Storage of explosives
- Permit or other obligation
- Nationwide
- Public service
A permit must be applied for a facility that stores explosives permanently or temporarily from the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (Tukes).
Rescue authorities must be notified of the storage of fireworks at a commercial facility.
When the storage facility is in a retail space, a trade permit for dealing in firearms, granted by the Lottery and Firearms Administration Unit, is sufficient for t ...
Do the following
Search the Tukes Regulatory Information Service for the Government Decree on monitoring the manufacturing and storage of explosives (819/2015). The Decree indicates the required notification documents in terms of the application and commercial fireworks storage (section 17). You can send a free-form application to Tukes. The standards are subject to a fee, and they can be ordered from the SFS online store.
To whom and on what terms
The operator must demonstrate that the storage facility meets the general safety requirements of the Act on the safe handling and storage of dangerous chemicals and explosives (390/2005) (knowledge requirement, obligation to choose, duty to exercise care) and the requirements provided in the Government Decree on the safety requirements of manufacturing, handling and storage of explosives (1101/2015), and that the storage facility complies with the applicable standards.
Depending on the quantity of the explosives, the storage facility must be located a specific safety distance away from different targets.
In permanent storage, the storage facility must be a fixed building or a so-called explosives container, which is an insulated steel container made of a regular maritime transport container and equipped with a double lock. More specific requirements for the storage facility are provided in standard SFS 4397.
The structure of a fireworks cabinet located inside a store must comply with standard SFS 4399, whereas standard SFS 4397 (without a fence) is applied to the structures of a container located outside.
The requirements for a cartridge, primer and powder cabinet located in a retail space are the same as for a fireworks cabinet (SFS 4399), but storage facilities located elsewhere are subject to different additional compartment and cabinet requirements depending on the stored explosives.
The operator is obligated to notify Tukes of any changes that may affect the safety of a permanent or temporary storage facility or the storage of firearms cartridges, primers and powder stored elsewhere than in the retail space. Moreover, the rescue authorities must be notified of changes in commercial storage arrangements.
Tukes performs periodic inspections in permanent explosive storage units and commercial storage units authorised by Tukes. Depending on the scope of the activities (three different categories), the inspection interval is 1–5 years.
If a trader is established in another country belonging to the European Economic Area and provides its services temporarily in Finland, the trader must have a Finnish business ID or the trader must be a legal person on whom national legal obligations can be imposed.
Deadline
The permit must be applied for before making detailed implementation decisions and starting the construction work of the storage facility. Notification of a commercial fireworks storage unit must be submitted one month before starting the sales activities.
Processing time
Six months for permanent storage. Approximately one month for permits for a temporary storage or storage of firearms cartridges, primers and so on.
Period of validity
The permit for a permanent storage facility or for commercial storage of firearms cartridges, primers and powder is valid until further notice.