Sniffer dog trainers not always safe with transporting, storing explosives

The Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) has identified shortcomings in 11 companies that train and supervise dogs to detect explosives. In total, the ILT inspected 14 Explosive Detection Dogs companies in the second half of 2024. The companies that made the errors did not have the right licensing or were storing explosives in an unsafe manner.

Companies who work with explosives need to stick to the law for the civil use of explosives (Wecg), the inspectorate explained. The municipality of the end destination must grant a permit for the transport of explosives. A location for which the environmental service has issued a permit must be used for the storage of explosives.

Ten of the inspected companies did not have a permit from the municipality. “Unsafe situations can occur without this permit because government services do not know that explosives are on the way to a certain location.” In addition, the location cannot be tested in advance for suitability for the storage of explosives, which could be dangerous for the environment.

The inspectorate also noticed that nine companies did not have an environmental permit. Six of these companies did not have the explosives stored in a licensed location. They had them stored in an office space where people were working, or in a company car that was parked in a residential area after working hours.

It also turned out that three companies only had the agreement for storage by an external party on paper.

These nine companies have been ordered by the ILT to store the explosives in a permitted location immediately. A second control by the inspectorate showed that all the explosives were stored at the correct locations.

The companies that did not have the correct permits have almost all obtained one after being warned to do so by the inspectorate.