Ammonium nitrate is both a major constituent of agricultural fertiliser and a favoured ingredient in explosives used by terrorists.
Large quantities of AN fertiliser are used in farming and it is important for the general public, and everyone with a legitimate interest in the substance, that it does not fall into the wrong hands.
To that end, the NFU, government and fertiliser manufacturers have developed a ten-point guide to help advise farmers on safe storage:
Don't
- Don't store fertiliser where there is public access.
- Don't leave fertiliser in the field overnight.
- Don't store fertiliser near to, or visible from, the public highway.
- Don't sell fertiliser unless the purchaser is personally known by you to be a bona-fide farmer user and who is aware of the need to follow this guidance.
Do
- Do record fertiliser deliveries and usage.
- Do, wherever possible, and with regard to HSE safety guidance, store fertiliser inside a locked building or compound.
- Do fully sheet fertiliser when stored outside and regularly check to ensure that the stack has not been tampered with.
- Do carry out regular stock checks.
- Do report immediately any stock discrepancy or loss to the police.
- Do record any manufacturer code numbers from the bags and, if available, the number of the detonation resistance test certificate.
- Colin - 03/08/2011
Don't advertise the whereabouts of your fertiliser unless you are assured, where you have to put a 'oxidising agent' sign up which virtually points to where you've hid it...
- l.b.douglas - 03/08/2011
Is it sensible to erect a fertiliser sign on the exterior of a building to alert everyone where the fertiliser is stored?