Sharing the load and keeping authorities informed

1. Where do I begin?

• Running a display takes a lot of work, so try to share the load by planning ahead
• Set up a committee whose members can each take responsibility for a particular task (including one person to be in charge of all safety arrangements)
• Be clear on who will do what and when
• Be sure each member has a photocopy of this guide and follows its advice
• If possible try to recruit at least one person with previous experience of firework displays
• Remember – fireworks not marked with ‘Complies with BS7114 Part 2 1988′ are suitable for use only by professionals

 2. Who should I tell?

 Don’t forget it’s a busy time for the authorities – give them plenty of warning so that they can best help you

The Location

 3. How much space will I need?

 As much as possible

• Allow at least 50m x 20m for your firing area. beyond this you will need a dropping zone for spent fireworks of 100m x 50m in the downwind direction
• Spectators should be kept back on the opposite side from the dropping zone at least 25m from the firing zone.

  Click on the image to enlarge

 4. Where’s the best site?

 A clear and well-mown area, free from obstructions well away from any building, trees and hazards like overhead cables, with as many safe entrances and exits as possible. These must be away from the firing area and dropping zone. Make sure that all entrances and exits are well lit, clearly signposted and kept free from obstructions. Clear away any undergrowth or very long grass. Have plenty of (metal) litter bins around the site. Make sure you can cater properly for disabled spectators. Watch out for any animals likely to be housed nearby.

 5. What about car parking? 

 Falling fireworks can cause damage, so site any designated car parking well away from your display area and dropping zone, and upwind of the display. Signpost any car park clearly and make sure that the entrance is quite separate from pedestrian access. Do not permit parking anywhere else.

 6. How do I organise the spectators?

• Proper crowd control is essential and needs good planning
• Arrange for some stewards to be responsible for just this – at least one steward for every 250 spectators. Their job won’t be finished until the display is over, the site is cleared and made safe. Your stewards should be easy to identify, perhpas with flourescent bibs or jackets
• Be certain that your team know what to do in an emergency and have practised safety drills.
• Spectators must not be allowed into your display area. if they do encroach stop the display immediately. prepare and erect signs to clearly show area.
• Beware of overcrowding – seek advice from the Police and follow it
• Fireworks and alcohol don’t mix. This will make crowd control more difficult.
• None of the organisers should have alcoholic drinks
• Do not allow spectators to enter the site witrh their own fireworks – even sparklers. Make sure there are signs explaining this at all entrances

 7. How do I let off the fireworks?

• With great care at all stages
• Recruite people with previous experience of firework displays. Have as few people as possible actually involved with the fireworks
• Do not allow smoking by your team when fireworks are being handled, or at any time during the display
• Unpack fireworks with great care and well away from any open fire, naked flame or flammable material. Remember that they are fragile and can easily be broken. Keep fireworks in a secure box which is kept closed
• Before lighting any firework read the instructions on it carefully (by torchlight)
• Make sure that the wind and the display are angled away from spectators
• For lighting display type fireworks, a device called a Portfire is often provided by the manufacturer. Use portfires when available and always light fireworks at arm’s length. Keep unused Portfires in a metal or wooden box and never carry them in pockets
• Alternative forms of safety lighter, such as a slow match, are often available
• Never use matches or lighters for lighting fireworks at a display. If any firework fails to go off, don’t go back to it. It could still be live, and could go off in your face. Half an hour is the absolute minimum time to wait before you consider approaching it again
• A sudden change of wind could cause fireworks to fall dangerously among spectators. In very windy weather, you should consider putting off the display altogether, however disappointing that may be.

 8. Must I have a bonfire?

NO. Bonfires need a lot of organising and can be a hazard. Many displays are a great success without one.

• If, after careful consideration, you do decide to have a bonfire, make one person responsible for it, from early planning to final clearing up
• Don’t site it too near your display or firework storage area
• Never use flammable liquids like paraffin or petrol to get it going as this can result in uncontrolled spread of fire or explosion
• Check immediately before lighting that there’s no animal or even a young child hidden inside
• Never put fireworks on a bonfire, even if they’re dud
• Don’t burn dangerous rubbish (eg aeorsols, paint tins or foam-filled furniture)
• Remove any rubbish from your bonfire area in advance so there’s nothing that can be thrown onto the fire on the night

 9. And when it’s all over?

• The work for you and your team doesn’t finish when the last firework goes off
• Spectators need to be cleared safely from the site
• Bonfire needs to be put out completely
• Gather spent firework cases
• Clear the site and ensure it is safe for people and animals to use again

 10. Gathering spent fireworks 

• With a torch, use tongs, or some other suitable tool and wear strong gloves
• Don’t allow any children to collect firework cases
• Burning the spent cases is potentially dangerous and should be done with great care only after all your spectators have gone
• If any fireworks look as if they haven’t gone off at least half an hour after the display, douse them in a bucket of water and ask the Fire Brigade for advice
• Aerial shells should be doused in a bucket of water and then buried deep in the ground
• Finally, empty all the litter bins, remove any other rubbish, take down all your signs and leave the site as clear as possible and completely safe. You might want to go back the next morning to check everything in daylight
• If any outside organisations are present at your display – Fire Brigade, Police, first aid etc – don’t forget to ’sign off’ with them at the end of the evening

 11. What can I do in advance? 

As much as possible! As well as liaising with the local authority, police, Fire Brigade and first aid organisations, you or your appropriate team member should:-

• Arrange for your fireworks to be delivered and stored securely (and circulate the manufacturers’ general instructions to your team)
• Arrange for you and your team to be trained in the various tasks for the night, including all emergency drills
• Arrange for first aid posts to be manned by qualified people. Borrow or hire speacial clothing (bibs, jackets etc) to identify you and your team on the night
• Arrange some form of public address system – as a safety measure, not just for commentry. A loud hailer will do as a bare minimum
• Arrange for fire extinguishers, buckets of water, buckets of sand and metal litter bins to be available on the night
• Check that plenty of electrical torches will be available on the night, with full batteries
• Publicise the fact that spectators are not allowed to bring their own fireworks (including sparklers) and will not be admitted if they do so
• Prepare all necessary signs
• Make absolutely sure that you’ll have enough people available on the night (including some cover for illness)
• Draw up a detailed checklist of tasks and indicate who is responsible for each one
• Check whether you are adequately insured to cover any firework-related injuries to those present at the display
• Vet any traders you allow on the site
• Animals can be terrified of fireworks. Warn your neighbours and local farmers in advance so that they can keep pets indoors and take other necessary precautions

Other advice is available

Comprehensive guides on organising firework displays are on sale from good

booksellers or direct from HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 6FS

Tel: 01787 881165 Fax: 01787 313995

The Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 1997 prohibited the supply of aerial shells to the general public.

Extracts taken from DTI leaflet

Extracts taken from BERR leaflet

Supplies of all posters and leaflets can be obtained from BIS (Business Industry & Skills),  BERR (Department for Business Enterprise & Regulatory Reform) formally known as DTI

SPARKLERS INJURED MORE PEOPLE THAN ANY OTHER FIREWORKS IN 1997.

MANY OF THE VICTIMS WERE CHILDREN UNDER FIVE.

Follow our easy checklist to keep your child safe this year

Before the display

• Check the fireworks you buy are suitable for the size of garden and conform to British Standards (BS 7114; 1988)
• Ensure your display area is free from hazards
  
• Do not tamper with firework
• Read the instructions in daylight
• Warn neigbours, especially the elderly and those with animals, about your display
• One person – clearly identified – should be responsible for fireworks

Things you will need on the night

• Metal box, with a lid for storage
• Torch for checking instructions
• Bucket of water
• Protective hat, eye protection and gloves
• First Aid kit
• Bucket of soft earth to stick fireworks in
• A board for flat bottomed fireworks
• Suitable supports for catherine wheels
• Proper launchers for rockets

During the display

• Light fireworks at arm’s length with a taper
• Stand well back
• Never go back to a lit firework
• Keep storage box closed between use
• Keep children under control

After the display

• Use tongs or gloves to collect spent fireworks
• Next morning check again and remove firework debris

Sparklers

• Unsuitable for children under five
• Light one at a time
• Hold at arm’s length
• Wear gloves when holding sparklers
• Put used sparklers hot end down into a bucket of sand or water

Bonfires

• Organise properly
• Should be at least 18 metres (60 feet) away from houses, trees, hedges, fences or sheds
• Before lighting, check for animals and children
• Use domestic firelighters
• Never use petrol, paraffin or other flammable liquids
• Never put used fireworks, aerosols, foam-filled furniture, batteries, tins of paint or tyres on a bonfire

Extracts taken from DTI leaflet

1. Store your fireworks safely in a closed box, somewhere cool and dry, out of reach of children and animals, until the time they are needed. Don’t keep the box under the stairs or in a passageway.

2. Pets hate bangs and flashes and get very frightened on fireworks night. So keep all your pets indoors and close all the curtains to make things calmer. Remember it’s not just your own fireworks that cause distress, so you may need to have your pets indoors on several nights when other displays are taking place.

3. Think ahead and be prepared Before you start, make sure you’ll be giving yourself enough room in a safe place to get to and from your box of fireworks while the display’s going on. Have a full bucket of water handy for any emergency, and for putting used sparklers into. If you have the chance to get together with some other families, try to go to the home with the biggest garden and the safest surroundings.

4. Do you really need a bonfire?

It’s much better to manage without one. But if you insist make sure that it’s well away from your house and any trees, hedges, fences or sheds. never use a flammable liquid like petrol or parafin to get one going. If lighting your bonfire is difficult, use only domestic fireligfhters to help.

Check very carefully that there’s no animal (or even a young child) hidden inside the bonfire. Don’t light it until after all your fireworks have been let off. Keep everyone at a safe distance away, and don’t allow anyone to throw anything onto it.

5. Watch what you wear

Loose clothing (like shell suits) can very easily catch alight and should never be worn near any fire. Long dangly scarves can be risky too. If anyone’s clothing does catch fire, follow the rule…

STOP don’t run DROP to the ground ROLLOVER to put out the flame

6. One at a time please

You (or another adult that you choose) must be the only person letting off fireworks. Don’t allow anyone else – especially children – to do so while your display is going on. Let the fireworks off one at a time (not lots at once) and don’t rush.

Light the tip of each firework at arm’s length, using a safety firework lighter or fuse wick.

If one doesn’y go off, DON’T GO BACK TO IT – it could still be live, and could go off unexpectedly in your face. Right at the end of your fireworks night, douse the ‘dud’ with lots of water, then completely bury it in the ground and cover it well. Alternatively, keep it soaking in a bucket of water and ask your Fire Bigade for advice as soon as possible.

NEVER THROW A FIREWORK ONTO A BONFIRE

7. Different fireworks mean different hazards Read the instructions on each one carefully (by torchlight, never with any sort of naked flame) and follow them properly. Rockets, for instance, should be launched from a rocket launcher, not from a bottle.

Sparklers need careful handling – light them one at a time at arm’s length; don’t give one to any child under 5; make sure that anyone holding a sparkler wears gloves; and put each spent one into a bucket of water as soon as it’s gone out.

8. No fooling Putting a firework in a pocket is stupid and dangerous. Throwing a firework is stupid and dangerous and illegal: it’s a criminal offence to do so in a street or other public place, with a maximum penalty of a £5000 fine.

9. Bonfires and booze don’t mix Drinking alcohol presents an added danger when there are fireworks and bonfires around. So keep strict control of your guests’ drinking during the display. You could consider not having any alcoholic drink available until after your fireworks have been let off.

10. Watch that child Keep children well away from fireworks, and never let a child handle or light one. Even sparklers can be dangerous if unsupervised! Make sure that children are aware of the dangers.

Following the steps in this guide ought to mean that your fireworks night goes without a hitch. But, sadly, accidents do still happen to even the most careful people. Consult the First Aid for Burns advice just in case. Let’s hope you’ll never need it!

The guide is available as follows

• A printed copy is available to Local Authorities FREE of CHARGE on application to either BPA or EIG
• A text only version is available on this site for ease of viewing and printing. You will need a copy of Acrobat reader if it is not already installed on your system, available from www.adobe.com

The site covers the following areas

• Law relating to manufacture, storage, transport and use of explosives – including the full text of recent legislation
• The UN scheme for classifying explosives and explosive packaging
• Video of explosive effects
• Firework types and effects, including illustrations of what may and may not be sold to the general public
• Contact details for explosive companies and enforcers
• Explosives glossary

Further details may be obtained from Brig Charles Smith at the CBI at info@eig.org.uk or on (0171) 395 8063