Dangerous goods safety - codes of practice

Who issues codes of practice and standards?

Codes of practice and standards are approved and gazetted by the Minister for Mines and Petroleum under section 20 of the Dangerous Goods Safety Act 2004.

Codes of practice and standards issued under the Dangerous Goods Safety Act 2004 may also apply to mining and petroleum operations and major hazard facilities.

All codes of practice and standards gazetted for use in Western Australia are available for viewing at the Resources Safety office:

1 Adelaide Terrace
East Perth WA 6004
Office hours: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm

Prescribed codes of practice and standards

Some codes of practice or standards are prescriptive as they are mentioned in the regulations in their entirety, in part, or indirectly (such as, ‘refer to code of practice’). These publications are listed below under their relevant subject area(s).

Storage and handling

Code of practice - Safe storage of solid ammonium nitrate - 2375 Kb

This code of practice provides practical guidance on managing many of the risks associated with AN.

AS 4897 The design, installation and operation of underground petroleum storage systems is available from Standards Australia.

Transport

The Australian Dangerous Goods Code is available from the National Transport Commission.

Dangerous Goods - Summary of changes in edition 7.7 of the ADG Code

Explosives and fireworks

Code of practice - Safe use of close proximity fireworks in Western Australia - 2204 Kb

This code of practice covers the principles of safe transport, storage, handling, and use of close proximity fireworks

Code of practice - Safe use of outdoor fireworks in Western Australia - 2787 Kb

This code of practice covers the safe use of outdoor firework, including firework equipment, workshop operations and events.

The latest edition of the code of practice from the Australian Explosives Industry and Safety Group Inc. (AEISG) (formerly Australian Explosives Manufacturers Safety Committee) is available here with AEISG’s permission.

AEISG’s Code of practice - Mobile processing units

Visit Australian Explosives Industry and Safety Group Inc. (AEISG) for more information.

The following Australian Standards are available from Standards Australia.

  • AS 2187.0 Explosives - Storage, transport and use - Terminology
  • AS 2187.1 Explosives - Storage, transport and use - Storage
  • AS 2187.2 Explosives - Storage and use - Use of explosives

Approved codes of practice

The list of approved codes of practice under the Dangerous Goods Safety Act 2004 is available from the Parliamentary Counsel’s web site.

Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety

An updated list of approved codes of practice under the Dangerous Goods Safety Act 2004 were gazetted on 28 August 2020.

Approved dangerous goods codes of practice as of 28 August 2020 - 153 Kb

This document shows relevant updated codes of practice as published in the 28 August 2020 Government Gazette - pages 2748 to 2750

You can search for codes of practice in the Guidance area and download them as a PDF.

Some dangerous goods safety publications are available free of charge. You can Request hard copies of safety publications.

Safe Work Australia

The National code of practice for the control of major hazard facilities [NOHSC: 2016 (1996)], originally published by the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC), is available from Safe Work Australia.

National guidance notes supporting the COAG agreement of 25 June 2004 against terrorism use of ammonium nitrate

Ammonium nitrate guidance note No.1 - Transport - 88 Kb

The following National guidance note supports the COAG agreement of 25 June 2004 against inappropriate use of ammonium nitrate.

Ammonium nitrate guidance note No.2 - Storage - 48 Kb

This guidance note on the safe and secure storage of ammonium nitrate.

Ammonium nitrate guidance note No.3 - Agricultural Use - 92 Kb

The following National guidance note supports the COAG agreement of 25 June 2004 against inappropriate use of ammonium nitrate.

Australian Explosives Industry and Safety Group

The latest edition codes of practice from the Australian Explosives Industry and Safety Group Inc. (AEISG) (formerly Australian Explosives Manufacturers Safety Committee) are available here with AEISG’s permission.

Code of practice - Storage and handling of UN3375 - 2265 Kb

The goal of the AEISG is to continuously improve the level of safety throughout our industry in the manufacture, transport, storage, handling and use of, precursors and explosives in commercial blasting throughout Australia.

Code of practice - Blast guarding in an open cut mining environment - 389 Kb

The goal of the AEISG is to continuously improve the level of safety throughout our industry in the manufacture, transport, storage, handling and use of, precursors and explosives in commercial blasting throughout Australia.

Code of practice - Elevated temperature and reactive ground - 1160 Kb

The goal of the AEISG is to continuously improve the level of safety throughout our industry in the manufacture, transport, storage, handling and use of, precursors and explosives in commercial blasting throughout Australia.

Code of practice - Mobile processing units - 1490 Kb

The goal of the AEISG is to continuously improve the level of safety throughout our industry in the manufacture, transport, storage, handling and use of, precursors and explosives in commercial blasting throughout Australia.

Code of practice - Prevention and management of blast generated NOx gases in surface blasting - 587 Kb

The goal of the AEISG is to continuously improve the level of safety throughout our industry in the manufacture, transport, storage, handling and use of, precursors and explosives in commercial blasting throughout Australia.

Code of practice - Segregation barriers for transporting mixed loads of detonators and high explosives - 670 Kb

The goal of the AEISG is to continuously improve the level of safety throughout our industry in the manufacture, transport, storage, handling and use of, precursors and explosives in commercial blasting throughout Australia.

Center for Chemical Process Safety

Layer of Protection Analysis: Simplified Process Risk Assessment can be purchased from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Standards Australia

Australian Standards are available from Standards Australia.

AS 4326 is not applicable to solid ammonium nitrate. Refer to the Department’s code of practice available for the safe storage of solid ammonium nitrate.

Asia Industrial Gases Association

The following codes of practice are available from Asia Industrial Gases Association.

  • AIGA 051/08 Code of Practice Phosphine (harmonised publication)
  • AIGA 050/08 Code of Practice Arsine (harmonised publication)
  • AIGA 081/13 Safe practices for the storage and handling of nitrous oxide (harmonised publications)
  • AIGA 022/13 Code of Practice Acetylene
  • AIGA 068/10 Carbon dioxide (harmonised publication)

American Petroleum Institute (API)

The following standards can be purchased from the American Petroleum Institute (API).

  • API RP 521 Guide for pressure relieving and depressuring systems
  • API 579-1/ASME FFS-1 Fitness-for-service
  • API RP580 Risk-based inspection
  • API RP581 Risk-based inspection technology
  • API 620 Design and construction of large, welded, low-pressure storage tanks
  • API 650 Welded steel tanks for oil storage
  • API 652 Lining of aboveground petroleum storage tank bottoms
  • API 653 Tank inspection, repair, alteration and reconstruction
  • API RP 752 Management of hazards associated with location of process plant permanent buildings
  • API RP 753 Management of hazards associated with location of process plant portable buildings.

Steel Tank Institute, USA

The following standards can be purchased from the Steel Tank Institute, USA.

  • SP001 Standard for the inspection of aboveground storage tanks
  • F921 Standard for aboveground tanks with integral secondary containment

Underwriters Laboratories, USA

The following standards can be purchased from the Underwriters Laboratories, USA.

  • UL 142 Standard for steel aboveground tanks for flammable and combustible liquids
  • UL 971 Standard for nonmetallic underground piping for flammable liquids.