WorldWide Drilling Resource

ATF Announces New Magazine Identification Program Adapted from Information by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives The U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is developing a process to track industry-owned explosives storage magazines. During natural disasters, local emergencies, or civil unrest, ATF assists emergency responders in ensuring the se- curity of explosives and the safety of re- sponders. In these situations, ATF provides information on the location of explosives magazines within a certain area. With current processes, it is difficult to identify industry-owned magazines across the country in a timely manner. One of the largest obstacles in the notification process, has been the lack of a unique identifier for each magazine. Although the ATF maintains GPS coordinates for magazines, the coordinates can’t be used as unique identifiers since readings can vary slightly from one inspection to another, and the coordinates sometimes refer to groups of magazines. After consulting with explosives industry members and associations, ATF will have Industry Operations Investigators affix small labels with unique numbers to the interior magazine walls during their routine inspec- tions. ATF will replace damaged, missing, or destroyed labels during subsequent inspections. This program will not place any burden or responsibility upon industry members or change their internal magazine desig- nations. Although participation is voluntary, for the program to be a success, licensees and permittees are being encouraged to participate. These labels will not contain other information or electron- ically track the magazines. ,2+1 (+ 1 1$0 /,2+# 1$/ 5-, $!/2 /6 1 1'$ .2 /(20 0(+, $0,/1 2&')(+ ,/ ',1$) /$0$/3 1(,+0 " )) +# 20$ ",#$ ,/ *,/$ (+%,/* 1(,+ 3(0(1 20 ,+)(+$ *,2+1 (+01 1$0&/,2+#4 1$/ ",* * () (+%, *,2+1 (+01 1$0&/,2+#4 1$/ ",* '$ ,2+1 (+ 1 1$0 /,2+# 1$/ 5-, (0 ',01$# !6 1'$ 1$/ $)) +# /,2+# 1$/ 00,"( 1(,+0 ,% /(7,+ ,),/ #, $3 # $4 $5(", +# 1 ' 84 DECEMBER 2015 WorldWide Drilling Resource ®