9th November 2006 - I'm currently in the process of renewing my explosive certificate under the new MSER legislation, so this page will be updated to reflect what the current state of affairs is within Cambridgeshire when I'm finished.

Before you can legally buy and use composite motors from Aerotech, Cesaroni or Congreve you have to jump through a few hoops. Firstly you need an explosives certificate so you can buy them, secondly you need a registered explosives store so you can keep them. Finally you need an RCA transfer document, often called a POMSTER, so that you can transport them from A to B.

In the past is was quite simple, you got your store from either Trading Standards, or your local Fire Brigade. The Police gave you an explosive certificate, which you then sent to the HSE to get your RCA. However, things have changed since the introduction of the MSER, the Manufacture and Storage of Explosives Regulations, in 2005.

Unfortunately things are a bit complicated now and it all depends on what UN numbers you want wither you need a certificate and/or a store. You still need to the the RCA from the HSE whatever happens though. So instead of telling you how to fill out the required forms, I'm going to point you to a document on the UKRA website that details what you need for the various motors etc.

• A Rocketeers Guide To Lgal Requirements

All explosives are designated a UN number so that folks can look up a master list and see what type of explosive it is. This helps Fire Brigades etc if they get called out as they then know what they are up against, it also means that the local Police know what explosives your buying with your explosive certificate. There are a number of UN numbers associated with rocket motors for which an explosive store is required, all of which are outlined in the PDF from the UKRA website linked to above. A quick list is detailed here:

• UN 0027 Black powder - granular or meal
• UN 0028 Black powder - compressed or pellets
• UN 0186 Rocket motors
• UN 0349 Articles, Explosive NOS (Haz Div 1.4S)
• UN 0351 Articles, Explosive NOS (Haz Div 1.4C)

All explosives are designated a UN number so that folks can look up a master list and see what type of explosive it is. This helps Fire Brigades etc if they get called out as they then know what they are up against, it also means that the local Police know what explosives your buying with your explosive certificate. There are a number of UN numbers associated with rocket motors, all of which are outlined in the PDF from the UKRA website linked to above. A quick list is detailed here:

There is a problem in with UN 0186, which covers Cesaroni Pro75 and Pro98 motors. Evidently there is some long standing exemption for rocket motors under the other UN number to avoid you having to have alarm your house with a monitored alarm. This doesn't apply for UN 0186, but the enforcement of this seems to be dependant on your Police force. In Cambridgeshire they evidently enforce it, so you may want to omit this from your acquire and keep explosive certificate and get a separate acquire only for this UN number.

This part is the easiest, and everyone in the country has to apply to the same place. Basically all you need to do to get a RCA, which is free for the duration of your Explosives Certifiacate, is apply to the HSE. Either send a copy or a fax of your explosives certificate to them with a covering letter requesting an RCA to transfer the various UN numberes on your certificate.

Your explosives certificate should have all the neccessary UN numbers on it, but it never hurts to note them down on the letter you send. When you get it back it will have more UN numbers on it than you applied for, don't worry this is normal.

The address to send your letter off to is:

Health and Safety Executive,
SPD A2,
Rose Court,
2 Southwark Bridge,
London,
SE1 9HS.
 
Telephone: 0207 717 6205
Fax: 0207 717 6690

For your explosives certificate and store contact Cambridgeshire Constabulary HQ in Huntingdon:

Firearms & Explosives Licensing Department,
Cambridgeshire Constabulary Headquarters,
Hinchinbrooke Park,
Huntingdon,
Cambridgeshire,
PE29 6NP
 
Telephone: 08454 564564
Fax: (01480) 422237

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Last update: Sunday, 04-Mar-2007 09:59:16 EST