Section 5605 — MANUFACTURE, ASSEMBLY AND TESTING OF EXPLOSIVES, EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS AND…

2025 California Fire Code (Title 24, Part 9) · 2025 edition · updated 2026-07-29 · California

Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.

5605.1 General. ¶

The manufacture, assembly and testing of explosives, ammunition, blasting agents and fireworks shall comply with the requirements of this section and NFPA 495 or NFPA 1124.

Exceptions:

The hand loading of small arms ammunition prepared for personal use and not offered for resale.
The mixing and loading of blasting agents at blasting sites in accordance with NFPA 495.
The use of binary explosives or plosophoric materials in blasting or pyrotechnic special effects applications in accordance with NFPA 495 or NFPA 1126.

5605.2 Emergency planning and preparedness. ¶

Emergency plans, emergency drills, employee training and hazard communication shall conform to the provisions of this section and Sections 404, 405, 406 and 407.

5605.2.1 Hazardous Materials Management Plans and Inventory Statements required. Detailed Hazardous Materials Management Plans (HMMP) and Hazardous Materials Inventory Statements (HMIS) complying with the requirements of Section 407 shall be prepared and submitted to the local emergency planning committee, the fire code official and the local fire department.

5605.2.2 Maintenance of plans. A copy of the required HMMP and HMIS shall be maintained on site and furnished to the fire code official on request.

5605.2.3 Employee training. Workers who handle explosives or explosive charges or dispose of explosives shall be trained in the hazards of the materials and processes in which they are to be engaged and with the safety rules governing such materials and

processes.

5605.2.4 Emergency procedures. Approved emergency procedures shall be formulated for each plant and shall include personal instruction in any anticipated emergency. Personnel shall be made aware of an emergency warning signal.

5605.3 Intraplant separation of operating buildings. ¶

Explosives manufacturing buildings and fireworks manufacturing buildings, including those where explosive charges are assembled, manufactured, prepared or loaded utilizing Division 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 or 1.5

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EXPLOSIVES AND FIREWORKS

explosives, shall be separated from all other buildings, including magazines, within the confines of the manufacturing plant, at a distance not less than those shown in Table 5604.5.2(3) or Table 5605.3, as appropriate.

The quantity of explosives in an operating building shall be the net weight of all explosives contained therein. Distances shall be based on the hazard division requiring the greatest separation, unless the aggregate explosive weight is divided by approved walls or shields designed for that purpose. Where dividing a quantity of explosives into smaller stacks, a suitable barrier or adequate separation distance shall be provided to prevent propagation from one stack to another.

Where distance is used as the sole means of separation within a building, such distance shall be established by testing. Testing shall demonstrate that propagation between stacks will not result. Barriers provided to protect against explosive effects shall be designed and installed in accordance with approved standards.

Exception: Fireworks manufacturing buildings separated in accordance with NFPA 1124.

TABLE 5605.3—MINIMUM INTRALINE (INTRAPLANT) SEPARATION DISTANCES (ILD OR IPD) BETWEEN BARRICADED OPERATING BUILDINGS CONTAINING EXPLOSIVES—DIVISION 1.1, 1.2 OR 1.5 MASS-EXPLOSION HAZARDa
NET EXPLOSIVE WEIGHT	NET EXPLOSIVE WEIGHT	NET EXPLOSIVE WEIGHT
Pounds Over	Pounds Not Over	Intraline Distance (ILD) or Intraplant Distance (IPD) (feet)
0	50	30
50	100	40
100	200	50
200	300	60
300	400	65
400	500	70
500	600	75
600	700	80
700	800	85
800	900	90
900	1,000	95
1,000	1,500	105
1,500	2,000	115
2,000	3,000	130
3,000	4,000	140
4,000	5,000	150
5,000	6,000	160
6,000	7,000	170
7,000	8,000	180
8,000	9,000	190
9,000	10,000	200
10,000	15,000	225
15,000	20,000	245
20,000	25,000	265
25,000	30,000	280
30,000	35,000	295
35,000	40,000	310
40,000	45,000	320
45,000	50,000	330
50,000	55,000	340
55,000	60,000	350
60,000	65,000	360
65,000	70,000	370

56-16 2025 CALIFORNIA FIRE CODE

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EXPLOSIVES AND FIREWORKS

TABLE 5605.3—MINIMUM INTRALINE (INTRAPLANT) SEPARATION DISTANCES (ILD OR IPD) BETWEEN BARRICADED OPERATING BUILDINGS CONTAINING EXPLOSIVES—DIVISION 1.1, 1.2 OR 1.5 MASS-EXPLOSION HAZARDa—continued
NET EXPLOSIVE WEIGHT	NET EXPLOSIVE WEIGHT	NET EXPLOSIVE WEIGHT
Pounds Over	Pounds Not Over	Intraline Distance (ILD) or Intraplant Distance (IPD) (feet)
70,000	75,000	385
75,000	80,000	390
80,000	85,000	395
85,000	90,000	400
90,000	95,000	410
95,000	100,000	415
100,000	125,000	450
125,000	150,000	475
150,000	175,000	500
175,000	200,000	525
200,000	225,000	550
225,000	250,000	575
250,000	275,000	600
275,000	300,000	635
For SI: 1 foot = 304.8 mm, 1 pound = 0.454 kg. a. Where a building or magazine containing explosives is not barricaded, the intraline distances shown in this table shall be doubled.

5605.4 Separation of manufacturing operating buildings from inhabited buildings, public… ¶

an operating building on an explosive materials plant site is designed to contain explosive materials, such a building shall be located away from inhabited buildings, public traffic routes and magazines in accordance with Table 5604.5.2(2) or 5604.5.2(3) as appropriate, based on the maximum quantity of explosive materials permitted to be in the building at one time (see Section 5601.8).

Exception: Fireworks manufacturing buildings constructed and operated in accordance with NFPA 1124.

5605.4.1 Determination of net explosive weight for operating buildings. In addition to the requirements of Section 5601.8 to determine the net explosive weight for materials stored or used in operating buildings, quantities of explosive materials stored in magazines located at distances less than intraline distances from the operating building shall be added to the contents of the operating building to determine the net explosive weight for the operating building.

5605.4.1.1 Indoor magazines. The storage of explosive materials located in indoor magazines in operating buildings shall be limited to a net explosive weight not to exceed 50 pounds (23 kg).

5605.4.1.2 Outdoor magazines with a net explosive weight less than 50 pounds. The storage of explosive materials in outdoor magazines located at less than intraline distances from operating buildings shall be limited to a net explosive weight not to exceed 50 pounds (23 kg).

5605.4.1.3 Outdoor magazines with a net explosive weight greater than 50 pounds. The storage of explosive materials in outdoor magazines in quantities exceeding 50 pounds (23 kg) net explosive weight shall be limited to storage in outdoor magazines located not less than intraline distances from the operating building in accordance with Section 5604.5.2.

5605.4.1.4 Net explosive weight of materials stored in combination indoor and outdoor magazines. The aggregate quantity of explosive materials stored in any combination of indoor magazines or outdoor magazines located at less than the intraline distances from an operating building shall not exceed 50 pounds (23 kg).

5605.5 Buildings and equipment. ¶

Buildings or rooms that exceed the maximum allowable quantity per control area of explosive materials shall be operated in accordance with this section and constructed in accordance with the requirements of the California Building Code for Group H occupancies.

Exception: Fireworks manufacturing buildings constructed and operated in accordance with NFPA 1124.

5605.5.1 Explosives dust. Explosives dust shall not be exhausted to the atmosphere.

5605.5.1.1 Wet collector. When collecting explosives dust, a wet collector system shall be used. Wetting agents shall be compatible with the explosives. Collector systems shall be interlocked with process power supplies so that the process cannot continue without the collector systems operating.

5605.5.1.2 Waste disposal and maintenance. Explosives dust shall be removed from the collection chamber as often as necessary to prevent overloading. The entire system shall be cleaned at a frequency that will eliminate hazardous concentrations of explosives dust in pipes, tubing and ducts.

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EXPLOSIVES AND FIREWORKS

5605.5.2 Exhaust fans. Squirrel cage blowers shall not be used for exhausting hazardous fumes, vapors or gases. Only nonferrous fan blades shall be used for fans located within the ductwork and through which hazardous materials are exhausted. Motors shall be located outside the duct.

5605.5.3 Workstations. Workstations shall be separated by distance, barrier or other approved alternatives so that fire in one station will not ignite material in another workstation. Where necessary, the operator shall be protected by a personnel shield located between the operator and the explosive device or explosive material being processed. This shield and its support shall be capable of withstanding a blast from the maximum amount of explosives allowed behind it.

5605.6 Operations. ¶

Operations involving explosives shall comply with Sections 5605.6.1 through 5605.6.10.

5605.6.1 Isolation of operations. Where the type of material and processing warrants, mechanical operations involving explosives in excess of 1 pound (0.454 kg) shall be carried on at isolated stations or at intraplant distances, and machinery shall be controlled from remote locations behind barricades or at separations so that workers will be at a safe distance while machinery is operating.

5605.6.2 Static controls. The work area where the screening, grinding, blending and other processing of static-sensitive explosives or pyrotechnic materials is done shall be provided with approved static controls.

5605.6.3 Approved containers. Bulk explosives shall be kept in approved, nonsparking containers when not being used or processed. Explosives shall not be stored or transported in open containers.

5605.6.4 Quantity limits. The quantity of explosives at any particular workstation shall be limited to that posted on the load limit signs for the individual workstation. The total quantity of explosives for multiple workstations shall not exceed that established by the intraplant distances in Table 5604.5.2(3) or Table 5605.3, as appropriate.

5605.6.4.1 Magazines. Magazines used for storage in processing areas shall be in accordance with the requirements of Section 5604.5.1. Explosive materials shall be removed to appropriate storage magazines for unattended storage at the end of the workday. The contents of indoor magazines shall be added to the quantity of explosives contained at individual workstations and the total quantity of material stored, processed or used shall be utilized to establish the intraplant separation distances indicated by Table 5604.5.2(3) or Table 5605.3, as appropriate.

5605.6.5 Waste disposal. Approved receptacles with covers shall be provided for each location for disposing of waste material and debris. These waste receptacles shall be emptied and cleaned as often as necessary but not less than once each day or at the end of each shift.

5605.6.6 Safety rules. General safety rules and operating instructions governing the particular operation or process conducted at that location shall be available at each location.

5605.6.7 Personnel limits. The number of occupants in each process building and in each magazine shall not exceed the number necessary for proper conduct of production operations.

5605.6.8 Pyrotechnic and explosive composition quantity limits. Not more than 500 pounds (227 kg) of pyrotechnic or explosive composition, including not more than 10 pounds (5 kg) of salute powder shall be allowed at one time in any process building or area. Compositions not in current use shall be kept in covered nonferrous containers.

Exception: Composition that has been loaded or pressed into tubes or other containers as consumer fireworks.

5605.6.9 Posting limits. The maximum number of occupants and maximum weight of pyrotechnic and explosive composition permitted in each process building shall be posted in a conspicuous location in each process building or magazine.

5605.6.10 Heat sources. Fireworks, explosives or explosive charges in explosive materials manufacturing, assembly or testing shall not be stored near any source of heat.

Exception: Approved drying or curing operations.

5605.7 Maintenance. ¶

Maintenance and repair of explosives-manufacturing facilities and areas shall comply with Section 5604.8.

5605.8 Explosive materials testing sites. ¶

Detonation of explosive materials or ignition of fireworks for testing purposes shall be done only in isolated areas at sites where distance, protection from missiles, shrapnel or flyrock, and other safeguards provides protection against injury to personnel or damage to property.

5605.8.1 Protective clothing and equipment. Protective clothing and equipment shall be provided to protect persons engaged in the testing, ignition or detonation of explosive materials.

5605.8.2 Site security. Where tests are being conducted or explosives are being detonated, only authorized persons shall be present. Areas where explosives are regularly or frequently detonated or burned shall be approved and posted with adequate warning signs. Warning devices shall be activated before burning or detonating explosives to alert persons approaching from any direction that they are approaching a danger zone.

5605.9 Waste disposal. ¶

Disposal of explosive materials waste from manufacturing, assembly or testing operations shall be in accordance with Section 5604.10.

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2025 California Fire Code (Title 24, Part 9)