# Improvised Explosive Device Safe Stand-Off Distances

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** ERG 2024, Improvised Explosive Device Safe Stand-Off Distances
- **title:** Improvised Explosive Device Safe Stand-Off Distances
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** U.S. DOT / Transport Canada / SICT
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2024-04-04
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** Official ERG2024 improvised explosive device safe stand-off distances guidance, pages 369-370.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-erg-2024-ied.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-erg-2024-ied.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-erg-2024-ied
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/2024-04/ERG2024-Eng-Web-a.pdf#page=369
**body:**

High Explosives (TNT Equivalent)
Briefcase/Suitcase
23 kg
50 lbs
46 m
150 ft
47 - 563 m
151 - 1,849 ft
564+ m
1,850+ ft
Car
227 kg
500 lbs
98 m
320 ft
99 - 579 m
321 - 1,899 ft
580+ m
1,900+ ft
SUV/Van
454 kg
1,000 lbs
122 m
400 ft
123 - 731 m
401 - 2,399 ft
732+ m
2,400+ ft
Small Delivery Truck
1,814 kg
4,000 lbs
195 m
640 ft
196 - 1,158 m
641 - 3,799 ft
1,159+ m
3,800+ ft
Container/Water Truck
4,536 kg
10,000 lbs
263 m
860 ft
264 - 1,554 m
861 - 5,099 ft
1,555+ m
5,100+ ft
Semi-Trailer
27,216 kg
60,000 lbs
475 m
1,570 ft
476 - 2,834 m
1,571 - 9,299 ft
2,835+ m
9,300+ ft
Based on the maximum amount of material that could reasonably fit into a container or vehicle. Variations possible.
Governed by the ability of an unreinforced building to withstand severe damage or collapse.
Governed by the greater of fragment throw distance or glass breakage/falling glass hazard distance. These distances can be reduced for personnel wearing ballistic protection.
Note that the pipe bomb, suicide bomb, and briefcase/suitcase bomb are assumed to have a fragmentation characteristic that requires greater stand-off distances than an equal
amount of explosives in a vehicle.
Page 367
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Improvised Explosive Device (IED)
Improvised Explosive Device (IED)
SAFE STAND-OFF DISTANCE
SAFE STAND-OFF DISTANCE
Threat Description Shelter-in-Place Zone
Explosives Capacity1 Mandatory
Evacuation Distance2
Preferred
Evacuation Distance3
Pipe Bomb
2.3 kg
5 lbs
21 m
70 ft
22 - 365 m
71 - 1,199 ft
366+ m
1,200+ ft
Suicide Bomber
9 kg
20 lbs
34 m
110 ft
35 - 518 m
111 - 1,699 ft
519+ m
1,700+ ft

Page 368
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Improvised Explosive Device (IED)
Improvised Explosive Device (IED)
SAFE STAND-OFF DISTANCE
SAFE STAND-OFF DISTANCE
LPG Mass / Volume1
Threat Description Fireball Diameter2
Safe Distance3, 4
Small LPG Tank
9 kg / 19 L
20 lbs / 5 gal
12 m
40 ft
48 m
160 ft
LPG - Butane or Propane
Large LPG Tank
45 kg / 95 L
100 lbs / 25 gal
21 m
69 ft
84 m
276 ft
Commercial/Residential LPG Tank
907 kg / 1,893 L
2,000 lbs / 500 gal
56 m
184 ft
224 m
736 ft
Small LPG Truck
3,630 kg / 7,570 L
8,000 lbs / 2,000 gal
89 m
292 ft
356 m
1,168 ft
Semitanker LPG
18,144 kg / 37,850 L
40,000 lbs / 10,000 gal
152 m
499 ft
608 m
1,996 ft
Based on the maximum amount of LPG that could reasonably fit into a container or vehicle. Variations possible.
Assuming efficient mixing of the flammable gas with ambient air.
Determined by U.S. firefighting practices wherein safe distances are approximately 4 times the flame height.
This table is for a loaded LPG tank with explosives on the exterior. Note that an LPG tank filled with high explosives would require a significantly greater stand-off distance than
if it were filled with LPG.
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