Blasting with explosive substances; notification

If explosive substances are to be used for blasting, the local trade supervisory office or mining authority must be notified.

Explosive substances have a wide range of applications and are used, for example, in quarries or tunnel construction.

In the commercial sector, compliance with the requirements of the Explosives Act is generally monitored by the trade supervisory offices of the governments. The mining authorities are responsible for commercial blasting in underground cavities and in companies subject to mining supervision.

The notification of blasting with explosive substances must be made by the person holding the permit in accordance with the Explosives Act.

The notification must include

• the place, date and time of the blasting (in the case of several blasts, the period in which they are to be carried out) and
• the name and address of the persons responsible for the blasting as well as the number and date of the permit in accordance with § 7 or § 27 of the Explosives Act and the certificate of competence in accordance with § 20 of the Explosives Act and the authorities that issued it.

Changes that are associated with an increased risk must also be reported. Applications must be made to shorten the deadline.

• Permit in accordance with § 7 or § 27 of the Explosives Act
• Certificate of competence according to § 20 Explosives Act
• Description showing
  • Type, method and scope of blasting,
  • the type and maximum quantity of explosives and detonators to be used for each blasting operation, and the maximum quantity of explosives per detonation time stage when using time-delay detonators,
  • the distance of the blasting sites from buildings and facilities requiring special protection, in particular hospitals, schools, old people's and children's homes, sports facilities and playgrounds within a radius of at least 1,000 meters,
  • the safety measures, in particular the cover areas for employees, barriers along traffic routes and precautions to protect neighboring residential and workplaces against flying stones, vibrations, blast clouds and noise.
• current site plan to scale showing
  • the blasting sites including their foreseeable changes in location,
  • the distance of the blasting sites from traffic routes, residential and work places as well as public supply facilities within a radius of at least 300 meters.
• any existing approvals from the authorities involved.

• The person making the notification must either be the holder of an explosives permit in accordance with Section 7 or Section 27 of the Explosives Act or
• as a person holding a certificate of competence in accordance with Section 20 of the Explosives Act, act at least on behalf of the holder of an explosives permit in accordance with Section 7 of the Explosives Act (so-called person responsible for blasting).

The notification must be submitted with the required documents to the trade supervisory office or mining authority responsible for the location where the blasting is to be carried out.

The notification must be made using the form (see "Forms"). This can also be used to notify changes that are associated with an increased risk or to apply for a shortened deadline.

The notification must be received at least 4 weeks before the start of the blasting if several similar blasts are to be carried out within a site or for the implementation of a project.

At least 1 week is required before any other blasting.

Exceptions to the notification period are possible under certain conditions. If the notification deadline is not met, an application must be made to shorten the deadline. This application must contain a comprehensible justification and be received by the office as early as possible so that the office has sufficient time to process the application. There is no legal entitlement to a shortened deadline.

The notification is free of charge.

If the deadline is shortened: in the standard case EUR 75.00 plus expenses (deviations from this are possible in the case of increased expenditure)

The intended blasting only needs to be notified, a permit is not issued.

Blasting in facilities approved under immission control law does not have to be notified if the approval includes the blasting.

Blasting in facilities subject to mining supervision does not have to be notified if a site plan permit has been issued for the blasting work.