Application for a Storage Licence under the Explosives Regulations 2014

Introduction

Safety and storage regulations

Explosives must be stored safely and securely. The term explosives includes fireworks, other pyrotechnic articles and substances and small arms ammunition. Health and Safety regulations control how such items should be stored.

The Explosives Regulations 2014 are in force and anyone planning to store explosives is required by law to have a licence to store them correctly.

From 1st October 2014 explosives registrations will no longer be issued. Any registrations valid on that date will be deemed to be a licence under the 2014 regulations.

From 1st October 2014 new applicants must apply for a licence and may not store explosives until that licence is granted. The licence conditions must be complied with and the more explosives you wish to store, the more strict the conditions will be.

Guidance for firework retailers

The council has prepared some basic retailer guidance on fireworks licensing and storage. This is based on official guidance published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The full guidance applies to all sectors of the explosives industry and can be downloaded free of charge from the HSE website.

The HSE have published retailer guidance on storing and selling fireworks and a risk assessment check list which can be downloaded here.

Apply for an explosives licence

  • To apply for a licence for a premises in Southwark. Please fill out the application form. This form must be completed in full, signed and returned to our licensing service together with the correct fee.
  • If you wish to transfer or vary an existing licence contact the licensing team
.

When can I sell fireworks?

You can sell adult fireworks during these times:

  • October 15th to November 10th
  • December 26th to December 31st
  • The first day of Chinese New Year and the three days immediately before it
  • The day of Diwali and the three days immediately before it

An adult firework is any firework except for a cap, cracker snap (Christmas cracker), novelty match, party popper, serpent, throw-down or sparkler.

If you wish to sell adult fireworks to the general public at other times during the year you must obtain a special sales licence which costs £500. This is in addition to obtaining a storage licence. Selling outside the above dates without a licence is a criminal offence.

Legal requirements on the sale of fireworks

All suppliers must comply with regulations that control;

  • the type of fireworks you can sell
  • the labelling that fireworks must have
  • the warning notices you must display in your premises
  • the age of persons that you can sell fireworks to

For more information on these rules download our trading standards guidance on fireworks safety and age restricted sales.

Further advice on avoiding underage sales

For further assistance on avoiding underage sales, the following trading standards information leaflets are available for download


Additional information

  • The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website publishes extensive information and guidance on explosives
  • The GOV.UK website has further information on firework law including when they can be used
  • It is an offence to set off fireworks in the street. This is punishable by a fixed penalty notice of £80
  • Police also have the power to issue fixed penalty notices to people under 18 caught in possession of fireworks in a public place, or people breaching the curfew times. The penalty fine is £80
  • The HSE also publish information on organising public displays

Enforcement

In Southwark the various requirements are enforced by our trading standards, licensing and health and safety officers. The Police and fire brigade may also enforce certain provisions. Community Wardens also contribute to these activities.

Compliance is assessed by spot checks of storage arrangements and by using underage volunteers to attempt test purchases of fireworks. Advice and education are also provided to traders, parents and children.

Exemptions from licensing

There are a number of exemptions for the storage of very small quantities and for very temporary storage. For example there are allowances for storage of shooters' powders and for certain lower-risk pyrotechnic articles which include articles such as flares, fog signals, car airbags and seatbelt pre-tensioners. These must still be stored safely and securely. For further details contact us.

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