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Guidance Notes

Guidance Notes No. 3

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CCIDA
Entertainment Special Effects Licensing Authority
Guidance Notes No. 3

Requirements for a Movable PSEM Store

1. Under section 23 of the Entertainment Special Effects Ordinance (Cap. 560), no person shall store any pyrotechnic special effects materials (PSEM) at any place other than the location in respect of which a store licence has been issued. A PSEM store is classified into two types: "non-movable PSEM Store" and "movable PSEM Store".

2. A movable PSEM Store (Annex I) shall conform to the following requirements:

  • built with fire resistant materials
  • no exposed ferrous metal in the exterior or interior
  • capable of being securely locked
  • rigid and large enough to store the PSEM in a safe manner
  • the surface is painted in red with the words "DANGER – PYRO MATERIALS 危險 – 煙火物料" in white.

3. It shall only contain the types of PSEM specified in the licence, subject to the maximum licensed capacity. It shall not contain other dangerous goods. Due to compatibility requirements, PSEM that are not compatible shall not be stored in the same store. Binary system pyrotechnic materials shall be stored separately from the PSEM.

4. All proper precautions shall be taken to prevent:

  • fire and explosion in the store and in the designated area
  • unauthorised persons from obtaining access to the store or to the designated area.

5. No smoking or naked light in the designated area, and also 15m within the designated area and the PSEM store.

6. The movable store shall be kept in the designated area unless:

  • it does not contain any PSEM
  • it is not being conveyed
  • it is being in use at the firing location

7. The designated area shall be located in a non-residential premises approved by the Authority. It shall be kept securely locked unless access to the designated area is required. It shall be provided with such fire extinguishing equipment at readily accessible locations as required by the Authority. Appropriate warning signs and emergency procedures including contact telephone number and escape route shall be posted in a conspicuous place outside the designated area.

8. A licensed Special Effects Operator shall be engaged as the operator-in-charge during the validity period of the store licence. A replacement shall be appointed when the operator-in-charge is absent from Hong Kong for more than 28 consecutive days and the store contains PSEM.

9. The licensee and the operator-in-charge shall also comply with the requirements specified under the Entertainment Special Effects (General) Regulation, including:

  • a stock book shall be kept in a form specified in Form 19
  • each entry in the stock book shall be certified as correct by the holder of the store licence or the operator-in-charge
  • the stock books and all documents relating to the PSEM held in the store shall be kept for a minimum of 3 years
  • the current volume of the stock book shall be kept in the store
  • at each month end, a stock balance for each type of PSEM shall be recorded in the stock book and certified as correct by the operator-in-charge
  • the operator-in-charge shall inspect the store once a month and record in the stock book the findings of the inspection

Entertainment Special Effects Licensing Authority
1 July 2022

ESELA Guidance Notes 3 (1.7.2022)

Movable PSEM Store – Standard Specification