ITOER - Record keeping (applies from 5 April 2015)

ITOER 2013 requires records to be kept about explosives throughout the supply chain and life cycle. These requirements apply to manufacturers, importers, distributors, and anyone who acquires or keeps the explosives.

The requirements do not apply to employees acting in the course of their employment (where the business involves, wholly or partly, the manufacturer, importation, distribution, acquisition or keeping of explosives) or anyone acquiring explosives solely for their personal use.

The records should allow tracking and identification of an explosive at any time, and should be kept for 10 years after the date when the explosive was used, transferred to another person or destroyed, even if the manufacturers, importers, distributors, and anyone who acquires or keeps the explosives, have ceased trading.

If they do cease trading, they must notify the enforcing authority and provide any records to them to keep for the remainder of the 10 years.

Up to date records must include:

• Type of explosive
• Unique identification
• Location of explosive whilst in the possession of the manufacturer, importer, distributor or other person acquiring or keeping the explosive.
• If and when the explosive has been subject to further manufacturing, used, transferred or destroyed whilst in the possession of the manufacturer, importer, distributor or other person acquiring or keeping the explosive
• Name and address of person the explosive is transferred to.

The records must be quality controlled and tested at regular intervals for their effectiveness and protected against accidental or malicious damage.

The record keeping duty in ITOER 2013 overlap with existing duties in the Control of Explosives Regulations 1991 (COER). The duties in COER will continue to apply. However, they are currently being reviewed as part of the ongoing Explosives Legislative Review Programme.