Relevant Statutes:
No explosives shall be kept on an offshore installation unless they are in suitable receptacles and in the charge of a responsible person. Records have to be kept and any losses reported immediately to the police.
The regulations are aimed at onshore operations where the theft by, say terrorists, is a possibility or the where the accumulation of large quantities of explosives present a hazard. There is a list of explosives (distress signals etc.) to which the regulations do not apply but some explosives used offshore have to comply with the regulations.
Schedule 1 of the Regulations contains a list of explosives which are excepted from the Regulations in toto. However, the offshore industry uses several other types of explosives not listed in the Schedule and therefore two of the principal Regulations (12 and 13) which place duties on persons who acquire or keep explosives, to keep accurate records and to report any loss.
Records of Explosives
Any person who acquires possession of any explosive shall make and maintain an up-to-date record containing the following information and which shall:
a) identify the person making the record
b) be updated as soon as is reasonably practicable.,
c) list under relevant date the following data relating to each type of
explosive.
- the name and UN No. of the explosive
- the nominal mass of each type of explosive substance (so far as is practicable)
- a description which enables each explosive article to be distinguished from every other explosive article which is not identical
d) the nominal diameter and where appropriate the nominal mass or length
e) details of each type of linear fuse and whether detonating or otherwise.
All records must be preserved by the responsible person in a safe place for a period of 3 years from the date of the latest entry in it. A police constable investigating an offence may require the responsible person to produce the records for inspection or to take copies of them.
The form in which the record should be kept is not specified in the Regulations but in principle, any method (for example, record books, stock cards, computer records, or a combination of these) may be used as long as the necessary information is readily available.
Reporting Loss of Explosives
This requirement relates to any case of loss by theft or if it cannot be shown that the explosive no still exists . The requirement to report a loss also extends to loading, unloading or transportation operations and if the loss occurs outside Great Britain (i.e. offshore) a written report is to be made immediately to the police force responsible for the particular sector in which the installation is operating.
The report is to include the following information irrespective of any report made
orally:
a) the date and time that the loss was first discovered;
b) the place at which the discovery was made;
c) a description of each type of explosive and for each type lost:
- the number of articles lost, or
- the total nominal mass of each type of explosive substance lost, except that in the case of a substance in cartridge form, the number of cartridges may be given.
If the explosives were lost during transportation, the consignor, or if outside the United Kingdom the consignee, is also to be informed who in turn is responsible to report the loss to the chief officer of police for the area in which the loss was discovered and also (if different) the chief officer of police who issued the explosives certificate. Similarly, it is a duty of any employee to inform his employer without delay if he becomes aware of any loss of explosive.