EPA, OSHA and ATF Issue Advisory on Safe Storage, Handling and Management of Ammonium Nitrate

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) recently issued a chemical advisory that provides information on the hazards of ammonium nitrate storage, handling and management.  Ammonium nitrate is used in the highly explosive Ammonium Nitrate-Fuel Oil (ANFO). This is one of the most popular explosives for a variety of applications such as quarrying, mining and in construction. Ammonium Nitrate-Fuel Oil is a mixture of fertilizer and diesel fuel that is commonly blended on-site at quarries prior to production blasting and is considered a blasting agent. ANFO’s rapidly expanding gas volumes improve rock fracture without having to use extensive amounts of high explosives, which is much safer and less costly for quarry operation. It is also used to remove rock and debris in mountainous areas (to make large cuts) for road construction.  Another area where these types of explosives are used in construction is in bridge removal or blasting large old concrete footings. The advisory supports the goals of President Obama’s August 2013 Executive Order on “Improving Chemical Facility Safety and Security.” It provides facility owners and operators with the facts and steps on how to reduce the risks associated with ANFO – including information on ensuring proper building design, storage containers and fire protection at their locations; learning from other accidents; and knowing and understanding the hazards that exist when developing their emergency response plans. President Obama has directed the federal government to improve operational coordination with state and local partners; enhance federal agency coordination and information sharing; modernize policies, regulations and standards; and work with stakeholders to identify best practices to improve chemical safety.  The president’s August 2013 Executive Order contemplates new rules that would expand the current Risk Management Program (RMP) and Process Safety Management (PSM) to include ANFO. Also under consideration is the expansion of the current DHS Chemical Facility Anti-Terror Standards (CFATS) program to include new chemicals (ANFO is already regulated under this program).  Any of these actions have the potential to impact construction companies.  AGC wants to ensure safe, secure operations for those companies that handle explosives such as ANFO, but we also want to make sure that any new regulations are not overly burdensome. AGC will continue to monitor and changes to the federal requirements and report on new developments. View the advisory and more information on EPA’s risk management program here. If you have additional questions, please contact AGC’s Leah Pilconis at pilconisl@agc.org.