Rhode Island General Laws Title 23. Health and Safety § 23-28.28-9. Standards for use of explosives

(a) All licensees under this chapter, when using any explosives, shall not exceed the standards of distance, amount of charge, maximum earth vibration, and maximum air shock as set forth in the United States department of the interior bureau of mines report of investigators number 8507 which is entitled “Structure Response and Damage Produced by Ground Vibration from Surface Mines Blasting”, and any amendment and/or modifications thereof, which standards are incorporated herein by reference.

(b) Blasting limits.  No licensee shall use an explosive weight in pounds per delay in excess of the formula of the distance to the nearest structure in feet, divided by the factor of seventy (70), multiplied by itself, [W=(D/70) squared], except when seismograph monitoring as set forth in subsection (c).

(c) Seismograph required.  Each licensee shall be required to perform a seismograph test at the nearest structure to the blast prior to and during any blasting that would exceed the limits as set forth in subsection (b).