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Community safety
Fireworks safety
Watching fireworks can be great fun for children and adults alike. But
figures show that, more often than not, it’s children rather than adults
who get hurt by fireworks.
Over the past five years over 350 pre-school children, some as young as one year old, were treated in hospital for firework injuries. So don’t put your family at risk.
- See also : Fireworks displays in Adur
Follow the easy checklist below for a safer home firework display
Before the display
- Only buy fireworks from a legitimate retailer
- Inform neighbours and be aware of their concerns
- Check the fireworks you buy are suitable for the size of garden and conform to British Standards (BS 7114)
- Read the instructions in daylight
- One person - clearly identified - should be responsible for fireworks
Things you will need on the night
- Torch for checking instructions
- Bucket of water
- Eye protection and gloves
- Bucket of soft earth to stick fireworks in
- Suitable supports for Catherine wheels, proper launchers for rockets
During the display
- Don’t set off noisy fireworks late at night and never after 11pm
- Don’t drink alcohol if setting off fireworks
- Light fireworks at arm's length with a tape
- Stand well back and keep others back
- Never go back to a lit firework
- Never put fireworks in your pocket or throw them
- Always supervise children
- Store fireworks in a metal box, kept closed between use
- Keep pets indoors
After the display
- Use tongs or gloves to collect spent fireworks
Sparklers
- Unsuitable for children under five
- Light one at a time
- Wear gloves when holding sparklers
- Put used sparklers hot end down into a bucket of sand or water
Bonfires
- Should be at least 18 metres (60ft) away from houses, trees, hedges, fences or sheds
- Use domestic firelighters
- Never use petrol, paraffin or other flammable liquids
(This checklist is reproduced from a leaflet on the DTI website - see external links section).
