As used in this chapter, the term:

(1) "Blaster" means a person qualified by reason of training, knowledge, or experience to fire or detonate explosives in blasting operations and who has in his possession a valid blaster's license issued by the Commissioner.

(2) "Blasting operation" means the use of explosives in the blasting of stone, rock, ore, or any other natural formation or in any construction or demolition work but shall not include the use of explosives in agricultural operations and private and personal use of explosives in remote areas for such operations as ditching, land clearing, destruction of beaver dams and other such operations when not in close proximity to adjacent property. This chapter shall not apply to any blasting operation in which the charge weight is 200 pounds or less.

(3) "Charge weight" means the total weight in pounds of an explosive charge.

(4) "Charge weight per delay" means the weight in pounds of an explosive charge which is detonated per delay period for delay intervals of eight milliseconds or greater or the total weight of explosives in pounds which is detonated within an interval less than eight milliseconds.

(5) "Commissioner" means the Safety Fire Commissioner.

(6) "Delay initiation" means the detonation of the subcharge of explosives in predetermined sequence which is accomplished by using regular or short period delay electric blasting caps or other means of equivalent effectiveness.

(7) "Delay period" means the time interval in milliseconds (eight milliseconds or greater) between successive detonations of subchargers produced by the delay devices used.

(8) "Distance" means the actual distance in feet along ground contour to the nearest house, public building, school, church, or commercial or institutional building normally occupied.

(9) "Explosives" means any chemical compound or other substance or mechanical system intended for the purpose of producing an explosion or containing oxidizing and combustible units or other ingredients in such proportions or quantities that ignition by fire, by friction, by concussion, by percussion, or by detonator may produce an explosion capable of causing injury to persons or damage to property.

(10) "Particle velocity" means the velocity with which an earth particle moves when vibrating or oscillating in any manner from its position of rest or elastic equilibrium.

(11) "Person" means any individual, public or private corporation, political subdivision, government agency, municipality, industry, partnership, association, firm, trust, estate, or other entity whatsoever. (12) "Scaled distance" or "Ds" means the actual distance (D) in feet divided by the square root of the maximum charge weight (W) in pounds that is detonated per delay period. This means: D Ds = _______ W Scaled distance = Actual distance ________________________________ charge weight per delay interval