Alabama Personal Injury Blog - Fireworks

Fireworks and Safety

Billy Cunningham — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 15:50:20 GMT

The 4^th of July is just around the corner and fireworks have become a regular part of its celebration. The American Pyrotechnics Association reports that revenue from the sale of fireworks for 2008 was $940,000,000- the highest ever. That is a lot of fireworks. The association also reports that injuries from the use of fireworks have decreased from 38.3 injuries per 100,000 pounds of fireworks in 1976 to 3.7 injuries in 2008. Considering that 265.5 million pounds of fireworks were sold in 2008- that still equals 9,800 injuries. Some of those were deaths.

The National Council on Fireworks Safety recommends that you only buy consumer fireworks from a licensed store or stand. Consumer fireworks regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission are packaged in bright colors and have safety warnings on the packaging. The packaging sets forth the country of origin, which is normally China. Typical consumer fireworks include fountains, cones, sparklers, fire crackers, bottle rockets, roman candles, ground spinners and multi-shot products.

The National Council warns against buying fireworks from an individual’s house, or out of someone’s car. These fireworks are likely to be illegal explosives that can seriously injure you. You will often find these to be unpackaged and are wrapped with plain brown paper without any safety warnings, or place of manufacture. These may be hand made in illicit factories and other unsafe environments. They use such names as M80, Quarter Stick or Cherry Bomb. If someone approaches you to sell one of these illegal explosives, politely decline and then call your local police department.

The National Council has a new safety poster aimed at helping consumers

distinguish between legal consumer fireworks and illegal explosives. You should

look for these posters at participating consumer firework retailers.

Here are some safety tips:

• Only use fireworks outdoors.

• Obey all local laws regarding the use of fireworks.

• Never give fireworks to young children and always wear safety glasses.

• Always have a bucket of water, or water hose, nearby.

• Alcohol and fireworks do not mix!

“Many times consumers don’t prepare for the evening’s fireworks display” says

Ralph Apel, President of the National Council on Fireworks Safety. “The

designated shooter should prepare a shooting area, assess how many people will be

watching the display and lay out a spectator area that is far enough away from the

shooting site. The shooter should carefully read the label of each firework and

understand exactly what it will do. Preplanning makes for a safe and fun backyard

fireworks display.”

Another concern are sparklers which account for approximately 16% of consumer injuries from fireworks. The National Council on Fireworks Safety offers these safety steps for sparklers:

• Sparkles should ALWAYS be used under close adult supervision.

• Always remain standing while using sparklers.

• Never hold a child in your arms while using sparklers.

• Never hold, or light, more than one sparkler at a time.

• Sparklers and bare feet can be a painful combination. Always wear closed-toe

shoes when using sparklers.

• Sparkler wire and stick remain hot long after the flame has gone out. Be sure to

drop the spent sparklers directly in a bucket of water.

• Never hand a lighted sparkler to another person. Give them the unlit sparkler

and then light it.

• Always stand at least 6 feet from another person while using sparklers.

• Never throw sparklers.

• Show children how to hold sparklers away from their body and at arm’s length.

• Teach children not to wave sparklers, especially wooden stick sparklers, or run

while holding sparklers.

How old should a child be before it is allowed to use sparklers. Some writers say 12. I have also read where some say 5. Parents need to really think before giving a child sparklers.

For more details on firework safety you can visit this website www.fireworksafety.com

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Billy Cunningham

Fireworks Safety

Jon Lewis — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:34:47 GMT

This 4th of July, practice safety with respect to fireworks. The Red Cross has published the following safety tips with regards to fireworks:

• Never give fireworks to small children, and always follow the instructions on the packaging.
• Keep a supply of water close-by as a precaution.
• Make sure the person lighting fireworks always wears eye protection.
• Light only one firework at a time and never attempt to relight "a dud."
• Store fireworks in a cool, dry place away from children and pets.
• Never throw or point a firework toward people, animals, vehicles, structures or flammable materials.
• Stay at least 500 feet away from professional fireworks displays.
• Leave any area immediately where untrained amateurs are using fireworks.

Instead of lighting your own fireworks, consider attending a show sponsored by a local club or city. That way, you can enjoy the show without the risks. If you or your children will be handling fireworks this 4th of July, consider these safety precautions so that there aren't any injuries, and this will be a memorable holiday for the right reasons.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jon Lewis

Play safe to avoid turning celebration to sorrow July 4

Wendi Lewis — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:13:44 GMT

A report released this week by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says nearly 10,000 Americans were treated for fireworks-related injuries in 2007. Of that number more than half occurred within one month of the July 4 Independence Day holiday.

It probably comes as no surprise to most people, as fireworks and July 4 go hand-in-hand, but it is a good reminder to use extreme caution when choosing to launch your own fireworks display as opposed to leaving it to the professionals. The CPSC said the parts of the body most often injured are hands, eyes, and legs, and there appears to be an upward trend in injuries. Additionally, there were 11 deaths in 2007 as a result of fireworks injuries.

"No one should go from a backyard celebration to the emergency room with firework related injuries," said CPSC Acting Chairman Nancy Nord. "Using only legal fireworks and using them correctly is an important step towards celebrating safely."

It also is important to remember that many cities prohibit fireworks within city limits. This doesn't seem to stop those intent on lighting up the sky over their own backyard, as the scream of bottle rockets and the flare of Roman candles is still a common sight in neighborhoods well within the city.

If you insist on your own celebration, follow these important safety tips from the CPSC:

* Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks.

* Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them.

* Avoid buying fireworks that come in brown paper packaging, as this can often be a sign that the fireworks were made for professional displays and could pose a danger to consumers.

* Adults should always supervise fireworks activities. Parents often don't realize that there are many injuries from sparklers to children under five. Sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees - hot enough to melt some metals.

* Never have any portion of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse. Move back a safe distance immediately after lighting.

* Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not fully functioned.

* Never point or throw fireworks at another person.

* Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap.

* Light one item at a time, then move back quickly.

* Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.

* After fireworks fully complete their functioning, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding to prevent a trash fire.

For more information, read the full CPSC release online.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Wendi Lewis