Standardisation of Explosives

The working group coordinates the standardisation work regarding explosives. In this context, the term explosives covers all civil explosives, propellants, and blasting accessories, but also the entire area of pyrotechnics (fireworks category 1 to 4, theatrical pyrotechnic articles, category T1 and T2, pyrotechnic articles for vehicles, and other pyrotechnic articles, category P1 and P2).

Performance tests of pyrotechnic articles

Dismantling of fireworks

The following tasks represent the current scope of duties of the working group:

1. Participation in international and national standardisation committees (European Committee for Standardization - CEN and Deutsches Institut für Normung e.V. - DIN):
       
   • CEN/TC 212/WG 1
     Fireworks, category 1 -3
   • CEN/TC 212/WG 2
     Fireworks, category 4
   • CEN/TC 212/WG 3
     Theatrical pyrotechnic articles, category T1 and T2
   • CEN/TC 212/WG 4
     Pyrotechnic articles for vehicles
   • CEN/TC 212/WG 5
     Other pyrotechnic articles, category P1 and P2
   • NA 062-08-81 AA
     Pyrotechnic articles
         .
2. Research preparing the development of test methods for standards in the context of doctoral, master, and bachelor thesis, as well as internships
       
3. Transformation of standards in suitable instruments
       
4. Verification of existing standards with respect to their usefulness and applicability.

Furthermore, the working group supports the DIN in technical questions and maintains contact to various international, and in particular European, institutes with a similar field of work.

Within the field of pyrotechnics a significant novelty was established in 2007 with the publication of the Directive 2007/23/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the placing on the market of pyrotechnic articles. According to article 8 of this Directive, European standards in support of this Directive have to be drawn up or revised, activities, in which this working group is significantly involved. The cooperation of the experts extends to the participation in all CEN working groups, chairman- and co-chairmanship, as well as several project managements.

The current standard series DIN EN 14035 for Fireworks category 1 -3 is going to be replaced presumably in the beginning of 2011 by the upcoming standard series prEN 15947.

Standard drafts for all other pyrotechnic articles are currently under development.

In the area of blasting explosives and propellants five groups of standards exist. They are all addressed to civil explosives and cover:

• DIN EN 13630 - Detonating cords and safety fuses
• DIN EN 13631 - High explosives
• DIN EN 13763 - Detonators and relays
• DIN EN 13857 - Terminology (of explosives for civil use)
• DIN EN 13938 - Propellants and rocket propellants

A detailed list of the harmonised standards for explosives for civil uses is displayed on the following page:

http://www.bam.de/de/service/amtl_mitteilungen/sprengstoffrecht/
sprengstoffrecht_medien/harmonisierte_normen.pdf (in German)

These published standards and standard drafts take the essential safety requirements of the European Directives 2007/23/EC on the placing on the market of pyrotechnic articles and 93/15/EEC on the placing on the market of civil explosives into account. They form the basis for the respective conformity assessment procedures:

• EC type-examination (Module B),
• Conformity to type (Module C),
• Quality systems (Module D, E, and H), and
• Unit verification (Module G).

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