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Storage and handling

Housekeeping

How to store and handle ammonium nitrate safely

The safe storage of ammonium nitrate relies on the following principles:

• avoiding contamination of foreign materials, especially if that material is combustible or incompatible
• good housekeeping
• storing the material away from heat sources and naked flames
• avoiding serious confinement
• storing away from explosives
• avoiding exposure to shock
• avoiding uptake of moisture (not a safety concern if ammonium nitrate is bagged)
• preventing unauthorised access
• being prepared for an emergency.

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

• Obtain material safety data sheets (MSDS) for ammonium nitrate from the dangerous goods supplier and keep in a register.
• Include the name of each dangerous goods on site and a copy of the MSDS for each of those in the register.
• Locate each MSDS close to where people who may be exposed can refer easily to it. This ensures that the workers and emergency responders have access to information about the hazards.
• Read the MSDS to identify:
  1. the chemical and physical hazards
  2. appropriate safe storage and handling practices
  3. the need for additional control measures
  4. first aid measures
  5. fire fighting and emergency information.

Safety equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE)

• Provide appropriate personal protective equipment.
• Protect the eyes, skin, and airways of personnel from exposure to ammonium nitrate dusts.
• Appropriate PPE may include:
  • chemical goggles or face shield
  • PVC or rubber gloves
  • PVC/rubber aprons and boots
  • disposable P1 respirator.

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

• Protect intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) from puncturing from sharp objects (e.g. forklift tynes, protruding nails on pallets).
• Avoid any hollow spaces in ammonium nitrate handling equipment where the material may collect and be confined under pressure. In the event of a fire, an explosion could result.
• Clean any mechanical handling device (e.g. conveyors) to prevent build up of debris or ammonium nitrate on the surfaces.
• Keep bins and bunkers 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, do not use galvanised iron, copper, lead, and zinc 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

• Keep forklift trucks, tractors, platform lift trucks, and other vehicles clean and maintained so that fuels (e.g. diesel) or hydraulic fluid is not contaminated by the ammonium nitrate and equipment (mobile and static should be routinely checked for oil leaks). If found, remove the leaking equipment from the ammonium nitrate area and clean up oil spillage immediately.
• Internal combustion engine vehicles, lift trucks, or cargo conveyors should be:
  • garaged at least 10 m from any ammonium nitrate storage area
  • turned off while unattended inside a building where ammonium nitrate is stored
  • kept outside when not in use
  • provided with a dry powder extinguisher.
• Use only electricity, LPG or diesel fuelled vehicles.
• Start up LPG or diesel forklift trucks outside the store.
• Fit vehicles powered by LPG or diesel with spark arrestors (exhaust water scrubbers).
• Fit battery terminals with an insulated cover and clearly marked battery isolation switch.

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Housekeeping

• Clean the storage area first before placing ammonium nitrate in the area.
• Keep walls, floors, access ways and surrounding areas and equipment clear and free of build up of combustible debris, including ammonium nitrate.
• Do regular inspections to ensure leaks are detected promptly and cleaned up.
• Keep ammonium nitrate storage areas clean and apart from any unnecessary objects by at least 3 m in all directions (e.g. unused wooden pallets).
• Clear all dry vegetation away from the store by at least 5 m.
• Store filled bags and intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) in stable stacks.
• Clean up spillage of ammonium nitrate and other materials stored nearby immediately.
• Keep damaged bags in over packs or slip-over bags to prevent additional spillage.
• Safely dispose of contaminated products or ensure they are free of ammonium nitrate.
• Do not allow pallets, ropes, slings, covers, machinery, or combustible items to become contaminated with a build up of ammonium nitrate.

Hot work and ignition sources

• Do not allow ignition sources (e.g. naked flames, smoking) in ammonium nitrate storage areas.
• Exclude all potential sources of heat and fire (e.g. matches, naked flames, incandescent material, and welding sparks) from any store opening by at least 3 m.
• A hot work permit is required under AS 1674.1:1997 Safety in Welding and Allied Process-Fire Precautions (non-Queensland Government link) to conduct hot work (e.g. welding or cutting).
• Remove the ammonium nitrate bags from the area by a safe distance or use barriers before carrying out maintenance or hot work.
• Clean surfaces contaminated by ammonium nitrate before welding or hot work is done to prevent a risk of fire or explosion or release of toxic vapours.

Security, access and control of visitors

• Prevent unauthorised people from accessing storage or handling areas.
• Control and make visitors and contractors aware of relevant safety precautions.
• A security checklist providing detailed guidance on what precautions are appropriate. Consult the Queensland Department of Natural Resources Mines and Energy for more information.

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.
• Segregate ammonium nitrate from all other incompatible goods by 3 m or more.
• Do not store ammonium nitrate fertilisers of Class 9 (UN 2071) 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, store them in separate compounds or at least 5 m or more apart.
• Use an appropriate, inert, fire rated physical barrier (FRL 120/120/120) to achieve segregation if the distances are measured around the barrier.
• Never allow incompatible goods to come into contact with the ammonium nitrate.
• Provide bunds, kerbing or sloping floors to ensure that molten or liquid incompatible products cannot mix.
• Do not bund ammonium nitrate.
• Do not 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. See the product MSDS for guidance.
• Do not store blasting agents, explosives, sulphur and finely divided combustible solids in the same store as ammonium nitrate except where approved by the Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Explosives branch.

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