In the wake of the attacks on September 11, ATF has informed us that the agency intends to immediately commence non-routine visits to persons and/or companies licensed to store or transfer explosives within a 50 mile radius of any major populated area.

The purpose of these visits is to check security including Table of Distance requirements, record keeping, and obvious violations of ATF regulations. They will be checking internal controls, closely checking inventories, establishing the date of and verifying the annual inventory, and ensuring that magazine owners have copies of ATF advisories.

ATF also wants to be sure that any unusual anomalies or suspicious activities dealing with missing explosives have been reported and check on how they were reported. That includes suspicious job applicants, hirings or firings.

In September, ISEE advised all magazine owners to check and recheck your inventories and all persons in the explosives industry to place into effect emergency security measures throughout your operations to minimize the possibility of any unauthorized possession of explosive materials.

The ATF Advisory Notice that was issued in September is being sent again with this message as a reminder.
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Jeffrey L. Dean, CAE
Executive Director and General Counsel
International Society of Explosives Engineers