Construction of explosive storage
magazines must comply with the requirements of this part and the
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) regulations.
Note: Construction requirements for blasting agent
bulk storage bins are located in WAC 296-52-67140, Bulk storage bins.
WAC
296-52-70005 Type 1 magazines: Permanent storage facilities.
A Type 1 storage facility must be:
A permanent structure such as:
A building
An igloo
An army-type structure
A tunnel
or
A dugout
Bullet resistant, fire resistant, weather resistant, theft resistant,
and well ventilated.
Be constructed of masonry,
wood, metal, or a combination of these materials
Have no openings except for
entrances and ventilation
Have the ground around the
facility slope away for drainage
(1) Wall construction.
(a) Masonry wall construction. Masonry wall construction must:
Consist of brick, concrete,
tile, cement block, or cinder block
Be at least 8 inches
thick
(b) Hollow masonry construction. Hollow masonry construction
must:
Have all hollow spaces filled with well tamped coarse dry sand
or
Have weak concrete (a mixture of one part cement to 8 parts
sand with enough water to dampen the mixture) while tamping
in place
AND
Have interior walls covered with a nonsparking material
(c) Fabricated metal wall construction.
Metal wall construction must be securely fastened to a metal framework
and consist of one of the following types of metal:
Sectional sheets of steel (at least number 14 gauge)
or
Aluminum (at least number 14 gauge)
Metal wall construction must:
Be lined with
brick, solid cement blocks, and hardwood at least 4 inches
thick or material of equivalent strength
Have a minimum
of 6-inch sand fill between interior and exterior walls
Have interior walls constructed
of or covered with a nonsparking material
(d) Wood frame wall construction.
Exterior wood walls must
be covered with iron or aluminum at least number 26 gauge
Inner walls, made of nonsparking
materials must be constructed with a space:
A minimum of 6 inches between the outer and inner walls
and
Filled with coarse dry sand or weak concrete
(2) Floors. Floors must be:
(a) Constructed of a nonsparking material.
(b) Strong enough to hold the weight of the maximum quantity to be
stored.
(3) Foundation.
Foundations must be constructed
of brick, concrete, cement block, stone, or wood posts
If piers or posts are used
instead of a continuous foundation, the space under the building must
be enclosed with metal
(4) Roof.
(a) Roofs must be covered with no less than number 26 gauge iron or
aluminum fastened to a 7/8-inch sheathing, except for buildings with
fabricated metal roofs.
(b) If it is possible for a bullet to be fired directly through the
roof at such an angle that it would strike a point below the top of
the inner walls, storage facilities must be protected by one of the
following two methods:
A sand tray must be:
Located at the top of the
inner wall covering the entire ceiling area, except the area necessary
for ventilation.
Lined with a layer of building
paper.
Filled with at least four
inches of coarse dry sand.
A fabricated metal roof must be constructed of 3/16-inch plate
steel lined with 4 inches of hardwood or material of equivalent
strength. For each additional 1/16-inch of plate steel, the
hardwood or material of equivalent strength lining may be decreased
one inch.
(5) Doors and hinges.
(a) All doors must be constructed of 1/4-inch plate steel and
lined with 3 inches of hardwood or material of equivalent strength.
(b) Hinges and hasps must be installed so they can't be removed
when the doors are closed and locked by:
Welding
Rivering
or
Bolting nuts on
the inside of the door
(6) Locks.
(a) Each door must be equipped with:
2 mortise locks
2 padlocks fastened
in separate hasps and staples
A combination of
a mortise lock and a padlock
A mortise lock
that requires two keys to open
OR
A 3 point lock
(b) Padlocks must:
Have a minimum
of 5 tumblers
Have a case hardened
shackle at least 3/8 inches in diameter
Be protected with a minimum of ¼-inch steel hoods, constructed
to prevent sawing or lever action on the locks, hasps, and
staples
Note: These requirements don't apply to
magazine doors that are adequately secured on the inside by means
of a bolt, lock, or bar that can't be operated from the outside.
(7) Ventilation.
A 2-inch air space
must be left around ceilings and the perimeter of floors,
except in doorways
Foundation ventilators
must be at least 4 inches by 6 inches
Vents in the foundation,
roof, or gables must be screened and offset
(8) Exposed metal.
Sparking metal construction
can't be exposed below the tops of walls in storage facilities
All nails must be blind nailed,
countersunk, or nonsparking
WAC 296-52-70015
Igloos, army-type structures, tunnels, and dugouts.
These storage facilities must:
Be constructed of reinforced
concrete, masonry, metal, or a combination of these materials
Have an earth mound
covering of at least 24 inches on the top, sides, and rear
unless the magazine meets the requirements of WAC 296-52-70010
(4)(b), Building construction for roofs
Have interior walls and floors
covered with a nonsparking material
Be constructed according
to the requirements of WAC 296-52-70005, Type 1 magazines:
Permanent storage facilities, through WAC 296-52-70060, Construction.
Be a box, trailer, semi-trailer,
or other mobile facility. When an unattended vehicular magazine is
used, the wheels must be removed or it must be effectively immobilized
by kingpin locking devices or other methods approved by the department
Be bullet resistant, fire
resistant, weather resistant, theft resistant, and well ventilated
Be a minimum of one cubic
yard
Be supported to prevent direct
contact with the ground
Have the ground around the
magazine slope away for drainage or provide for other adequate drainage.
(a) The exterior and doors must be constructed of at least
1/4-inch steel and lined with a minimum of 3-inch hardwood.
(b) Magazines with top openings must have lids with water resistant
seals or lids that overlap the sides by a minimum of one inch when closed.
(2) Hinges and hasps. Hinges and hasps must be installed
so they can't be removed when the doors are closed and locked
by:
Welding
Riveting
OR
Bolting nuts on the inside of the door
(3) Locks.
(a) Each door must be equipped with:
2 mortise locks
2 padlocks fastened
in separate hasps and staples
A combination of
mortise lock and a padlock
A mortise lock
that requires 2 keys to open
OR
A 3-point lock
(b) Padlocks must have:
A minimum of 5
tumblers and a case hardened shackle with a minimum of 3/8-inch
diameter
A minimum of ¼-inch steel hoods constructed to prevent
sawing or lever action on the locks, hasps, and staples
Note: These requirements don't apply to
magazine doors that are adequately secured on the inside by means
of a bolt, lock, or bar that can't be operated from the outside.
(4) Ventilation.
A 2-inch air space
must be left around ceilings and the perimeter of floors,
except at doorways
Foundation ventilators
must be at least 4 inches by 6 inches
Vents in the foundation,
roof, or gables must be secured and offset
(5) Exposed metal.
Sparking metal can't
be exposed below the top of walls in the storage facilities
All nails must be blind nailed, countersunk, or nonsparking
Note: The following are nonmandatory construction
alternatives for magazine exteriors:
- All steel and wood dimensions
shown are actual thickness
- The manufacturer's represented
thickness may be used to meet the concrete block and brick
dimensions.
3/16
3/16-inch steel lined
with an interior of 4-inch hardwood
3/16-inch steel lined
with:
An interior of 7 inches of softwood
or
6-3/4 inches of plywood.
3/16-inch steel lined with:
An intermediate layer of 3-inch hardwood
and
An interior lining of 3/4-inch plywood.
1/8
1/8-inch steel lined with
an interior of 5-inch hardwood.
1/8-inch steel lined with
an interior of 9-inch softwood.
1/8-inch steel lined with:
An intermediate layer of 4-inch hardwood
and
An interior lining of 3/4-inch plywood.
1/8-inch steel lined with:
A first intermediate layer
of 3/4-inch plywood.
A second intermediate layer
of 3 5/8 inches well-tamped dry sand
or
Sand/cement mixture.
An interior lining of 3/4-inch plywood.
5/8-inch steel lined with
an interior of any type of nonsparking material.
1/2-inch steel lined with
an interior of at least 3/8-inch plywood.
3/8-inch steel lined with
an interior of 2-inch hardwood.
3/8-inch steel lined with
an interior of:
3 inches softwood
or
2 1/4 inches of plywood.
1/4-inch steel lined with:
An interior of 5 inches of softwood
or
5 1/4 inches of plywood.
Any type of structurally sound fire resistant material lined with:
An intermediate layer of
4-inch solid concrete block
or
4-inch solid brick or concrete
and
An interior lining of 1/2-inch
plywood placed securely against the masonry lining.
Standard 8-inch concrete
block with voids filled with well tamped sand/cement mixture.
Standard 8-inch solid brick.
Any type of structurally
sound fire resistant material lined with an intermediate 6-inch space
filled with:
Well tamped dry sand
or
Well tamped sand/cement mixture.
Any type of fire resistant material lined with:
A first intermediate layer
of 3/4-inch plywood,
A second intermediate layer
of 3 5/8-inch well tamped dry sand
or
Sand/cement mixture,
A third intermediate layer
of 3/4-inch plywood,
A fourth intermediate layer
of 2-inch hardwood
or
14 gauge steel and an interior
lining of 3/4-inch plywood,
(1) Sides, bottoms, and covers must be constructed with a minimum of
number 12 gauge metal and lined with a nonsparking material.
(2) Hinges and hasps must be attached so they can't be removed
from the outside.
(3) One steel padlock, which doesn't need to be protected by
a steel hood, having a minimum of 5 tumblers and a case hardened
shackle of a minimum of 3/8-inch diameter is sufficient for locking
purposes.
WAC
296-52-70045 Type 4 magazines: Blasting agent, low explosive,
or nonmass detonating detonator storage facilities.
A Type 4 storage facility
must:
Be a building, an igloo,
an army-type structure, a tunnel, a dugout, a box, a trailer, semi-trailer,
or other mobile facility
Be fire resistant, weather
resistant, and theft resistant
Have the ground around the
facility slope away for drainage
Have the wheels removed or
effectively immobilized by kingpin locking devices or other methods
approved by the department, when an unattended vehicular magazine
is used.
Note: Test results show that electric detonators
aren't affected by sympathetic detonation. Therefore, a Type 4
storage facility meets the necessary requirements for storage
of electric detonators.
(1) These magazines must be constructed of masonry, metal covered wood,
fabricated metal, or a combination of these materials.
(2) Foundations. Foundations must be constructed of:
Brick
Concrete
Cement block
Stone
Metal
OR
Wood posts
(3) The space under the building must be enclosed with fire resistant
material, if piers or posts replace continuous foundation.
(4) The walls and floors must be made or covered with a nonsparking material
or lattice work.
(5) Doors must be metal or solid wood covered with metal.
(6) Hinges and hasps must be installed so they can't be removed
when the doors are closed and locked by:
Welding
Riveting
OR
Bolting nuts on the inside of the door
(7) Locks.
(a) Each door must be equipped with:
Two mortise locks
Two padlocks fastened
in separate hasps and staples
A combination of
a mortise lock and a padlock
A mortise lock
that requires 2 keys to open
OR
A 3-point lock
(b) Padlocks must:
Have a minimum
of 5 tumblers
Have a case hardened
shackle of a minimum of 3/8-inch diameter
Be protected with a minimum of ¼-inch steel hoods constructed
to prevent sawing or lever action on the locks, hasps, and
staples.
Note: These requirements don't apply to
magazine doors that are adequately secured on the inside by means
of a bolt, lock, or bar that can't be operated from the outside.
WAC
296-52-70055 Type 5 magazines: Blasting agent storage facilities.
A Type 5 storage facility must:
Be a building, an igloo,
an army-type structure, a tunnel, a dugout, a box, or a trailer, semi-trailer,
or other mobile facility
Be weather resistant and
theft resistant
Have the ground around the
facility slope away for drainage
Have the wheels removed or
be effectively immobilized by kingpin locking devices or other methods
approved by the department, when the unattended vehicular magazine
is used.
(1) Doors must be constructed of solid wood or metal.
(2) Hinges and hasps must be installed so they can't be removed
when the doors are closed and locked by:
Welding
Riveting
or
Bolting nuts on the inside of the door
(3) Locks.
(a) Each door must be equipped with:
Two mortise locks
Two padlocks fastened
in separate hasps and staples
A combination of
a mortise lock and a padlock
A mortise lock
that requires 2 keys to open
OR
A 3-point lock
(b) Padlocks must have:
A minimum of five
tumblers
A case hardened
shackle of a minimum of 3/8-inch diameter
Padlocks must be protected with a minimum of ¼-inch steel
hoods constructed to prevent sawing or lever action on the
locks, hasps, and staples.
Note: Trailers, semi-trailers, and similar
vehicular magazines. Each door may be locked with one 3/8-inch
diameter steel padlock and doesn't need to be protected by a steel
hood, if the door hinges and lock hasp are securely fastened to
the magazine and to the doorframe. These requirements do not apply
to magazine doors that are adequately secured on the inside by
means of a bolt, lock, or bar that can't be operated from the
outside.
Be used in a manner that
safely separates detonators from other explosives
Be constructed of a minimum
of number 12 gauge (.1046 inches) steel
Be lined with at least either
1/2-inch plywood or 1/2-inch masonite-type hardboard
Have doors that overlap the
sides by a minimum of one inch
Have appropriate ground slope
for drainage
(2) Hinges and hasps must be attached by:
Welding
Riveting
OR
Bolting nuts on the inside of the door
(3) One steel padlock, which doesn't need to be protected by
a steel hood, having a minimum of five tumblers and a case hardened
shackle of a minimum of 3/8-inch diameter is sufficient for locking
purposes.
Magazine heating system requirements and the following apply:
(1) Heat sources. Magazines requiring heat must be heated by
either:
Hot water radiant heating
or
Air directed into the magazine building by hot water or low pressure
steam (15 psig) coils located outside the magazine building
(2) Heating systems. Magazine heating systems must meet the following
requirements:
(a) The radiant heating coils in the building must be installed
where explosive materials or their containers can't touch the
coils and air is free to circulate between the coils and the
explosive material containers.
(b) The heating ducts must be installed where the hot air released
from a duct isn't directed toward the explosive material or
containers.
(c) The heating device used in connection with a magazine must have
controls, to prevent the building temperature from exceeding 130ºF.
(d) The electric fan or pump used in the heating system for a magazine
must be:
Mounted outside
Separate from the wall
of the magazine
Grounded
(e) Electric motor, device controls, and electric switch gear.
(i) The electric fan motor and the controls for electrical heating
devices used in heating water or steam must have overloads and disconnects
which comply with the National Electrical Code, (NFPA Number 70-1992).
(ii) All electrical switch gear must be located a minimum
distance of 25 feet from the magazine.
(f) Water or steam heating source.
(i) A heating source for water or steam must be separated from a
magazine by a distance of at least:
25 feet when
the heating source is electrical
50 feet when
the heating source is fuel fired
(ii) The area between a heating unit and a magazine can't
contain combustible materials.
(g) The storage of explosive material containers in the magazine must
allow for uniform air circulation, so temperature uniformity can be
maintained throughout the explosive materials.
(1) Battery activated safety lights or lanterns may be used in explosive
storage magazines.
(2) National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standards.
(a) Electric lighting used in an explosive storage magazine must meet
National Electric Code (NEC) standards (NFPA 70-1992) for all magazine
conditions.
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