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Fireworks Safety Consumer fireworks cause serious preventable injuries in children, including bystanders. A study published in the journal of Pediatrics in July 2006 estimated that over 85,000 pediatric fireworks-related injuries were treated in US ERs from 1990-2003.
The following are some of the major findings: - 80% of the injured children were male with an average age of 11 years.
- One out of 5 of all injuries occurred in a bystander.
- Firecrackers caused 30% of injuries while sparklers/novelty devices caused 20% and aerial devices 17%.
- The most common area of the body injured involved the eye (21%), the face (20%) and the hands (20%).
- Although most of the children were treated and released from hospital ERs, 5% required hospitalization.
To help consumers use fireworks more safely, the following are safety tips from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Fireworks University (http://www.fireworks.com/safety/):
Buy fireworks only from reliable, licensed fireworks dealers. Licensed and reliable dealers will only carry those products that meet standards set and enforced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Don’t experiment with homemade fireworks.
Read all directions, cautions, labels, and warnings on each individual firework item to understand the product performance and hazards associated with it.
Do not allow young children to play with fire-works under any circumstances.
Sparklers, considered by many the ideal "safe" firework for the young, burn at very high temperatures and can easily ignite clothing.
Older children should only be permitted to use fireworks under close adult supervision.
Always light fireworks on a hard, flat, and level surface to insure the stability of the items. Grass is generally not suitable for any item intended to be used in an upright position.
Light fireworks outdoors in a clear area away from houses, dry leaves or grass and flammable materials.
Keep a bucket of water nearby for emergencies and for pouring on fireworks that don’t go off.
Do not try to relight or handle malfunctioning fireworks. Douse and soak them with water and throw them away.
Be sure other people are out of range before lighting fireworks.
Light only one firework item at a time.
Never ignite fireworks in a container, especially a glass or metal container.
Keep unused fireworks away from firing areas.
Be cautious of lighting any fireworks during strong wind conditions. Fireworks should be lit with the prevailing wind blowing away from the spectators. If there is a significant wind shift during the time you are lighting the fireworks, rearrange the shooting site to accommodate the wind shift or stop shooting until the windy conditions subside.
Store fireworks in a dry, cool place. Check instructions for special storage directions.
Never have any portion of your body directly over a firework while lighting.
PARENTS SHOULD SUPERVISE THE ORDERING AND USE OF MAIL-ORDER "MAKE YOUR OWN" FIREWORK KITS AND COMPONENTS. MAIL-ORDER KITS AND COMPONENTS DESIGNED TO BUILD BANNED FIREWORKS ARE PROHIBITED.
Follow your local and state laws regarding the possession and use of fireworks. The following is a summary of state regulations as of June 1, 2008.
I. STATES THAT ALLOW SOME OR ALL TYPES OF CONSUMER FIREWORKS (formerly known as class C fireworks), APPROVED BY ENFORCING AUTHORITY, OR AS SPECIFIED IN LAW (39 states, District of Columbia and Puerto Rico):
Alabama
Alaska
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Indiana
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
New Hampshire
New Mexico
Nevada
North Carolina
North Dakota
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
II. STATES THAT ALLOW ONLY SPARKLERS AND/OR OTHER NOVELTIES (total of 5 states): Illinois
Iowa
Maine
Ohio
Vermont
III. STATES THAT ALLOW ONLY NOVELTY FIREWORKS - (total of 1 state): Arizona
IV. STATES THAT BAN ALL CONSUMER FIREWORKS (including those which are allowed by CPSC regulations) - (total of 5 states):
Delaware
Massachusetts
New Jersey
New York
Rhode Island
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