Health and Safety
Executive / Commission
Explosives
HSE has produced a self-help checklist [PDF 45kb]
to help those storing ammonium nitrate to determine if there are further measures they could take to ensure the safer handling and storage of ammonium nitrate. This checklist is issued to all safety and security inspectors who may be undertaking inspection in this area.
Further guidance is available in HSE's free leaflet INDG230 Storing and Handling Ammonium Nitrate [PDF 797kb].
The Notification of Installations Handling Hazardous Substances Regulations 1982 (as amended) (NIHHS) [40kb] require that anyone who handles or stores (or intends to handle or store) 150 tonnes or more of ammonium nitrate or mixtures containing ammonium nitrate where the nitrogen content exceeds 15.75% of the mixture by weight should notify the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Further information information how to notify HSE is available here.
The Ammonium Nitrate Materials (High Nitrogen Content) Safety Regulations 2003 prohibit the importation and supply of fertilisers with more than 28 per cent nitrogen that fail a detonation test. There are certain exceptions to this prohibition for users of technical grade ammonium nitrate. The regulations permit the storage of this material to make an explosive on site. With this exception, this material can only be imported stored and kept provided under an exemption certificate from HSE. For further information please see:
Guidance on the security of ammonium nitrate used in blasting has been produced by the National Counter Terrorism Security Office, in conjunction with the Quarries National Joint Advisory Committee and Health and Safety Executive. The leaflet offers some practical help and guidance for sites, such as quarries, that use ammonium nitrate for blasting.