Explosives Regulations 2014 - subsector guidance

Explosives: update

The UK has left the EU, and some rules and procedures have changed from 1 January 2021[55].

HSE has produced two overarching Legal or 'L' series documents, L150 on Safety of explosives[56] and L151 on the Security of explosives, that provide guidance on how to comply with the Explosives Regulations which came into force on 1 October 2014.

L150 and L151 are structured around the fundamental objectives, described as 'statements of success', that all dutyholders in the industry should achieve in a manner proportionate to their business.

In addition to these two 'L' series publications, and due to the diverse nature of the industry, HSE has worked with a variety of industry groups to produce more detailed guidance specific to each subsector. This guidance has been published and is available to download:

Level 1

These leaflets, aimed at retailers contain basic information intended as a starting point, and are accompanied by a checklist to help you carry out your risk assessment.

Level 2

This guidance provides detailed information that has been tailored to that subsector rather than being generally applicable across the whole explosives sector.

Subsector guidance produced by Industry

Guidance for Firearms Users and Associated Trades (PDF) [67]

Further information

Find out more about the guidance structure[68].

Further information can be found on HSE's explosives web pages[69]. There are also links to other organisations[70] that can help.

If you still have questions about what you should do to comply with the law, contact HSE Explosives Policy team[71].

Link URLs in this page

  1. Explosiveshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/index.htm
  2. Explosives Regulations 2014 (Amendment) Regulations 2016https://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/regulations2016.htm
  3. Overview - The Explosives Regulations 2014https://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/new-regulations.htm
  4. Guidance structurehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/guidance-structure.htm
  5. Subsector guidancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/new-regs-subsector.htm
  6. Explosives Legislative Reviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/explosives-legislative-review.htm
  7. Getting startedhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/getting-started.htm
  8. Overview - Authorisations/licensinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/index.htm
  9. Hazard type https://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/hazard-classification.htm
  10. Safety requirementshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/safety-requirements.htm
  11. Separation distanceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/separation/index.htm
  12. Building and construction typehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/separation/separation-distance-tables.htm
  13. Applying for a licencehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/how-to-apply.htm
  14. Local authority assenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/local-authority-assent.htm
  15. Explosives in portshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/licensing-explosives-in-ports.htm
  16. Information for enforcing authoritieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/enforcing-authorities.htm
  17. Refusals and revocations of authorisationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/refusals-revocations.htm
  18. Safeguarding planshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/safeguarding-plans.htm
  19. Manufacturinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/manufacturing.htm
  20. Securityhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/storage/storage-security.htm
  21. Storing explosiveshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/licensing/storage/index.htm
  22. Overview - Classification for transporthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/classification/index.htm
  23. UN test resultshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/classification/un-test-results.htm
  24. UN test series FAQshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/classification/faq-conducting-un-test-series-6.htm
  25. Analogyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/classification/analogy.htm
  26. Non-contracting partyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/classification/non-contracting-party.htm
  27. UN default scheme for fireworkshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/classification/un-default-scheme-fireworks.htm
  28. How to applyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/classification/how-to-apply.htm
  29. Overview - Fireworkshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/fireworks/index.htm
  30. Firework displayshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/fireworks/using.htm
  31. Storing and selling fireworkshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/fireworks/industry.htm
  32. Transfer of explosiveshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/transfer-of-explosives.htm
  33. Overview - Ammonium nitratehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/ammonium/index.htm
  34. Ammonium nitrate and COMAHhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/ammonium/comah.htm
  35. Storage of ammonium nitrate blasting intermediate (ANBI)https://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/ammonium/storage-ammonium-nitrate.htm
  36. Notification thresholdhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/ammonium/notification-threshold.htm
  37. High nitrogen contenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/ammonium/high-nitrogen-content.htm
  38. Land use planninghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/ammonium/land-use-planning.htm
  39. Discarding and disposalhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/disposal.htm
  40. Reporting losshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/reporting-loss.htm
  41. Placing civil explosives on the markethttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/ce-marking/index.htm
  42. Market surveillancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/market-surveillance.htm
  43. Record keeping requirementshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/record-keeping.htm
  44. Manufacture, storage and carriage of thermiteshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/manufacture-storage-carriage-of-thermites.htm
  45. Overview - Other topicshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/other.htm
  46. Exemptionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/exemptions/index.htm
  47. Record of explosives incidentshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/eidas.htm
  48. Identification and traceability https://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/traceability-itoer.htm
  49. Applying for a Site Identification Codehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/applying-for-site-identification-code.htm
  50. Overview - Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/resources.htm
  51. Formshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/forms/explosive/index.htm
  52. Publicationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/publications.htm
  53. Useful linkshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/useful-links.htm
  54. Contactshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/contact.htm
  55. The UK has left the EU, and some rules and procedures have changed from 1 January 2021https://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/ce-marking/index.htm
  56. L150 on Safety of explosiveshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l150.htm
  57. INDG407 – Storing and selling fireworks safelyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg407.htm
  58. INDG476 – Storing and selling pyrotechnics safelyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg476.htm
  59. INDG477 – Storing and selling shooting supplies safelyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg477.htm
  60. Fireworks in retail premiseshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/assets/docs/er2014-fireworks-retail-prem.pdf
  61. Manufacture and storage of ANBIhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/assets/docs/er2014-manufacture-storage-ammonium-nitrate.pdf
  62. The storage of ammonium nitrate blasting intermediate (ANBI) in an underground minehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/ammonium/storage-ammonium-nitrate.htm
  63. Wholesale storage of fireworkshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/assets/docs/er2014-fireworks-commerical-storage.pdf
  64. Professional firework display operatorhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/assets/docs/er2014-professional-firework-display.pdf
  65. Pyrotechnic articles in retail and commercial premiseshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/assets/docs/er2014-pyrotechnic-retail-commercial.pdf
  66. Commercial manufacture and storage of explosive articles and substanceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/assets/docs/er2014-commercial-manufacture-and-storage-of-explosive-articles-and-substances.pdf
  67. Guidance for Firearms Users and Associated Tradeshttps://nares.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Explosives-REV2.pdf
  68. guidance structurehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/guidance-structure.htm
  69. explosives web pageshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/new-regulations.htm
  70. other organisationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/useful-links.htm
  71. HSE Explosives Policy teamhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/contact.htm
  72. Explosives Regulations 2014: Guidance on Regulations – Safety provisionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l150.htm
  73. INDG 327 - Working safely with acetylenehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg327.htm
  74. Fire and explosionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/index.htm

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Updated: 2024-11-19