The blasting will be done for excavation of a shallow rock bed by subcontractor HTA Enterprises Inc. Required blasting permits have been issued through various local, state and federal agencies, including Tipp City Emergency Services, Ohio State Fire Marshal’s Office, Regional Air Pollution Control Agency and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
HTA Enterprises Inc. has contracted with Kentuckiana Seismic & Survey Inc. to offer pre-blast surveys to residents and business owners within a defined radius of the worksite.
HTA Enterprises Inc. will provide daily blast activity updates, with 24-hour notice, to the following agencies Tipp City Emergency Services, Tipp City Police Department, Tipp City administrative staff, Miami County Sheriff’s Office, Miami County Communications Center, Miami County Hazmat Team, Miami County Emergency Management Agency/Local Emergency Planning Committee Ohio State Highway Patrol – Piqua Post and Ohio Department of Transportation.
The blasting excavation work is expected to cause only minor disruptions, Howard said. Those disruptions could be:
- Noise and vibrations associated with drilling and blasting
- Dust generated from rock fragmentation and extraction
Officials are advising residents not to breathe in dust generated from the excavation efforts, though it’s unclear if there are any potential health risks.
“I cannot speak to the specific health risks associated with the dust potential from this project. However, in general, dust is simply small solid particles that have been propelled into the air. We would always advise against breathing in dust during all circumstances,” Howard said.
If you see a cloud of dust in the air, you should avoid it through distancing yourself from it, moving indoors to where there is a filtered HVAC system or wearing a mask, he said.
The contractors should be implementing dust control measures during their operations. The dust that will be generated by the blasting is the same as what’s generated during standard mechanical excavation practices, according to Howard.
“The general construction project, unassociated with the blasting, is also causing minor disruptions to the neighboring residents. The mechanical excavation of the rock is also noisy and dusty. The blasting should shorten the timeframe of these disruptions by move up the time to project completion,” Howard said.
Because of the hazardous nature of explosive materials, people are asked to keep clear of this worksite over the next eight weeks and throughout the balance of construction.
“Children have been observed riding bikes and playing on dirt piles in the evenings at the site. Construction worksites present a variety of hazards. Please join us as a partner in safety,” Howard said.
Anyone with questions about the blasting can contact Howard at howarda@tippcity.net or call him at 937-506-3950.
Contact this contributing writer at nancykburr@aol.com.
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