New Explosives Regulations (ER 2014) came into force on 1 October 2014, consolidating and modernising the earlier regulatory landscape.
ER 2014 revokes several explosives regulations, substituting a framework-based approach around common issues including authorisation, safety, security and sales.
As a result of the consolidation the ACOP (Approved Code of Practice) for the Manufacture and Storage of Explosives Regulations 2005 (L139) has also been withdrawn.
Guidance relating to the security of explosives (HSE Circular 1/2005), and on the placing of civil use explosives on the market (L66) have also been withdrawn.
Key changes include:
Allowing local authorities to issue licences up to five years, aligning them with equivalent HSE- and police-issued licences
Extending licensing to address storage of ammonium nitrate blasting intermediate (ANBI).
Updated exceptions for keeping higher hazard and desensitised explosives without a licence
Restructured tables of separation distances to allow for sites with more than one store. Tables have also been revised to cover quantities of explosives greater than 2000kg.
The regulations are supported by overarching guidance comprising two documents: L150 focuses on safety provisions; and L151 covers security provisions.
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