Abstract
Aim: The objective of the paper was to identify and analyse relevant requirements regarding the safety of storage and usage of pyrotechnic materials, intended for civil use. The review was based on binding applicable Polish and European legal acts. The results of the review pointed to the ambiguity of the provisions regulating the issues of safe usage and storage of pyrotechnical materials.
Introduction: Some pyrotechnic articles, when triggered by a proper impulse, can lead to a violent reaction resulting in the release of a large amount of heat, and the creation of a blast wave. The effects of this reaction have a destructive impact on buildings situated nearby and pose a hazard to human life. Use and storage of pyrotechnic articles against the set rules is associated with the risk of fire or explosion, therefore a number of requirements have been introduced in this area.
Methodology: In Poland there are many legal acts applicable to explosives. One of the most important one is the Act of 21 June 2002 on explosives designated for civil use, which presents pyrotechnic materials with respect to the safety of their usage and storage. Several key requirements have also been specified in agreements ratified in Poland and in other international acts, such as for example: the European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road(ADR), and the Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council 2013/29/EU of 12 June 2013 on the harmonisation of laws of the Member States relating to the making available on the market of pyrotechnic articles.
Results: It was established that there is a need of adopting a legal solution for storing pyrotechnical products for temporary sales in containers located near commercial facilities (and serving as back-up facilities). Although the regulations are not clear-cut, such a solution is used in practice, thus it would be advisable to determine by means of legal acts whether it is permissible and what requirements should be fulfilled, for example by a container, in which pyrotechnic articles are temporarily stored.
Conclusions: The specification presented in the article allows to see the need to minimize the hazards associated with the marketing of pyrotechnical materials and justifies the necessity of adopting a particularly diligent classification and use of nomenclature for these products. In case of storing pyrotechnical materials, it is erroneous to adopt the determination of class “G” for two variable of net mass values of the explosive (when determining safe distances for explosive storage facilities, including among others class 1, sub-classes 1.3, 1.4). The same applies to the hexogen equivalent of an explosive load (when determining safe distances for explosive storage facilities including class 1, sub-classes 1.1, 1.5 and 4.1). Such provisions are misleading and may cause erroneous interpretations of regulations.
Keywords: fire and explosion safety, pyrotechnics, explosives
Type of article: review article