[HISTORY: Adopted by the Council of the City of Beacon as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 6-20-1994 by L.L. No. 8-1994[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This local law superseded former Ch. 111, Explosives, adopted 1-17-1972 as Art. I of Ch. 10 of the 1972 Code of Ordinances, as amended.
The City Council of the City of Beacon takes recognition of requests by residents of the City of Beacon to impose regulations on the discharge of explosives within the City so as to promote the peace, good order and safety of the community.
This article is adopted pursuant to Article 2, § 10 of the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, Article 16 of the Labor Law of the State of New York and Title 12, Part 39, of the New York Code of Rules and Regulations, specifically § 464-a.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meaning indicated:
EXPLOSIVES
Gunpowder, powders used for blasting, high explosives, blasting materials, detonating fuses, detonators and other detonating agents, smokeless powder and any chemical compound or any mechanical mixture containing any oxidizing and combustible units or other ingredients in such proportions, quantities or packing that ignition by fire, friction, concussion, percussion or detonation of any part thereof may and is intended to cause an explosion, but shall not include gasoline, kerosene, naphtha, turpentine, benzine, acetone, ethyl ether, benzol and all quantities of black powder not exceeding five pounds for use in firing of antique firearms or artifacts or replicas thereof. Fixed ammunition and primers for small arms, firecrackers, safety fuses and matches shall not be deemed to be explosives when the individual units contain any of the above-mentioned articles or substances in such limited quantity, of such nature and so packed that it is impossible to produce an explosion of such units to the injury of life, limb or property.
PERMITTEE
A duly licensed person who has secured a permit to perform blasting in the City of Beacon.
PERSON
Includes an individual, corporation, association, firm or partnership.
The provisions of Article 16 of the Labor Law of the State of New York, as well as Industrial Code Rules contained in Title 12, Part 39 of the New York Code of Rules and Regulations, are recognized as applicable to the possession, handling, storage and transportation of explosives within the jurisdiction of the City of Beacon and shall be complied with by all blasters.
A. 
No person, firm or corporation shall detonate explosives within the City of Beacon unless it is licensed pursuant to § 458 of the Labor Law of the State of New York, and in addition to such licensing, have obtained a permit for such blasting from the City of Beacon pursuant to this section.
B. 
No person shall blast or cause to be blasted any rock or other substance with any explosive in the City of Beacon as defined in this article without having first obtained a permit from the Building Inspector covering the specific blasting operation, upon written application. Such blasting operations shall be conducted under direct control and supervision of competent and licensed persons in accordance with the provisions of New York State laws and regulations and the provisions of this article.
C. 
The application for a blasting permit shall be on a form approved by the Building Inspector and contain such information as is required by the Building Inspector, including the following:
(1) 
The name of the owner of the property upon which the detonation of explosives is intended to occur.
(2) 
The business address of the person, firm or corporation proposing to detonate explosives on the subject property.
(3) 
Evidence of the fact that the person, firm or corporation intending to detonate explosives is duly licensed pursuant to § 458 of the Labor Law in the State of New York.
(4) 
The precise location of the intended detonation of explosives, as well as the size charges intended to be detonated and the proposed schedule for detonation of explosives.
(5) 
Evidence that the person intending to detonate explosives has sufficient financial security or insurance coverage to provide payment for damages to any person suffering damages by virtue of the detonation of the explosives.
(6) 
A description of all structures, including residential dwellings, located within 300 feet of the blast site and a list of the names and the addresses of the owner or owners of any parcel of property immediately adjoining or abutting the parcel of property from which the blasting is to take place, as shown on the most recent tax rolls of the City of Beacon.
Before such permit is issued, the applicant shall submit evidence in the form of a certificate of insurance issued by an insurance company authorized to do business in the State of New York, guaranteeing that the applicant has in full force and effect a policy of public liability insurance, including a specific endorsement covering the liabilities arising from blasting, and providing bodily injury coverage of not less than $1,000,000/$2,000,000 and property damage insurance of not less than $300,000/$500,000. Such policy shall also provide to save the City harmless from all claims, actions and proceedings brought by any person, firm or corporation for injury to personal property resulting from or occasioned by such blasting operations. Such a policy shall contain the provision that the policy shall not be canceled, terminated, modified or changed by the company unless 30 days' prior written notice is sent to the City by certified mail. No permit shall be valid unless such insurance is in full force and effect.
Such permit, when approved and signed by the Building Inspector and upon the payment of a fee, to be determined by the City Council by simple resolution, to the Building Inspector, or such other fee as may be fixed from time to time by the City Council, shall be issued and signed by the Building Inspector, who shall keep a record thereof. Each permit shall specify the name of the permittee, the date of expiration, which shall be no later than 12 months from the date of issue, and the particular place where the blasting is to be done. The Building Inspector may revoke any permit issued hereunder and issue a stop-work order at any time for good cause shown.
No person shall use in a blasting operation a quantity of explosives greater than necessary to properly start the rock or other substances or use such an amount as will endanger persons or property.
All blasts, scheduled to take place within 300 feet of any structure, including any residential dwellings, before firing, shall be covered with metal rope or metal matting, heavy timbers chained together or other suitable screens of sufficient size, weight and strength to prevent the escape of broken rock or other material in manner liable to cause injury or damage to persons or property.
No person shall fire or explode, or direct for cause to be fired or exploded, any blast in or near any highway or public place in the City of Beacon unless competent persons carrying red flags shall have been placed at reasonable distances on all sides of the blast to give proper warning thereof at least three minutes in advance of firing.
No person shall conduct blasting operations within the City of Beacon after the hour of 5:00 p.m. or before 8:00 a.m. on any day which blasting is otherwise permitted.
A. 
No blasting shall take place on Saturday, Sunday or any of the following holidays:
(1) 
New Year's Day.
(2) 
Martin Luther King Day.
(3) 
Presidents' Day.
(4) 
Memorial Day.
(5) 
Independence Day.
(6) 
Labor Day.
(7) 
Yom Kippur.
(8) 
Thanksgiving Day.
(9) 
Christmas Day.
(10) 
Columbus Day.
(11) 
Election Day.
(12) 
Veteran's Day.
B. 
A special blasting permit may be issued by the Building Inspector in the event that unforeseen circumstances require blasting on an otherwise prohibited day or beyond hours of operation set forth above. The notice required set forth below shall also apply to the issuance of a special permit.
During blasting operations, explosives shall be stored separately from detonators, and for this purpose separate receptacles shall be built or provided and placed at a reasonable distance apart one from the other. Explosives shall be stored in approved magazines and shall not be stored unattended overnight.
A. 
Whenever blasting is to occur within 300 feet, measured from the blast site, of any structure, including a residential dwelling, the inhabitants or users of such structure or dwelling shall be personally notified of the date and approximate time that blasting will occur. In the event that personal notification cannot be effected, a written notice containing the above information may be left or posted at the structure or dwelling in a conspicuous place, or a registered letter may be sent to the affected structure or dwelling.
B. 
By whatever means notice is effected, said notice shall be received no less than 24 hours prior to blasting.
C. 
Written notice of the date and approximate time of blasting shall, additionally, be given to the City Clerk, local law enforcement agencies and Building Department no less than 24 hours prior to blasting.
A. 
Compliance with state regulations. It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to transport or cause or permit the transportation of explosives in any vehicle through, to or within the City of Beacon in any manner which violates the provisions of Section 39.6 of Title 12 of the Official Compilation of Codes, Rules and Regulations of the State of New York.
B. 
Guarding: stops. No person in charge of a vehicle containing explosives in transit shall allow such vehicle to remain unguarded at any time, and no person charged with the responsibility of such transportation shall make any unnecessary stops within the City of Beacon. Where such stop is unavoidable, the person in charge of the vehicle containing the explosives shall strictly observe the Rules for Vehicles in Transit as defined in Paragraph g of Code Rule 39.6 of Title 12 of the Official Compilation of Codes, Rules and Regulations of the State of New York.
Any person or corporation violating any of the provisions of this chapter, upon conviction thereof, shall be subject to a mandatory fine of $1,000 for each offense. Every violation of any provision in this chapter shall be a separate and distinct offense, and in case of continuing violation, every day's continuance thereof shall be deemed to be a separate and distinct offense.
This article may be enforced by the Building Inspector or his designated agents.