Keywords: Ammonium nitrate safety, Ammonium nitrate, Safety, Thermal decomposition

Compound fertilizers can be manufactured by either granulation processes or by blending processes (or even a combination of the two). This paper identifies and discusses the areas of safety concerns for both manufacturing processes. The whole range of manufacturing activities is covered, from the purchase of raw materials to the delivery of the final products.

Various aspects of raw materials are discussed including their chemical and physical properties.

The safe operation of blending and granulation plants is covered in two separate sections.

Aspects of maintenance are covered in a single section, as they are common to both methods of manufacture.

The safety aspects of products are then covered in a single section, followed by sections on legislation and the learning points from previous incidents. All of these are common to both methods of manufacture.

A list of significant incidents that have involved compound fertilizers over the last thirty years is provided as an appendix.

Kish D Shah, Terra Nitrogen (UK) Ltd, UK
David C Thompson, Billingham, UK

35 pages, 2 tables, 2 figures.