S.I. No. 274/1986 - Packing of Explosives For Conveyance (Amendment) Rules, 1986

1. The outer overall package shall be totally enclosed and weatherproof having a rigid roof, side walls, end walls, doors and floors.

2. The outer packages packed in the outer overall package shall be dry and be packed in dry conditions.

3. Before each packing of explosives for conveyance under these Rules, an empty outer overall package to be used for such conveyance shall be given a thorough examination by a person authorised in writing by the consignor of the explosives in order to ensure that the outer overall package is—

(

a

) dry internally,

(

b

) clean,

(

c

) suitable for the conveyance of explosives including being free from strucutural defects having regard to the provisions of this Schedule and any instructions issued by a Government Inspector.

4. A record of the examination of the outer overall package before each packing of explosives for conveyance shall be kept by a person authorised in writing by the consignor of the explosives after each conveyance of explosives for a period of at least six months and be made available to a Government Inspector on request.

5. The surfaces of the side walls, closed end wall and floor of the inside of the outer overall package shall be of wood and shall be—

(

a

) of such strength, construction, and character that those surfaces will not be broken or accidentally opened, or become defective or insecure whilst being conveyed,

(

b

) either an integral part of the outer overall package or may be a separate lining of unpainted wood not less than 6 millimetres thick which shall cover all the exposed metal parts of the outer overall container, other than the inside of the roof and non-ferrous side members of the frame of the outer overall package,

(

c

) spaced away from the inside walls of the outer overall package so as to minimise condensation and the spacing shall not be less than 24 millimetres from a smooth-skinned outer overall package or in the case of an outer overall package with a corrugated skin the depth of the corrugations if not less than 24 millimetres.

6. Where outer packages of explosives containing nitroglycerine are to be conveyed in outer overall packages with outer packages of explosives not containing nitroglycerine the bottom layer of outer packages shall whenever possible be comprised of outer packages of explosives not containing nitroglycerine.

7. Each outer package used for the conveyance of explosives shall—

(

a

) be manufactured from strong and good quality solid or double-faced corrugated fibreboard of such strength, construction and character so that it will not be broken or accidentally opened or become defective or insecure while being conveyed,

(

b

) be water resistant,

(

c

) have proper bending qualities.

(

d

) be cut, creased without scoring, and slotted so as to permit assembly without cracking, surface breaks or under bending, and

(

e

) in the case of corrugated fibreboard, the fluting of corrugated fibreboard shall be firmly glued to the facings, and be taped, lapped and glued with a water resistant adhesive or lapped and stitched with metal staples and lapped joints, where used, shall have an adequate overlap, and be so designed and manufactured so as to be secure and sturdy so as to provide a good fit for the contents.

8. The outer packages shall be packed into the outer overall container so that—

(

a

) the weight of the completed load is distributed evenly over the floor of the container, so far as is reasonably practicable,

(

b

) the whole floor area of the container is occupied so far as is reasonably practicable,

(

c

) when packages are of significantly different weight, the packages having the greater weight are placed below those of lesser weight so far as is reasonably practicable provided that when outer packages of explosives containing nitroglycerine are packed with outer packages of explosives not containing nitroglycerine the outer packages of explosives not containing nitroglycerine will form the bottom layer as far as is possible,

(

d

) the top of the completed stack is level so far as is reasonably practicable,

(

e

) the packages of explosives shall be stowed in the container in such a manner that when loaded the contents of the container are restrained against movement when subjected to accelerations of—

Longitudinally

±2.0g

Laterally

±0.8g

Vertically

±2.0g,

(

f

) there is sufficient space between the top layer of outer packages and the inside of the roof of an outer overall package so as to allow a sheet or sheets of rigid non-metallic material to be placed over the top layer of the outer packages and that sheet or those sheets shall be restrained by lashing points so far as it is reasonably practicable, and

(

g

) in the case of containers which are solely to convey explosives by road between premises each licensed for the keeping of explosives all the provisions of subparagraph (

f

) of this paragraph and that part of subparagraph (

e

) of this paragraph which relate to restraints against vertical movement shall not apply.

9. After loading the container with packages, the door end of the stack shall be faced with a sheet of 6 millimetres plywood, or other material having similar properties and strength, the sheet being securely restrained by straps, capable of restraining the overall packages from the accelerations set out in paragraph 8(e) of this Schedule, attached to lashing points secured to the body of the outer overall packages or alternatively the said plywood sheets should be secured to horizontal batons which can be braced against the corner uprights of the container with similar batons of adequate strength and where nails are used they shall be of non-ferrous material and any batons used shall contain no exposed iron or steel.

10. The outer overall package should be fitted with a locking device designed to withstand attack with hand tools.

11. (1) Any person who is employed to pack or to unload explosives to which these Rules apply shall receive adequate instructions from his employer to enable him—

(

a

) to understand the nature of potential dangers to which any explosives to be packed or unloaded by him may give rise,

(

b

) to know the steps which may be taken to deal with any foreseeable emergency.

(2) There shall be kept by all manufacturers and users of explosives to which these Rules apply, a record of the training received by each person employed to pack explosives and a copy of such record shall be kept for inspection by a Government Inspector who is hereby authorised to examine any such record at all reasonable times.".

GIVEN under my Official Seal, this 31st day of July, 1986.

ALAN M. DUKES,

Minister of Justice.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These Rules will amend the Principal Rules to prescribe in metric units instead of imperial units as heretofore, the maximum measurements and weights of explosives to be packed in any one "outer package" and in any one "inner package", as defined in the Packing of Explosives for Conveyance Rules, 1955 (

S.I. No. 37 of 1955

). They will also provide for the insertion in the Principal Rules of the definition "outer overall package" to mean a freight container complying with the conditions in the Schedule to the Rules, as amended, and for the packing of explosives in such a container.

S.I. No. 274 of 1986.

PACKING OF EXPLOSIVES FOR CONVEYANCE (AMENDMENT) RULES, 1986

I, ALAN M. DUKES, Minister for Justice, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by sections 33 and 40 of the Explosives Act, 1875, as adapted, hereby make the following Rules:—