The following rules and procedures shall be complied with when dealing with drilling for blasting:

1. Equipment shall be inspected each shift by a certified person designated by the operator. Equipment defects affecting safety shall be reported immediately;

2. Equipment defects affecting safety shall be corrected before the equipment is used;

3. The drilling area shall be inspected by a certified person, designated by the operator, for hazards before drilling operations are started;

4. Men shall not be on the mast while the drill is in operation;

5. Drill crews and others shall stay clear of augers or drill stems that are in motion. Persons shall not pass under or step over a moving stem or auger;

6. Receptacles or racks shall be provided for drill steel stored on drills;

7. Tools and other objects shall not be left loose on the mast or drill platform;

8. When a drill is being moved from one drilling area to another, drill steel, tools and other equipment shall be secured and the mast placed in a safe position;

9. In the event of power failure, drill controls shall be placed in the neutral position until power is restored;

10. While in operation drills shall be attended at all times;11. Drill holes large enough to constitute a hazard shall be covered or guarded;

12. Men shall not drill from positions that hinder their access to the control levers or from insecure footing or staging or from atop equipment not designed for this purpose;

13. Bit wrenches or bit knockers shall be used to remove detachable bits from drill steel;

14. Starter steels shall be used when collaring holes with handheld or feedleg drills;

15. Men shall not hold the drill steel while collaring holes or rest their hands on the chuck or centralizer while drilling; and

16. Air shall be turned off and bled from the hose before handheld drills are moved from one working area to another.

Laws 1978, c. 148, § 12, emerg. eff. April 7, 1978.