Blaster Trade Regulations
made under Section 17A of the
Apprenticeship and Trades Qualifications Act
S.N.S. 2003, c. 1
N.S. Reg. 205/2016 (effective April 1, 2017)
amended to N.S. Reg. 145/2022 (effective July 6, 2022)
Table of Contents
Please note: this table of contents is provided for convenience of reference and does not form part of the regulations.
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Citation
Definitions
Classes of certification in blaster trade
Terms of apprenticeship for blaster trade
Wage schedules for apprentices in blaster trade
Blaster certificate through trade qualification
Blaster certificate term and renewal
Compliance with identity card requirements of General Regulations
Transition
Citation
1 These trade regulations may be cited as the Blaster Trade Regulations.
Definitions
2 (1) In these regulations,
“Act” means the Apprenticeship and Trades Qualifications Act;
“blaster apprentice” means a person who has entered into an apprenticeship
agreement with an employer in the blaster trade;
“blaster journeyperson” means a person who holds a certificate of qualification in
the blaster trade;
“blaster trade” means the occupation of a blaster, consisting of conducting and
supervising blasting activity as defined in the Blasting Safety Regulations;
“Blasting Safety Regulations” means the Blasting Safety Regulations made under
the Occupational Health and Safety Act;
“former blasting regulations” means the General Blasting Regulations, N.S. Reg.
77/1990, made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act;
“General Regulations” means the Apprenticeship and Trades Qualifications Act
General Regulations made under the Act.
(2) A term defined in the General Regulations has the same meaning when used in
these regulations.
(3) A term defined in the Blasting Safety Regulations has the same meaning when
used in these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires.
Classes of certification in blaster trade
3 (1) The following are the classes of certification in the blaster trade:
(a) Blaster (3rd Class);
(b) Blaster (2nd Class);
(c) Blaster (1st Class).
(2) A person who holds a blaster certificate is authorized to conduct and supervise
blasting activity specified in the Blasting Safety Regulations for the class of blaster
certificate held.
Terms of apprenticeship for blaster trade
4 (1) The term of apprenticeship for a Blaster (3rd Class) consists of all of the following:
(a) a single level consisting of 900 documented hours of the combination of
practical experience and the portion of technical training spent learning the
skills of the designated trade as described in clause 26(1A)(a) of the General
Regulations and as approved by the Director, and including at least 4
supervised blasts;
(b) related technical training as described in clause 26(1A)(b) of the General
Regulations and as approved by the Director;
(c) a certification examination.
(2) The term of apprenticeship for a Blaster (2nd Class) consists of all of the
following:
(a) a single level consisting of 2250 hours of the combination of practical
experience and the portion of technical training spent learning the skills of
the designated trade as described in clause 26(1A)(a) of the General
Regulations and as approved by the Director, 1350 hours of which must be
obtained after obtaining a Blaster (3rd Class) certificate, and including at
least 12 supervised blasts, 8 of which must be performed after obtaining a
Blaster (3rd Class) certificate;
(b) related technical training as described in clause 26(1A)(b) of the General
Regulations and as approved by the Director;
(c) a certification examination.
(3) The term of apprenticeship for a Blaster (1st Class) consists of all of the following:
(a) a single level consisting of 3600 hours of the combination of practical
experience and the portion of technical training spent learning the skills of
the designated trade as described in clause 26(1A)(a) of the General
Regulations and as approved by the Director, 1350 hours of which must be
obtained after obtaining a Blaster (2nd Class) certificate, and including at
least 12 supervised blasts within 50 m of a structure that is normally
occupied in whole or in part by people, such as a house, residence, shop,
church or school;
(b) related technical training as described in clause 26(1A)(b) of the General
Regulations and as approved by the Director;
(c) a certification examination.
(4) Any probationary period included in a term of apprenticeship for the blaster trade
as permitted by subsection 12(2) of the General Regulations must be no longer
than 3 months.
5 [repealed]
Wage schedules for apprentices in blaster trade
6 (1) Subject to subsection (2), the minimum wage rate for each hour worked by a
blaster trade apprentice in their term of apprenticeship is a percentage of the wage
for a blaster journeyperson in the same place of employment, as set out in the
following table:
Wages for Blaster Apprentice
|
Class of Certification
|
Hours in Term of
Apprenticeship
(term consists of single level)
|
Minimum Wage
(% of journeyperson’s wage)
|
Blaster (3rd Class)
|
900
|
60% of Blaster (1st Class)
|
Blaster (2nd Class)
|
2250
|
70% of Blaster (1st Class)
|
Blaster (1st Class)
|
3600
|
80% of Blaster (1st Class)
|
(2) An employer must not employ a blaster apprentice at a wage for actual hours
worked that is lower than the wage that would be paid at the minimum wage rate
prescribed in the Minimum Wage Order (General) made under the Labour
Standards Code.
Blaster certificate through trade qualification
7 (1) The requirements of paragraph 30(1)(a)(ii)(A) and clause 30(1)(b) of the General
Regulations for a person who does not hold a certificate of apprenticeship and is
applying for a certificate of qualification in the blaster trade must be met as set out
in the following table:
Class of
Certification
|
Hours of Practical
Experience Required
(General Regulations,
paragraph 30(1)(a)(ii)(A))
|
Tasks Required to
Demonstrate Competency
(General Regulations, clause 30(1)(b))
|
Blaster (3rd Class)
|
1350 hours
|
at least 4 blasts
|
Blaster (2nd
Class)
|
3375 hours
|
at least 12 blasts
|
Blaster (1st Class)
|
5400 hours
|
at least 24 blasts, 12 of which
must be within 50 m of a
structure that is normally
occupied in whole or in part by
people, such as a house,
residence, shop, church or
school
|
(2) The practical experience referred to in the table in subsection (1) must be as
approved by the Director.
Blaster certificate term and renewal
8 (1) A certificate of qualification in the blaster trade is valid for 5 years from the date it
is issued and may be renewed.
(2) A certificate of qualification in the blaster trade that is renewed in accordance with
subsection 35B(2) of the General Regulations is valid for a further term of 5 years
from its most recent expiry date.
(3) An applicant for renewal of a certificate of qualification in the blaster trade must,
in addition to paying the prescribed fee within the specified time in accordance
with subsection 35B(2) of the General Regulations, complete to the Director’s
satisfaction any training or examination, or combination of training and
examination, relevant to the blaster trade that the Director requires.
Compliance with identity card requirements of General Regulations
9 For the purposes of Section 34 of the General Regulations, which requires an apprentice
or journeyperson to keep their identity card in their possession when practising the
designated trade and produce it on request, a person is practising the blaster trade while
the person is doing any of the following:
(a) for an apprentice,
(i) acquiring practical experience in the trade, or
(ii) learning the skills of the trade during the technical training portion of
apprenticeship training;
(b) for a journeyperson, performing the duties of the trade as defined in these
regulations or their duties as set out in the General Regulations.
Transition
10 A person who, immediately before the coming into force of these regulations, was an
apprentice in an apprenticeship program under the Blaster Trade Regulations, N.S. Reg.
90/2008, continues as an apprentice in that program under these regulations.
The following regulations are not yet in force and are
not included in the current consolidation: