Handling precautions
Safety equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE)
Handling equipment
Forklift trucks and vehicles
Safety equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Appropriate personal protective equipment must be provided.
- The eyes, skin, and airways of personnel must be protected from exposure to dusts of ammonium nitrate.
- Appropriate PPE may include:
- Chemical goggles or face shield
- PVC or rubber gloves
- PVC/rubber aprons and boots
- Disposable P1 respirato
PPE should be provided for the purposes of handling the ammonium nitrate, or cleaning up spills. Advice should be sought from the MSDS on what is appropriate.
Safety showers and eye wash stations should also be provided where a risk of exposure to eyes or skin exists.
Handling equipment
- Intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) should be protected from puncturing from sharp objects (e.g. forklift tynes, protruding nails on pallets).
- Any hollow spaces in ammonium nitrate handling equipment where the material may collect and be confined under pressure should be avoided. In the event of a fire an explosion could result.
- Any mechanical handling device (e.g. conveyors) should be cleaned to prevent build up of debris or ammonium nitrate on the surfaces.
- Bins and bunkers must be free of materials that may contaminate ammonium nitrate.
- Aluminium bins are suitable. Wooden bins, even if coated to prevent impregnation are not recommended.
- Due to corrosive and reactive properties of ammonium nitrate, and to avoid contamination, galvanised iron, copper, lead, and zinc must not be used in bins, or other handling devices (e.g. shovels or mechanical shovels) that may come into contact with the material.
- Ammonium nitrate corrodes copper and copper alloys - relevant to electrical switches, cables, motors and also electronic equipment that may form part of a protection system e.g. fire detection, control gear on conveyors, rotary valves.
Forklift trucks and vehicles
- Forklift trucks, tractors, platform lift trucks, and other vehicles must be kept clean and maintained so that fuels (e.g. diesel) or hydraulic fluid is not contaminated by the ammonium nitrate and vice versa - equipment (mobile and static should be routinely checked for oil leaks. If found, the leaking equipment should be removed from the ammonium nitrate area and oil spillage cleaned up immediately.
- Internal combustion engine vehicles, lift trucks, or cargo conveyors should be:
- Garaged at least 10m from any ammonium nitrate storage area
- Not left running whilst unattended inside a building where ammonium nitrate is stored
- Kept outside when not in use
- Provided with a dry powder extinguisher.
- Only electricity, LPG or diesel fuelled vehicles should be used.
- LPG or diesel forklift trucks should be started up, outside of the store.
- Vehicles powered by LPG or diesel should be fitted with spark arrestors (exhaust water scrubbers).
- Battery terminals need to be fitted with an insulated cover and clearly marked batter isolation switch.
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