SC15-03 iv
Health and Safety Committee Report
Additional item
Legislation- Update
The Explosives Regulations 2014 came into force on 1 October 2014, and the Approved
Code of Practice to the Manufacture and Storage of Explosives Regulations 2005, and the
Guide to the Placing on the Market and Supervision of Transfers of Explosives Regulations
1993, have been withdrawn.
This guidance now applies. It is for anyone who has duties under the safety provisions of the
Explosives Regulations 2014, particularly employers, private individuals and other people manufacturing explosives, storing larger quantities of explosives or storing explosives that present higher hazards.
It provides overarching guidance on how the safety provisions of the Regulations should be met, and is supported and supplemented by subsector guidance .
This publication should be read alongside L151 the Explosives Regulations 2014 - Security provisions .
The main changes to the regulatory framework include:
 merging registrations into the licensing system
 allowing local authorities to issue licences up to 5 years, aligning them with equivalent
HSE/police-issued licences
 extending licensing to address storage of ammonium nitrate blasting intermediate (ANBI)
 exceptions for keeping desensitised explosives without a licence have been updated

Tables of separation distances have been restructured to better allow for sites with more than one store. The tables have also been revised to cover quantities of explosives greater than 2000kg
 a revised list of explosives that can be acquired or acquired and kept without an explosives certificate from the police
 the repeal of the Fireworks Act 1951, as its remaining provisions have been superseded by the Pyrotechnic (Safety) Regulations 2010

Implications to the University
One of the main exemptions for desensitised explosives is ‘Any desensitised explosive acquired, in a quantity not exceeding 5 grams, for the purposes of — (a) research, analysis or testing at a University;’ Therefore if you have more than 5g a license is required.
Picric acid solid requires an explosives certificate, there are exemptions for as liquid picric acid s olutions (less than 2%) plus there is also an exemption for “Any desensitised explosive acquired in a quantity not exceeding 5g for the purposes of research, analysis or testing at a University.
There are some other specific exemptions for education and research (i.e. you can make
NI3 less than 0.5g) – However, unless there is a specific exemption, the regs do apply to universities and other research establishment.
Action Required

A survey will be undertaken to identify if any Schools hold any relevant materials and any relevant licences will be monitored by the Hazardous Substances and Activities
Sub Committee.

Information and guidance links will be placed on the central safety web site

A Safety Information Bulletin will be sent out.