Marking explosive ordnance hazards

The marking of explosive ordnance (EO) hazards is undertaken to provide a clear and unambiguous warning of danger to people at risk including women, girls, boys and men, and where possible to install a physical barrier to reduce the risk of unintentional entry into hazardous areas.

This standard draws on the three conventions in international humanitarian law which deal with land EO: 1) the Anti-personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC or Ottawa Convention); 2) Amended Protocols II and V to the United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW); and 3) the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM). Countries that are States Party to these Conventions and Protocols have certain specific obligations regarding the marking of hazards.

The provisions of this standard do not replace the legal obligations detailed in the Conventions. States that have ratified, acceded to, or consent to be bound by these respective instruments, have the obligation to comply with their specific provisions.