After a number of years of very hard work by Charles Simpson on behalf of UKRA (for mid power and high power rocketry) the following represents the outcome.

The New HSE Certificates of Exemption

The new Certificates of Exemption were signed by the HSE on the 4th of December, 2007.

MSER Exemption.

The main effect of the MSER exemption is that:

- people may keep up to 5 kg (net mass) of articles with UN numbers
0186, 0272, 0349, 0351 and 0471 without the need for a registration
or storage licence provided that
(a) each individual article contains no more than 1 kg (net mass) of explosive
(b) the articles are intended for use in the propulsion of rocket motors
(c) they are kept in a safe and suitable place.

- people keeping no more than 5 kg of these articles are exempted from separation distance requirements if they are also keeping small quantities of shooters powder (i.e. black powder or smokeless powder).

COER Exemption.

The COER exemption certificate means that:

- articles with UN numbers 0186, 0272, 0349, 0351 and 0471 may be
acquired and kept without the need for an explosives certificate from the police provided that
(a) each individual article contains no more that 1 kg (net mass) of explosive
(b) the article is intended to be used in the propulsion of model rockets
(c) they are kept in a safe and suitable place

- people (i.e. suppliers) are exempted from the requirement not to transfer the articles covered by the exemption certificate unless the recipient has an explosives certificate;

- the restrictions in COER relating to "prohibited persons" do not apply

- record keeping and loss reporting requirements in COER do not apply.

UKRA would also like to thank John Harvey of SERFS, who has represented model rocketry alongside Charles Simpson in the consultations with the HSE, and more recently, to Richard Brown, who has helped clarify a number of issues with both the HSE and with UKRA.

Richard Osborne, Colin Rowe, Rick Newlands, Charles Simpson (HSE Liaison)
UKRA Safety and Technical Committee