aeisg news

The Australasian Explosives Industry Safety Group Incorporated (AEISG) is pleased to announce that a new Code of Practice, ‘Storage and Handling of Solid Ammonium Nitrate’, Edition 1, June 2022 has been released and is available on the Codes of Practice tab of this website, or click on this link below. AEISG Codes of Practice are developed in the interests of improving safety and security in the handling of explosives and related materials, which members are required to follow under the AEISG constitution.

The Code of Practice – Storage and Handling of Solid Ammonium Nitrate (Code) will provide the Australasian, and global, industry with a best practice risk-based approach for the safe storage and handling of solid ammonium nitrate. AEISG thanks its members, relevant regulatory bodies and other stakeholders for their review and comments on the various iterations of the draft Code, culminating in the release of Edition 1.

A special thank you to our technical writer, risk specialists, members and regulatory bodies that participated in the AEISG Ammonium Nitrate (AN) Technical Panel, which developed a scientifically based and verifiable risk-based approach to the storage of AN.

Storage and Handling of Solid Ammonium Nitrate Edition 1, June 2022...

The Australasian Explosives Industry Safety Group (AEISG) is pleased to announce that a new Code of Practice, ‘Import of Explosives’ has been released, and is available on this website. Go to the Code of Practices section to download this new code. AEISG Codes of Practice (CoP) are developed in the interests of improving safety and security in the handling of explosives and related materials, which members are required to follow under the AEISG constitution. AEISG CoP are developed with both industry (supplier and user) and regulator input to ensure practical and acceptable methods of using and handling explosives....

United Nations Model Regulations for the Transport of Dangerous Goods accepts Electronic Detonators

Following continued submissions by AEISG, the UN Committee of Experts has agreed to include new entries for Electronic Detonators in the International Model Regulations.

For safety reasons, there has been a need to effectively differentiate between ‘Electric Detonators’ and ‘Electronic Detonators’ – explosives articles employing vastly different technologies. However, to date, there has been no Proper Name or UN Number to assign to Electronic Detonators. As a result, they have been classified, packaged, labelled, transported and used under the existing Electric Detonators entries – adding to ongoing confusion and potential safety issues.

The new edition of the UN Model Regulations due to be released in early 2019 will include three new entries for Electronic Detonators (UN0511, UN0512 and UN0513) depending on packaging and resultant classification (1.1B, 1.4B or 1.4S).

AEISG believes this is one important step in removing the confusion between Electric and Electronic Detonators, will lead to better informed industry and regulation alike and improve safety in the handling and use of explosives....

National Transport Commission exempts MPUs from the ADG Code

At the request of Australian Dangerous Goods Regulators, AEISG developed a code to address Mobile Processing Units (MPUs) used to manufacture explosives at the use site. MPUs carry ingredients to make explosives, rather than the explosives themselves, thus improving safety on public roads. However, because of the incompatible nature of the ingredients, such vehicles would not be consistent with the ADG Code requirements.

Having developed its MPU Code and having it accepted by all explosives/dangerous goods regulators, AEISG has been seeking for some time to have it formally recognised in the ADG Code and the associated legislation.

This has finally been achieved in the latest edition of the ADG Code (7.6) where Clause 1.1.1.2 (Note 4) outlines the exemption provided by Regulation 1.1.6(3) of the Model Subordinate Instrument.

As from 1 July 2018, operators of MPUs transporting AN, ANE and effect chemicals on public roads may now comply with only one code – the AEISG MPU Code.The MPU Code provides guidance on the need for legislative licensing where relevant....

The international explosives industry association SAFEX has recently issued its new Good Practice Guide (GPG06(1)) covering the transportation of technical grade ammonium nitrate.

This guide will complement the existing SAFEX Good Practice Guide for the storage of ammonium nitrate (GPG02).

Ammonium nitrate is manufactured, imported, transported, stored and used in large quantities by the explosives industry in Australia, and has been involved in significant explosive incidents in Australia and other parts of the world. The SAFEX Good Practice Guides provide guidelines for those working with ammonium nitrate to ensure hazards are appropriately addressed and risks are maintained at an acceptably low level.

Access to SAFEX Good Practice Guides can be obtained through their website www.safex-international.org....

Australian Forum Of Explosives Regulators approves labelling changes for Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers (FIBCs) containing explosives.

At the meeting of AFER on 16 November 2016 Australian explosives regulators agreed unanimously to remove the requirement for Emergency Information Panels (EIPs) on FIBCs containing explosives as required by section 3.2.7(1) of the Australian Code for the Transport of Explosives by Road and Rail. (AEC).

At that meeting, AEISG argued that the application of EIPs was an ‘Australianism” which impeded international/intermodal transport of explosives and made inclusion of GHS labelling requirements on FIBCs more difficult.

The AFER decision brings the labelling requirements of FIBCs for explosives in line with the UN Model Regulations and hence promotes consistency.

The AFER decision has since been confirmed by the recent release (October 2017) of the endorsement by the Queensland explosives regulator forwarded to all other explosives regulators for implementation in their respective jurisdictions.

The explosives industry in Australia welcomes the decision by AFER and will seek to have it included in a future review of the AEC....