| Fireworks Safety |
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| Buy only from legal,
reliable dealers |
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| Before you purchase
fireworks, be aware of what is legal in your city,
county, and state. If you are unsure, contact
your local fire marshal. When you go to buy, be
sure that the items you are purchasing have caution
labels and product numbers on them - this is proof
that it was made in a factory and adheres to firework
safety standards. |
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| Always follow label
directions |
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| Read the label carefully
so you know how to properly use the firework.
For example, flying spinners must be positioned
with the proper side facing down in order for
it to function safely (going up, as opposed to
flopping along the ground towards flammables or
people). |
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| Only
use when adults are present |
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| Most firework
injuries happen to children, especially those
who are unsupervised. Fireworks are not toys,
and should never been given to children no matter
how cute or "harmless" they seem - especially
sparklers. |
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| Keep
spectators at least 75 feet away from the firing
area |
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| If something
were to tip over or fly erratically, you don't
want it going near people. |
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| Ignite
using a long-handled lighter, torch, or road flare |
|
| Matches
aren't very reliable (especially in wind), and
punks usually burn out. In order to avoid long
delays in between fireworks, use one of the three
devices mentioned above in bold. |
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| Keep
supply of fireworks in a safe area |
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| Prior to
the day you plan to use your fireworks, store
them in a cool, dry area (excessive heat and moisture
can ruin them). When it's time to light them off,
store them in a wooden or cardboard box at least
75 feet from the firing area to protect them from
sparks and provide easy access. |
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| Use
only in open area |
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| Only use
fireworks outside, at least 50 feet from buildings,
dry grass, or anything else that could potentially
catch on fire. |
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| Never
stand over fireworks when lighting |
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| If a device
were to accidentally ignite, you would not want
to be hit in the face with it. When lighting fireworks,
crouch down at an arm's length distance and reach
out to light it. |
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| Always
brace aerial items |
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| Surround
aerial items with bricks or put them in cinder
blocks to ensure that they can't tip over. It
is very unpleasant when a repeater tips over and
begins firing into a group of people. |
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| Use
a flashlight at night |
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| It's much
safer and easier to find the fuse using a light
than it is a flame. You should also use the flashlight
to light your path after igniting the firework
to be sure you don't trip on anything. |
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| Keep
animals indoors |
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| Even the
toughest dogs or cats are terrified by fireworks.
To make the holiday less traumatic for them, put
them in a bedroom with the blinds closed, the
lights on, and the TV on or a stereo playing music
in order to drown out the sounds of whistles and
bangs. Even if you're leaving for the day to do
fireworks elsewhere, doing this is still a good
idea to keep them from being scared by neighbors'
fireworks. |
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| Light
fuse; get away |
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| If you
don't understand this, you shouldn't be lighting
fireworks. |
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| Don't
hold or throw fireworks |
|
| Another
large percentage of fireworks-related injuries
are those caused by people who hold them or throw
them at others. Sometimes a firecracker's fuse
will burn faster than anticipated, causing it
to explode in someone's hand. Even a roman candle
could have gotten its powder jarred loose during
shipping, resulting in a blowout through the casing
that could injure your hand. |
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| Don't
modify or relight fireworks |
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| Tampering
with fireworks is asking for trouble. Don't take
them apart and mix the powders - some types of
chemicals used in fireworks, such as barium salts,
are toxic. If a burning fuse enters the device
but it fails to fire (a "dud"), wait
5 minutes, then destroy it in water. Sometimes
the fuse will appear to burn out, but may actually
smolder (known as a hangfire). Leave the device
alone for at least 10 minutes, because at any
time the fuse may begin to burn again at it's
usual rate. |
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| Be sure
to have water handy |
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| Always
have a large, 5-gallon bucket ready to put out
any unexpected fires or smoldering items. Large
"super-soaker"-type water guns work
great, as well. They're easy to carry, have a
long range, and can extinguish just about anything. |
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| Douse
used fireworks in water |
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| Have another
5-gallon bucket or similar container than you
can fill with water and put leftover fireworks
in. This will not only put out any lingering sparks,
but will destroy any leftover chemicals inside
that may otherwise pose a fire hazard. |
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| Never
put fireworks in glass, PVC, or metal containers |
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| An explosion
could create razor-sharp shrapnel, which doctors
will not have a fun time removing from your body.
|
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| Never
carry fireworks in your pocket |
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| This could
very easily damage the device (fireworks are quite
fragile), or a static spark could set it off. |
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| Don't
use old fireworks unless they've been kept safe |
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| Fireworks
can keep well for years as long as they're kept
in a cool, dry place and aren't constantly being
handled.. Any jostling or handing that a firework
may have gone through in the course of a year
can cause powder to leak, resulting in air pockets
in the tubes. These air pockets can act as tiny
combustion chambers and cause an unexpected explosion. |
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| Clean
up when the show is over |
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| Always
be sure to leave the shooting area just as it
was before the show. Leftover fireworks may have
unburned powder that could be a fire hazard or
health hazard to small children and animals. |
