The Explosives Regulations 2014

Unique identification of civil explosives

33.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (3) and (4), any person who manufactures a civil explosive must, as soon as is practicable after that manufacture and before the civil explosive may be moved away from the site where it is manufactured—

(a) mark each civil explosive item referred to in Schedule 7 relating to the civil explosive with a unique identification in accordance with that Schedule;

(b) where an associated label in respect of that marking is required by that Schedule, attach the label in accordance with those requirements; and

(c) where a passive inert electronic tag or associated tag is applied in respect of that marking, place that tag in accordance with the applicable provisions of that Schedule.

(2) The unique identification must—

(a) comprise the components described in Schedule 6; and

(b) be marked on or firmly affixed to the civil explosive item concerned in a way which ensures that it is durable and clearly legible.

(3) Paragraph (1) does not apply where the civil explosive is manufactured for export and is marked with an identification in accordance with the requirements of the importing country for allowing traceability of the civil explosive.

(4) Where a civil explosive is subject to a further manufacturing process after its original manufacture, the manufacturer must mark each civil explosive item relating to the civil explosive subjected to that further process, with a new unique identification only if the original unique identification is no longer marked in the way that paragraph (2)(b) requires and any new marking so required must be done as soon as is practicable after that further process and before the civil explosive may be moved away from the site where it is manufactured.

(5) Subject to paragraph (6), a person who imports a civil explosive into Great Britain must, as soon as is practicable after import and before acquisition of the civil explosive by another person—

(a) mark each civil explosive item referred to in Schedule 7 relating to the civil explosive with a unique identification in accordance with that Schedule;

(b) where an associated label in respect of that marking is required by that Schedule, attach the label in accordance with those requirements; and

(c) where a passive inert electronic tag or associated tag is applied in respect of that marking, place that tag in accordance with the applicable provisions of that Schedule.

(6) Paragraph (5) does not apply where the civil explosive items are marked with a unique identification before importation.

(7) Where a distributor repackages a civil explosive, the distributor must ensure that—

(a) the civil explosive items relating to the civil explosive have the unique identification marked on or affixed to them in accordance with Schedule 7;

(b) where an associated label in respect of that marking is required by that Schedule, the label is attached in accordance with those requirements; and

(c) where a passive inert electronic tag or associated tag is applied in respect of that marking, that tag is placed in accordance with the applicable provisions of that Schedule.

(8) For the purposes of this regulation and Schedule 7—

(a) “civil explosive item” means a civil explosive article, a container containing a civil explosive substance or each smallest packaging unit containing civil explosive;

(b) “civil explosive article” means an article containing one or more civil explosive substances; and

(c) “civil explosive substance” means an explosive substance in a civil explosive.