The Ohio Drilling & Blasting Conference was held from March 20-21, 2019, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Columbus, Ohio. The conference was sponsored by the International Society of Explosives Engineers (ISEE), the Ohio Aggregates & Industrial Minerals Association (OAIMA) and Ohio Coal Association and endorsed by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Mineral Resources Management.

More than 150 attendees participated in the event that featured 13 exhibit booths and a full day of presentations from explosives industry experts. This year’s program began with opening remarks from Mike Mann, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and John Capers, Austin Powder, and included topics covering regulatory updates; geology; spacing calculations; community relations; and driller and blaster communications. Attendees qualified for blasters training recertification hours from several states.

The highlight of the event included presentations of the Lifetime Achievement, Blaster of the Year and Driller of the Year and awards. John Capers was honored with this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award. The blaster recognition was awarded to Vern Dewees, Hilltop Energy. The driller award was presented to Dave Smith, MOVER.

The Ohio Drilling & Blasting Conference is a biennial event that serves as a platform for the exchange of the industry’s best practices.

For more information, visit www.isee.org.