Labor & Industries (L&I), Washington State

Safety Standards for the Possession and Handling of Explosives

Table of Contents

Storage of Explosive Materials Chapter 296-52 - Part E

For printing

WAC

296-52-69005 Detonators.

296-52-69010 Explosives.

296-52-69015 Exempt explosives.

296-52-69020 Storage facilities.

296-52-69025 Quantity and distance tables.

296-52-69030 Storage within magazines.

296-52-69035 Storage limits.

296-52-69040 Notification of fire safety authority.

296-52-69045 Magazine repairs.

296-52-69050 Inventory.

296-52-69055 Inspection.

296-52-69060 Precautions for areas surrounding magazine.

296-52-69065 Deteriorated explosives.

296-52-69070 Explosives recovered from misfires.

296-52-69080 Blast site storage.

296-52-69085 Multiple magazines.

296-52-69090 Blasting agents and supplies.

296-52-69095 Ammonium nitrate.

296-52-69105 Table H-20--Table of distances for storage of explosives.

296-52-69110 Table H-21--Quantity and distance table for separation between magazines.

296-52-69115 Table H-22--Separation distances of ammonium nitrate and blasting agents from explosives or blasting agents.

296-52-69120 Table H-23--Quantity and distance tables for manufacturing buildings.

296-52-69125 Table H-24--Low explosives.

 

WAC 296-52-69005 Detonators. 

Detonators must not be stored in magazines where other explosives are stored.

WAC 296-52-69010 Explosives. 

All Division 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, and 1.4 explosives, special industrial explosives, and any newly developed unclassified explosives, must be kept in magazines that meet the requirements of RCW 70.74.120 and this chapter, unless the explosives are:

• In the manufacturing process

• Being physically handled

• Being used at the blast site

• Being transported to a place of storage or use.

WAC 296-52-69015 Exempt explosives. Explosives exempt from these storage requirements are:

Type of Explosive	Exempted Amount
Stocks of:
Small arms ammunition, Propellant-actuated power cartridges, and  Small arms ammunition primers	Quantities less than 750,000
Smokeless powder	Quantities less than 150 pounds
Black powder (as used in muzzleloading firearms)	Quantities less than 5 pounds
Explosive-actuated power devices	Quantities less than 50 pounds net weight of explosives
Fuse lighters and igniters	(not applicable)
Safety fuses (except cordeau detonant fuses)	(not applicable)

WAC 296-52-69020 Storage facilities. 

Explosives, except as specified in WAC 296-52-69015, and detonators in quantities of more than 1,000 must be stored in permanent Type 1 magazines or approved and licensed magazines.

Note 1: Components storage.

Any 2 components which when mixed and become capable of detonation by a #8 detonator must be stored in a licensed approved magazine. Each component of two component explosives when unmixed must be stored in separate locked containers.

Note 2: Electro magnetic radiation precautions.

Blasting operations or storage of electrical detonators are prohibited in the area of operation radio frequency (RF) transmitter stations except where the clearances (WAC 296-52-67060, Extraneous electricity and radio frequency (RF) transmitters) can be observed.

Note 3: Detonators, electric detonators, detonating primers, and primed cartridges.

Detonators, electric detonators, detonating primers, and primed cartridges can't be stored together or in the same magazine with other explosives.

Note 4: Ammonium perchlorate rocket motors.

Ammonium perchlorate rocket motors in 62.5 grams amounts or greater, but not exceed 50 pounds in total weight of explosives, may be stored in an attached garage of a single-family residence if the living area is separated by a fire wall with a one-hour minimum fire resistance.

WAC 296-52-69025 Quantity and distance tables. 

All explosive manufacturing buildings and magazines that store explosives or blasting agents (except small arms ammunition and smokeless powder), must meet the requirements as specified in:

• Table H-20, Distances for Storage of Explosives

• Table H-21, Distance Table for Separation between Magazines

• Table H-22, Separation Distance of Ammonium Nitrate and Blasting Agent from Explosives or Blasting Agents.

WAC 296-52-69030 Storage within magazines.

(1) Storage materials. Magazines can't be used for storage of metal tools or any commodity other than:

• Explosives

• Blasting agents

• Blasting supplies

(2) Black powder.

• Black powder must be stored separately from other explosives in a magazine

• Kegs must be stored on end, bungs down, on sides, seams down

(3) Age/or date mark. Explosives that aren't already age/or date marked by the manufacturer, must be marked with the manufacturing date before being stored in the magazine.

Note: Unidentified explosives confiscated by law enforcement may be marked with the confiscation date, if the manufacturer's date is unknown.

(4) Grades and brands.

• Identical grades and brands of explosives must be stored together, with the brands and grade marks showing

• Explosive materials must be stored so they can be easily checked and counted

(5) Package placement. Explosive packages must be:

• Placed right side up

• Stacked so they are stable

(6) Ventilation. Explosive material can't be:

• Stored where they could interfere with ventilation

• Placed less than 2 inches from the interior walls

Note: Nonsparking lattice or other nonsparking material may be used to prevent contact of stored explosive material with interior walls.

(7) Housekeeping.

• Magazine floors must be:

• Brooms and other cleaning tools can't have any spark producing metal parts

• Floors stained with nitroglycerin must be cleaned according to the manufacturer's instructions

(8) Unpacking or repacking explosives.

• Containers of explosives (except for fiberboard or other nonmetal containers) can't be unpacked or repacked:

• Opened packages of explosives must be securely closed before returning them to a magazine

• Tools used for opening packages of explosives must be constructed of nonsparking materials

• A wood wedge and a fiber, rubber, or wood mallet must be used for opening or closing wooden crates of explosives.

WAC 296-52-69035 Storage limits. 

More than 300,000 pounds of explosive materials or 20,000,000 of detonators can't be stored in the same storage magazine.

WAC 296-52-69040 Notification of fire safety authority. 

Any person who stores explosive material must notify the local fire safety authority, who has jurisdiction over the area where the explosive material is stored.

(1) The local fire safety authority must be notified:

• Orally, on the first day explosive materials are stored

• In writing, within 48 hours, from the time the explosive material was stored

• In writing when an explosive storage license is renewed.

(2) The notification must include the following for each site where explosive material is stored:

• Type of explosives

• Magazine capacity

• Location.

WAC 296-52-69045 Magazine repairs. 

Before beginning repair activities that could cause sparks or fire:

• All explosives must be removed from the magazine under repair and placed in another magazine or a safe distance away

• Explosives must be properly guarded until they are returned to the magazine

• The floor must be cleaned before beginning repairs inside a magazine.

WAC 296-52-69050 Inventory.

(1) A qualified person must be:

• Responsible for the magazine at all times

• At least 21 years old

• Held responsible for the enforcement of all safety requirements

(2) Explosives must:

• Be accounted for at all times

• Be kept in a locked magazine when not in use

• Not be easily accessed by unauthorized persons

(3) Inventory and use records must be kept up to date for all explosives.

(4) Any person responsible for explosives who discovers a theft or loss of explosives must report the incident to local law enforcement within 24 hours.

(5) Law enforcement agencies must report a theft or loss of explosives to the department immediately.

(6) Other people who know of attempted or actual unauthorized magazine entry must report this information to local law enforcement.

WAC 296-52-69055 Inspection.

(1) Weekly inspection.

 Note: This inspection doesn't need to be an inventory.

(2) Inspection documentation.

WAC 296-52-69060 Precautions for areas surrounding magazine.

(1) Firearms. Only qualified guards and qualified law enforcement officers are allowed to carry firearms inside or within 50 feet of a magazine.

(2) Area maintenance. The area surrounding magazines must:

• Be kept clear of rubbish, brush, dry grass, or trees, except live trees more than 10 feet tall, for a minimum of 25 feet in all directions

• Be free of volatile materials for a minimum of 50 feet from outdoor magazine

• Have the ground around storage facilities slope away for drainage, living foliage doesn't need to be removed.

(3) Fire sources. Smoking, matches, open flames, and spark producing devices aren't permitted:

• In any magazine

• Within 50 feet of an outdoor magazine

• In any room containing an indoor magazine

(4) Warning sign.

WAC 296-52-69065 Deteriorated explosives.

• Explosives must be immediately destroyed, according to the manufacturer's recommendations, whenever they are suspected of deteriorating to the point they are:

• Only a licensed blaster may destroy explosives.

WAC 296-52-69070 Explosives recovered from misfires.

Storage. Explosives recovered from misfires must be placed in a separate licensed magazine until they can be disposed of according to the manufacturer's recommendations

Detonator use. Detonators suspected of being defective can't be reused

Disposal. The blaster in charge must dispose of explosives and detonators according to the manufacturer's recommendations.

WAC 296-52-69080 Blast site storage.

(1) Location. Temporary storage for explosives at blast sites must be located away from:

• Inhabited buildings

• Railways

• Highways

• Other magazines

(2) Separation distance. A distance must be maintained between magazines and the blast site. This distance must be a minimum of:

• 150 feet when the quantity of explosives is greater than 25 pounds

• 50 feet when the quantity of explosives is 25 pounds or less.

WAC 296-52-69085 Multiple magazines.

(1) Separation distance. When 2 or more storage magazines are located on the same property, each magazine must comply with the minimum quantity of explosives and separation distance requirements for:

• Magazines (Table H-21)

• Inhabited buildings, railways, and highways (Table H-20)

(2) Distances that do not meet requirements. If the separation distance between 2 or more magazines is less than the distance required (Table H-21), the magazines must:

• Be considered one magazine

• Comply with the minimum distance requirements for inhabited buildings, railways, and highways (Table H-20)

(3) Distance of grouped magazines to other magazines. Each magazine in a group must comply with minimum magazine distance requirements (Table H-21) in relation to other magazines not considered part of the group.

(4) Quantity of explosives.

WAC 296-52-69090 Blasting agents and supplies.

(1) Storage.

Note: You may store blasting agents with nonexplosive blasting supplies.

(2) Combustible materials. These activities and items are prohibited within 50 feet (15.2 m) of any warehouse used for storing blasting agents:

• Smoking

• Matches

• Open flames

• Spark producing devices

(3) Housekeeping. The interiors of warehouses used for storing blasting agents must be:

• Kept clean, and free from debris and empty containers

• All spilled materials must be promptly cleaned.

WAC 296-52-69095 Ammonium nitrate.

(1) Storage.

Note: The approval of large quantity storage is based on the fire and explosion hazards, including exposure to toxic vapors from burning or decomposing ammonium nitrate.

Note: The continued use of an existing storage building or structure may be approved in cases where continued use will not constitute a hazard to life or adjoining property.

(2) Contaminants must be stored in a separate building from ammonium nitrate

or

Be separated by an approved firewall of not less that one-hour fire resistance rating which should extend to the underside of the roof. Alternatively, the contaminants may be separated by a minimum of 30 feet (9.1 m), instead of using walls. These contaminants are:

• Organic chemicals

• Acids

• Other corrosive materials

• Materials that may require blasting during processing or handling

• Compressed flammable gases

• Flammable and combustible materials

• Other substances including:

Animal fats	Baled cotton	Baled rags	Baled scrap paper
Bleaching powder	Burlap or cotton bags	Caustic soda	Coal
Coke	Charcoal	Cork	Camphor
Excelsior	Fibers of any kind	Fish oil	Fish meal
Foam rubber	Hay	Lubricating oil	Linseed oil
Other oxidizable or drying oils	Naphthalene	Oakum	Oiled clothing
Oiled paper	Oiled textiles	Paint	Straw
Sawdust	Wood shavings	Vegetable oil

(3) Housekeeping requirements must have:

• Electrical installations, which meet the requirements of chapter 296-24 WAC, Part L, Electrical, and WAC 296-800-280, Basic electrical rules, for ordinary locations and be designed to minimize damage from corrosion

• Adequate lightning protections in areas where lightning storms are prevalent (see NFPA 78-1992, Lightning Protection Code)

• Procedures to prevent unauthorized personnel from entering the ammonium nitrate storage area

(4) Fire protection must provide:

• Water supplies and fire hydrants

• Suitable fire control devices, such as a small hose or portable fire extinguishers, throughout the warehouse and in the loading/unloading areas. These devices must comply with the requirements of WAC 296-800-300, Portable fire extinguishers, and WAC 296-24-602, Standpipe and hose systems

• Approved sprinkler systems installed according to WAC 296-24-607, Automatic sprinkler systems

• 2,500 tons (two thousand two hundred seventy metric) or less of bagged ammonium nitrate may be stored in a structure that does not have an automatic sprinkler system.

QUANTITY AND DISTANCE TABLES

WAC 296-52-69105 Table H-20--Table of distances for storage of explosives.

Table H-20

Table of Distances for Storage of Explosives

Quantity of Explosive		Distances (in Feet)
(In Pounds)		Inhabited Buildings		Public Highways with Traffic Volume 3,000 or Less Vehicles Per Day		Passenger Railways and Public Highways: With Traffic Volume of More Than 3,000 Vehicles Per Day
Over	Not Over	Barricaded	Unbarricaded	Barricaded	Unbarricaded	Barricaded	Unbarricaded
0	5	70	140	30	60	51	102
5	10	90	180	35	70	64	128
10	20	110	220	45	90	81	162
20	30	125	250	50	100	93	186
30	40	140	280	55	110	103	206
40	50	150	300	60	120	110	220
50	75	170	340	70	140	127	254
75	100	190	380	75	150	139	278
100	125	200	400	80	160	150	300
125	150	215	430	85	170	159	318
150	200	235	470	95	190	175	350
200	250	255	510	105	210	189	378
250	300	270	540	110	220	201	402
300	400	295	599	120	240	221	442
400	500	320	640	130	260	238	476
500	600	340	680	135	270	253	506
600	700	355	710	145	290	266	532
700	800	375	750	150	300	278	556
800	900	390	780	155	310	289	578
900	1,000	400	800	160	320	300	600
1,000	1,200	425	850	165	330	318	636
1,200	1,400	450	900	170	340	336	672
1,400	1,600	470	940	175	350	351	702
1,600	1,800	490	980	180	360	366	732
1,800	2,000	505	1,010	185	370	378	756
2,000	2,500	545	1,090	190	380	408	816
2,500	3,000	580	1,160	195	390	432	864
3,000	4,000	635	1,270	210	420	474	948
4,000	5,000	685	1,370	225	450	513	1,026
5,000	6,000	730	1,460	235	470	546	1,092
6,000	7,000	770	1,540	245	490	573	1,146
7,000	8,000	800	1,600	250	500	600	1,200
8,000	9,000	835	1,670	255	510	624	1,248
9,000	10,000	865	1,730	260	520	645	1,290
10,000	12,000	875	1,750	270	540	687	1,374
12,000	14,000	885	1,770	275	550	723	1,446
14,000	16,000	900	1,800	280	560	756	1,512
16,000	18,000	940	1,880	285	570	786	1,572
18,000	20,000	975	1,950	290	580	813	1,626
20,000	25,000	1,055	2,000	315	630	876	1,752
25,000	30,000	1,130	2,000	340	680	933	1,866
30,000	35,000	1,205	2,000	360	720	931	1,962
35,000	40,000	1,275	2,000	380	760	1,026	2,000
40,000	45,000	1,340	2,000	400	800	1,068	2,000
45,000	50,000	1,400	2,000	420	840	1,104	2,000
50,000	55,000	1,460	2,000	440	880	1,140	2,000
55,000	60,000	1,515	2,000	455	910	1,173	2,000
60,000	65,000	1,565	2,000	470	940	1,206	2,000
65,000	70,000	1,610	2,000	485	970	1,236	2,000
70,000	75,000	1,655	2,000	500	1,000	1,263	2,000
75,000	80,000	1,695	2,000	510	1,020	1,293	2,000

80,000	85,000	1,730	2,000	520	1,040	1,317	2,000
85,000	90,000	1,760	2,000	530	1,060	1,344	2,000
90,000	95,000	1,790	2,000	540	1,080	1,368	2,000
95,000	100,000	1,815	2,000	545	1,090	1,392	2,000
100,000	110,000	1,835	2,000	550	1,100	1,437	2,000
110,000	120,000	1,855	2,000	555	1,110	1,479	2,000
120,000	130,000	1,875	2,000	560	1,120	1,521	2,000
130,000	140,000	1,890	2,000	565	1,130	1,557	2,000
140,000	150,000	1,900	2,000	570	1,140	1,593	2,000
150,000	160,000	1,935	2,000	580	1,160	1,629	2,000
160,000	170,000	1,965	2,000	590	1,180	1,662	2,000
170,000	180,000	1,990	2,000	600	1,200	1,695	2,000
180,000	190,000	2,010	2,010	605	1,210	1,725	2,000
190,000	200,000	2,030	2,030	610	1,220	1,755	2,000
200,000	210,000	2,055	2,055	620	1,240	1,782	2,000
210,000	230,000	2,100	2,100	635	1,270	1,836	2,000
230,000	250,000	2,155	2,155	650	1,300	1,890	2,000
250,000	275,000	2,215	2,215	670	1,340	1,950	2,000
275,000	300,000	2,275	2,275	690	1,380	2,000	2,000

Note 1: Terms used in Table H-20 are found in WAC 296-52-60130, Definitions.

Note 2: Source of table data is BATF (6/90) 55.218.

WAC 296-52-69110 Table H-21--Quantity and distance table for separation between magazines.

Note: This table applies to the permanent storage of commercial explosives only. It doesn't apply to:

• Explosives handling

• Explosives transportation

• Temporary storage of explosives

• Bombs, projectiles, or other heavily encased explosives

• Magazines containing detonators and electric detonators must be separated from:

(1) Other magazines with similar contents.

or

(2) Magazines containing explosives.

Note: Definitions of barricade including artificial and natural barricade can be found in WAC 296-52-60130, Definitions.

Table H-21

Pounds		From inhabited building distance (feet)	From public railroad and highway distance (feet)	From above ground magazine (feet)
Over	Not Over
0	1,000	75	75	50
1,000	5,000	115	115	75
5,000	10,000	150	150	100
10,000	20,000	190	190	125
20,000	30,000	215	215	145
30,000	40,000	235	235	155
40,000	50,000	250	250	165
50,000	60,000	260	260	175
60,000	70,000	270	270	185
70,000	80,000	280	280	190
80,000	90,000	295	295	195
90,000	100,000	300	300	200
100,000	200,000	375	375	250
200,000	300,000	450	450	300