Chapter 7: Storage of Explosives

Learning Objectives

• Identify the federal rules and regulations for magazines and storing explosives inside them.
• Identify the types of licensed facilities for manufacturing, selling, distributing, or storing explosives.
• Describe the responsibilities of the licensee related to an explosives magazine.
• Discuss the requirement to ensure someone is in charge of every explosives magazine.
• Describe the most common type of explosives magazine used in the blasting industry.
• Identify requirements that apply to the contents of an explosives magazine.
• Explain the importance of maintaining an explosives magazine inventory.
• Explain signage requirements where explosives are stored.
• Describe how to determine safe locations for explosives magazines.
• Describe how to protect explosives magazines from fire and lightning.
• Explain the federal and OHS Regulation requirements regarding maintenance and organization of an explosives magazine.

Overview

Explosives must be stored in a safe, secure facility to protect them from theft, damage, and contamination. The rules for magazines and storing explosives inside them are set out in the federal Explosives Act and Explosives Regulations. People with access to magazines need to be familiar with these requirements.

About Licensed Magazine Storage

A licensed facility is a magazine for which a licence has been issued by the Explosives, Regulatory and Business Services Branch of Natural Resources Canada. There are three types of licensed facilities:

• Factory site - From which the licensee is authorized to manufacture, sell, or distribute explosives
• Vendor magazine - From which a vendor is authorized to sell or distribute explosives
• User magazine - Usually under the control of a blaster, in which a user is authorized to store explosives for use in a blasting operation

Licensee Responsibilities

The terms of the licence will specify the location, maintenance, operation, safeguards, and permitted contents of the magazine. These terms must be strictly adhered to. The licensee must do the following:

• Prohibit entry by unauthorized persons.
• Ensure that everyone who accesses the magazine has an approval letter from the Explosives Regulatory Division of Natural Resources Canada or an equivalent document (e.g., a FAST card, a NEXUS card, or a Firearms Possession and Acquisition Licence).
• Prohibit matches, flammable materials, and iron or steel tools in and around the magazine.
• Keep the interior dry, cool, well-ventilated, organized, clean, and free of grit.
• Monitor the behaviour of persons in or near the facility.
• Have a written security plan and a fire safety plan. These can be two separate documents or one combined document.
• Ensure magazine key security, which includes a written key-control plan.
• Keep an accurate inventory of the magazine contents.
• Report all theft to the Explosives Regulatory Division of Natural Resources Canada and to local police.
• Have a magazine surveillance program in place and approved by Natural Resources Canada.

Ensuring a Person is in Charge of Each Magazine

The federal Explosives Regulations do not require a certified blaster to be responsible for storage. However, the magazine owner or employer must ensure someone is designated as being in charge for every magazine. That person is often a blaster. The employer must also designate a person to attend explosives when they are not stored in a locked magazine.

Requirements for Magazines Used for Unattended Overnight Storage

Type 4 magazines are the most common example used in the blasting industry. They are walk-in style, licensed buildings used to store explosives overnight.

To store explosives, this type of magazine must be constructed according to the requirements of National Standard of Canada CAN/BNQ 2910-500 Explosives — Magazines for Industrial Explosives. This standard, published by the Standards Council of Canada and the Bureau de normalisation du Québec, is amended from time to time as security requirements change.

The standard provides the specifications for the following:

• Materials to be used
• Door design
• Locking systems
• Heating, cooling, and insulation
• Ventilation
• Bullet resistance of the walls
• Electrical systems
• Interior finish
• Surveillance

Types of Magazine Licences

• General user magazine licence (type U) - Required when storing explosives for commercial use.

• Vendor magazine licence (type V) - Needed if either of the following apply:

  • Blasting explosives and other types of industrial explosives are being sold.
  • Any amount is kept by the vendor in storage magazines.

Contents of Magazines

The following requirements apply to the contents of magazines:

• Clean up spills of explosives promptly. In case of a spill of a deteriorated explosive, follow the product manufacturer's recommendations for cleanup.
• Store only explosives that are permitted under the magazine's licence.
• Other materials and equipment may be stored in the magazine only if they are required for operations (e.g., handling explosives) in the magazine and they don't increase the risk of an ignition.
• Rotate stocks of explosives so the oldest explosive in a magazine is used first. Consult with the manufacturer to ensure that the recommended storage time for the explosives is being followed.
• Never store detonators with other explosives.
• Never store any sparking metal in a magazine.
• Never use explosives that appear to have deteriorated. Consult the manufacturer for proper disposal or use.
• Never exceed recommended storage conditions and temperatures for explosives. Check with the manufacturer.
• Never perform any type of operation in a magazine other than inspection, inventory, or bringing in or taking out explosives.

Maintaining a Magazine Inventory

The operator of a licensed explosives-storage facility must maintain an accurate record of the explosives stored. This record is known as a magazine log book. All records of any magazine must be kept until two years after the last date mentioned in the log.

Required Information

For any explosives received or issued, the operator must record the following information:

• The quantity
• The brand name
• The cartridge size
• The date received and issued

If a magazine contains open boxes of cartridge explosives, an accurate stick count must be maintained in the magazine logs and should be written on each box.

Sample Magazine Log for Explosives

Sample Magazine Log for Detonators

Posting Warning Signs for Magazines

A site where explosives are kept or stored must be identified by warning signs. The signs must be easily seen, but they should not attract undue attention. In the interests of security, the less publicity as to what is stored at the site, the better.

Sign Placement

• Position signs so that a bullet passing directly through them will not strike the magazine.
• A federal explosives inspector may set out requirements for the placement and wording of warning signs.
• The signs should not be visible from a public road.

Typical Sign Wording

Signs typically display wording similar to the following:

DANGER
KEEP OUT

DANGER
NO TRESPASSING
NO SMOKING
NO MATCHES

Determining Safe Locations for Magazines

National Standard of Canada CAN/BNQ 2910-510 Explosives — Quantity Distances is used to determine the proper separation distances between a magazine and its surroundings.

Required Separation

A site where explosives are kept or stored must be located a safe distance from the following:

• Inhabited buildings
• Public roads
• Passenger railways
• Travelled waterways
• Other places frequented by people
• Power lines
• Transmitting antennas
• Sites storing hazardous materials

The minimum distance a storage facility must be located from such areas depends on the quantity of explosives. Table C.2 in the National Standard of Canada CAN/BNQ 2910-510 lists the minimum distances in metres. These distances may be adjusted at the discretion of a federal explosives inspector. Greater distances should be selected whenever possible.

Site Selection Tips

• Locate the storage site at the base of a high bank or in a grove of trees. This will hide the site from view and reduce the likelihood of lightning strikes.
• Keep explosives a safe distance from electrical transmission lines. This means maintaining a minimum separation as set out in the quantity-distances standard mentioned above.

Protecting Magazines

Explosives must be protected from fire and lightning. Do not allow smoking or the use of e-cigarettes in or around a magazine.

Fire Protection

• Keep the area within 8 m (26 ft.) of a storage area or facility clear of dry grass and other combustible materials.
• Never allow any lighters, matches, smoking, open flames, or other sources of ignition or volatile materials within 15 m (50 ft.) of a magazine.
• If a fire occurs near a storage facility or involves an explosives magazine, evacuate all personnel at least 800 m (0.5 mi.) away. Never attempt to extinguish burning explosives.

Lightning Protection

On the approach of and during a thunderstorm, close all storage facilities and keep a safe distance from explosives.

Magazine Maintenance

Under the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, the employer must ensure that a magazine is kept clean, dry, and organized. A well-organized magazine makes it easy to select, issue, and inventory explosives.

Organization Requirements

• Uncovered boxes and loose cartridges, spools, and detonators are not to be kept in a magazine.
• Cases of explosives in a magazine must not be piled higher than allowed by the magazine licence issued under the federal Explosives Act. The "stack line" is often indicated in the magazine.
• The employer must also ensure that the quantity of explosives stored in a magazine does not exceed the amount allowed by the licence.

Repairs

Before performing any repairs on the inside or outside of a magazine, all explosives must be removed.