Housekeeping
Housekeeping precautions
Hot work and ignition sources
Security, access and control of visitors
Segregate incompatible materials
Housekeeping precautions
Housekeeping with ammonium nitrate is an important part of managing the risk from ammonium nitrate. The following precautions are strongly recommended:
- Prior to placing ammonium nitrate in a storage area, the area should be cleaned first;
- Walls, floors, access ways and surrounding areas and equipment must be kept clear and free of build up of combustible debris, including ammonium nitrate;
- Regular inspections should occur to ensure leaks are detected promptly and cleaned up;
- Ammonium nitrate storage areas need to be kept clean and apart from any unnecessary objects by at least 3m in all directions, (e.g. unused wooden pallets);
- All dry vegetation should be cleared away from the store by a distance of at least 5m;
- Filled bags and intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) should be stored in stable stacks;
- Spillage of ammonium nitrate and other materials stored nearby should be cleaned up immediately;
- Damaged bags should be kept in overpacks or slip-over bags to prevent additional spillage;
- Contaminated products must be safely disposed of or made free of ammonium nitrate; and
- Pallets, ropes, slings, covers, machinery, or combustible items must not be allowed to become contaminated with a build up of ammonium nitrate.
Hot work and ignition sources
- Sources of ignition (e.g. naked flames, smoking) are not permitted in ammonium nitrate storage areas.
- All potential sources of heat and fire (e.g. matches, naked flames, incandescent materia, and welding sparks) must be excluded from any opening to a store by at least 3m.
- Other sources of ignition, such as hot work (e.g. welding or cutting) should only be conducted with a hot work permit under AS 1674.1:1997 Safety in Welding and Allied Process-Fire Precautions (non-Queensland Government link).
- Before carrying out maintenance or hot work the ammonium nitrate bags must be removed from the area by a safe distance or use of barriers.
- Surfaces contaminated by ammonium nitrate must be cleaned free of the material before welding or hot work is carried out. Otherwise a risk of fire or explosion or release of toxic vapours may result.
Security, access and control of visitors
- Unauthorised persons must be prevented from accessing storage or handling areas.
- Visitors and contractors must also be controlled and made aware of relevant safety precautions.
- A security checklist provides detailed guidance on what precautions are appropriate. You should also consult the Queensland Department of Natural Resources Mines and Energy for advice.
Segregate incompatible materials
Ammonium nitrate is incompatible with the following materials including (but is not limited to):
- All flammable and combustible liquids;
- All flammable solids;
- Organic chemicals, acids, alkalis, and other corrosive materials;
- Compressed flammable gases;
- Other contaminating materials including:
- Animal fats, baled cotton, baled rags, scrap paper, bleaching powder, cotton bags, caustic soda, coal, charcoal, coke, cork, camphor, fish oils, fish meal, foam rubber, hay, lubricating oils, linseed oil, or an other oxidisable or drying oils, naphthalene, oiled clothing, oiled textiles, straw, sawdust, timber shavings, vegetable oils and cement.
- Ammonium nitrate must be segregated from all other incompatible goods by 3m or more.
- Ammonium nitrate fertilizers of Class 9 UN 2071 should not be stored with ammonium nitrate of class 5.1.
- If one of the goods present is a liquid or if the goods may react violently with the ammonium nitrate, they should be stored in separate compounds or stored at least by 5 m or more apart.
- An appropriate, inert, fire rated physical barrier (FRL 120/120/120) may be used to achieve segregation if the distances are measured around the barrier.
- However, incompatible goods must never be permitted to come into contact with the ammonium nitrate.
- In order to achieve this, it may be necessary to provide bunds, kerbing or sloping floors to ensure that molten or liquid incompatible products cannot mix.
- Ammonium nitrate should not be bunded.
- It is best not to assume that all class 5.1 oxidising agents are compatible as many are not (e.g. ammonium nitrate is also incompatible with sodium nitrate, another oxidising agent). Unless proven otherwise, assume the materials are incompatible. Please refer to the product MSDS for guidance.
- Blasting agents, explosives, sulphur and finely divided combustible solids must not be stored in the same store as ammonium nitrate except where approved by the Department of Natural Resources Mines and Energy, Explosives Branch.
More on managing incompatible goods, storage, segregation and other issues.
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