purposes of this chapter:

(a) "construction blaster" means a person who engages in construction blasting;

(b) "construction blasting" means the use of explosives to:

(i) reduce, destroy, or weaken any residential, commercial, or other building; or

(ii) excavate any ditch, trench, cut, or hole or reduce, destroy, weaken, or cause a change in grade of any land formation in the construction of any building, highway, road, pipeline, sewerline, or electric or other utility line;

(c) "department" means the department of labor and industry;

(d) "explosive" has the meaning provided in 61-9-102.

(3) This chapter does not apply to the private or commercial use of explosives by persons engaged in farming, ranching, logging, geophysical work, drilling or development of water, oil, or gas wells, or mining of any kind or to the private use of explosives in the removal of stumps and rocks from land owned by the person using the explosives, except that the persons exempted from this chapter by this subsection shall comply with rules adopted under 37-72-201(1)(c) and the provisions of 37-1-109 apply to a violation of those rules by an exempted person.

(4) This chapter does not apply to persons conducting blasting operations when the persons and operations are subject to rules adopted under 82-4-231(10)(e).

History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 402, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 94, Ch. 370, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 54, Ch. 83, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 47, Ch. 613, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 514, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 154, Ch. 483, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 39, Ch. 542, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 366, L. 2023.