It is that time of year again where fireworks are readily available to buy for Bonfire night on 5th November.
In this country, fireworks celebrate the 5th November, the anniversary of Guy Fawkes and his failed attempt to blow up Parliament.
However, legend has it that the Chinese made the first fireworks in the 800s, filling bamboo shoots with gunpowder and exploding them at New Year to scare away evil spirits. Fireworks became known in Europe during the 1300s, probably after returning Crusaders brought them back from the East.
Whilst they are often wonderful to observe, hearing the ‘ooh’s’ and ‘aah’s’, the Children’s Burns Trust estimate that this year 500 children and their families will join the growing number of people who will remember bonfire night for all the wrong reasons – injured as a result of an accident with fireworks
Most of the injuries seen tend to happen at private or family displays with the vast majority of injuries to the eyes, head or hands – so children will have visible scars for life. The trend is that more boys sustain injuries by fireworks – especially boys aged 12 to 15.
Sparklers are often considered a relatively harmless way of allowing very young children to participate in the thrill of fireworks night, however, they are so dangerous. It may surprise you that a sparkler can reach a temperature of up to 2,000°C, 20 times the boiling point of water! This is why it is important never to give sparklers to children under 5, and to supervise the over 5s. See our tips below for helping a child hold on to a sparkler more safely.
Read the Child Accident Prevention Trust’s advice for staying safe around fireworks.
Typically, a rocket can reach 150 miles an hour. Not many people can move at that speed to get out of its way should it go rogue! And in terms of distance, a shell fired from a mortar will go as high as 200 metres.
A couple more interesting facts taken from the Guinness Book of Records: The largest ever single firework was a shell which measured one metre across and travelled over 300 metres into the air. It was so big and powerful it was launched from a specially constructed launch pad made of concrete and steel. And the record for the most number of rockets ever let off in one go, was set in August 2006 when more than 56,000 rockets were launched simultaneously at the National Firework Championships in Plymouth.
These interesting facts were taken from a government publication entitled Fireworks Safety toolkit which is great for guidance if you are planning a fireworks event.
Parents take note – under the provisions of the Fireworks Regulations 2004, it is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to possess fireworks in a public place and to sell fireworks to the under 18s. Caps, cracker snaps, indoor fireworks, novelty matches, party poppers, serpents and throwdowns must not be sold to persons under 16.
Here are our top ten firework safety tips and also some sparkler safety tips that we hope you will find helpful:
1. Make sure you buy fireworks from reputable retailers. All instructions should be in English and fireworks should conform to British standard BS7114, which should be clearly written on the box
2. Consider attending an organised display, like Downend Round Table Fireworks, far fewer people are injured at professional displays
3. Keep fireworks in a closed box and use one at a time
4. Keep naked flames (including cigarettes) away from fireworks
5. Ensure spectators are sufficiently well back, pay particular attention to the direction of rockets
6. Sparklers cause more injuries than fireworks and get five times hotter than cooking oil. Sparklers should only be used by the over 5’s and they should wear gloves when holding them. They should be held at arms length when lighting and put into a bucket of cold water when finished. Some people like to put the sparkler in a carrot so it is easier for children to grip.
7. Never use an accelerant, petrol or methylated spirits to start bonfires
8. Site bonfires away from sheds and fences and check the wind direction before lighting
9. Visit ROSPA for more information and some great video clips on firework safety
10. Spare a thought for pets – it is estimated that nearly half the dogs in the UK are scared of fireworks, visit the RSPCA for some great advice on fireworks safety for pets. Where possible, keep pets indoors.
Please also take a moment to view this short video of ours. Sparklers cause significantly more injuries to children than fireworks, resulting in a significant number of burns. A sparkler will burn instantly on contact with skin.
If you are going to a Firework/Bonfire event (either private or public), here are a few points to remember:
- Do not drink alcohol if setting off fireworks or handling sparklers
- Follow the instructions on each firework/sparkler
- Light at arms length, using a taper and stand well back.
- Never go near a firework that has been lit – even if it has not gone off, it could still explode.
- Never put fireworks in your pocket or throw them.
- Always supervise children around fireworks.
- Light sparklers one at a time and wear gloves.
And most of all, enjoy yourselves (safely).
Prefer to talk about your training and consultancy needs?