Comments on: Fireworking Safety, the Law, and You

By: Steve Harris

Steve Harris — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 20:59:51 +0000

I think it’s worth mentioning that when purchasing a padlock(s), make sure it is a 5 pin tumbler (most padlocks are 4 pin) to meet BATF requirements. If the package doesn’t say (the locks I just purchased didn’t), just count the number of “recesses” in the key.

By: Toster

Toster — Wed, 11 May 2011 06:57:49 +0000

Up above, you state:

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ned Reply:

August 25th, 2010 at 10:47 AM

One useful thing for us to get in the habit of, I think, is referring to the permits and licenses by their new designations. T’would probably help keep all this clear in everyone’s haid:

This is the new ATF application for licenses and permits:

http://www.atf.gov/forms/download/atf-f-5400-13.pdf

You’ll see that there are no more “Types” of permits or licenses,,just User’s Permita and Manufacturing Licenses, with checkboxes to indicate to the ATF what sort of activity you plan on participating in.

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I guess, is it just a new designations, User’s Permits and Manufacturing Licenses. So, under the Manufacturing Licenses are there still types? I guess I am confused.

Also, for us without sheds, nor a ton of room (city dwellers) do you have suggestions for a Mag and getting legal? Other than going to a pyro club build?

By: Harry Gilliam

Harry Gilliam — Tue, 10 May 2011 19:41:51 +0000

Which “new designations,” Toster?

If the garage is attached to your house, no you can’t house the mag there. My own ATF-approved mag is in a workshop in my DEtached garage.

Harry

By: toster

toster — Tue, 10 May 2011 19:37:44 +0000

Any more info on their new designations? Also, without a shed, It seems to me that I can’t have the magazine in the attached garage, any suggestions there?

By: HEGilliam

HEGilliam — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 16:48:25 +0000

yes, many folks do use gun safes as Indoor Type 4 magazines, and they are compliant with the Orange book as long as the safe locking mechanism meets one of the 5 locking specifications, such as having a three-point lock.

By: James Luzier

James Luzier — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 17:54:09 +0000

Would a gun safe work as a type 4 magazine unit?
Thanks,
Ben

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 23:29:16 +0000

Thank you. The list does contain “Pyrotechnic compositions” which would indicate “mixed” chemicals. So things like potassium perchlorate and other chems I’m looking at do not need to be in a magazine until I mix them. Thank you very much for the clarification!

By: ned

ned — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 16:50:19 +0000

Scott, unmixed chems are not considered to be explosives by the ATF, so they do not concern themselves with their storage, etc.

This is the current list of explosive materials that are covered by ATF:

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-45.pdf

ned

By: Scott

Scott — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 13:39:57 +0000

Jon, looks like you are doing the right thing by doing homework first. I am a new “Type 20″ holder and am also trying to figure things out before diving in. For you, find contingency storage. Search for fireworks companies in your area and talk to the owner. You will need storage anyway, either your own or a contingency storage letter, for your BATF application.

I have same type questions as you regarding storage of unmixed chemicals. My contingency storage guy did not know if I was required to store unmixed chemicals at his place, so I called the ATF. My ATF rep really did not know the answer, so we went to the Orange Book. The only thing we found was on page 70, paragraph 92 “At the end of a day’s manufacturing operations, all dry explosive powders and mixtures and partially assembled and finished display fireworks must be removed from fireworks process buildings and stored in a magazine….”. We decided that I would store all unmixed (and mixed) in the magazine. However, I honestly did not see anything specifically stating “all unmixed fireworks chemicals must be stored in a magazine”.

Any help on this question is greatly appreciated.

By: Jon

Jon — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 04:30:22 +0000

I’d love to get my own type 20 and have considered it for several years now. I haven’t taken the dive quite yet for several reasons. Most importantly I currently don’t own any land, nor do I have the cash flow at the time to purchase any. I live in a somewhat populated area and it just is not an appropriate place.

I have looked at friends and family’s property but they do not like the idea of storing any type of explosive or flammable material on their own property – this is out of the question at this time…

Another reason is that while I have been a pyrotechnician for a number of years (worked for display companies, PGI, etc) I am very new to making my own display items. In fact, this is the first time I have purchased chemicals and planned on making my own stars and/or display items. However, I want to be 100% certain I am doing it legally before I do anything!!

I intended to start off with some very simple formulas, all BP based with simple metal additions (willows, gold glitter, zinc, etc). I want to get a feel for what I’m doing in small quantities before I go nuts…

I hope that gives you a better understanding of where I’m coming from. I am just extremely worried about the legalities of the chemicals I own, what they consider “explosive material” and whether or not I can even start making stars or not, let alone shells, mines, etc!

Thank you both for all your hard work!