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Fireworks Saftey Month

The Fourth of July is right around the corner, which is why June is National Fireworks Safety Month. Fireworks cause thousands of injuries and emergency room visits each year.

The only way to be truly safe around fireworks is not to use them at all, however if you must incorporate them in your holiday celebration, make sure to be aware of the safety tips to minimize risk of injury. Also be aware of local restrictions as to the sale, possession, and discarging of fireworks by checking with your local jurisdiction to see what is legal in your area.

All fireworks are dangerous, especially to children. In 2003, 9,300 people were treated in U.S. emergency departments for fireworks-related injuries. Children 14 years and younger sustained about 45% of injuries related to fireworks, and boys represented 72% of all those injured. Typically, two thirds of injuries from fireworks in the United States occur in the days surrounding the July 4th holiday.

Fireworks are better seen from a distance than experienced up close.

The next major holiday in the United Sates is the Fourth of July. As summer’s biggest holiday approaches, plans are well under way to celebrate our nation’s independence with cookouts with family and neighbors, culminating with a visual display of fireworks: both professional displays hosted by local communities and consumer displays set off in back yards and at family gatherings. This month’s observance of Fireworks Safety brings focus on the issues associated with fireworks and the many injuries caused by them every year.

According to the National Council on Fireworks Safety: “It is extremely important to know the difference between a legal consumer firework and a dangerous explosive device. Items such as M-80s, M-100s and blockbusters [or quarterpounders] are not fireworks, they are federally banned explosives. They can cause serious injury or even death.” These explosives typically are not labeled, so only purchase clearly-marked products with the name of the firework and its manufacturer on the label." If you find any of these illegal explosives, contact your local police department.

State Laws on Fireworks

Disclaimer: This is a synopsis of the State laws and is not intended to be the definitive statement of the individual laws. Local city and county laws may be more stringent than the State laws. This listing is to be used only as a reference guideline. All state and local laws should be verified before purchasing and using consumer fireworks.

Map reflecting state firework control laws. - Source - American Pyrotechnics Association

"Consumer" fireworks are those fireworks devices formerly classed as "Class C Common Fireworks" and now classed at "Fireworks 1.4G" by the U.S. Department of Transportation [Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 173.56 (j)]. State laws may vary as to what types of devices are deemed to be "fireworks" under state law.

"Consumer" fireworks include cone fountains, cylindrical fountains, roman candles, sky rockets, firecrackers, mines and shells, helicopter-type rockets, certain sparklers and revolving wheels.

SOURCES AND LINKS:

• The National Council on Firework Safety
• Prevent Blindness America
• Family First Fireworks Safety
• Fireworks Injuries

Frequently Asked Questions about Fireworks Related Injuries.

Q: How extensive is the problem?

• In 2003, four persons died and an estimated 9,300 were treated in emergency departments for fireworks-related injuries in the United States (Greene 2004).
• An estimated 5% of fireworks-related injuries treated in emergency departments required hospitalization (Greene 2004).

• About 45% of persons injured from fireworks are children ages 14 years and younger (Greene 2004).
• Males represent 72% of all injuries (Greene 2004).
• Children ages 5 to 9 years have the highest injury rate for fireworks-related injuries (Greene 2004).
• Persons who are actively participating in fireworks-related activities are more frequently injured, and sustain more severe injuries, than bystanders (Smith 1996).

• Injuries occur on and around holidays associated with fireworks celebrations, especially July 4th and New Year's Eve.
• Most of these injuries occur in homes. Other common locations include recreational settings, streets or highways, and parking lots or occupational settings (U.S. CPSC 1993).

• Fireworks-related injuries most frequently involve hands and fingers (26%), eyes (21%), and the head and face (18%). More than half of the injuries are burns (63%); contusions and lacerations were the second most frequent injuries (18%) (Greene 2002).
• Fireworks also can also cause life-threatening residential fires (NFPA 2002).

• Illegal large firecrackers represent 2% of all firecracker injuries (Greene 2002).
• Firecrackers (24%), rockets (18%), and sparklers (11%) accounted for most of the injuries seen in emergency departments during 2003 (Greene 2004).
• Sparklers were associated with the most injuries for children under five (Greene 2004).
• For children ages five to 14 years and people ages 15 to 24 years, firecrackers, rockets, and other devices (including sparklers) were the source of most injuries (Greene 2004).

• Availability: In spite of federal regulations and varying state prohibitions, "class C" and "class B" fireworks are often accessible by the public. It is not uncommon to find fireworks distributors near state borders, where residents of states with strict fireworks regulations can take advantage of more lenient state laws.
• Fireworks type: Among "class C" fireworks, which are sold legally in some states, bottle rockets can fly into one’s face and cause eye injuries; sparklers can ignite one’s clothing (sparklers burn at more than 1,000oF); and firecrackers can injure one’s hands or face if they explode at close range (U.S. CPSC 1996).
• Being too close: Injuries may result from being too close to fireworks when they explode; for example, when someone bends over to look more closely at a firework that has been ignited, or when a misguided bottle rocket hits a nearby person (U.S. CPSC 1996).
• Unsupervised use: One study estimates that children are 11 times more likely to be injured by fireworks if they are unsupervised (U.S. CPSC 1996).
• Lack of physical coordination: Younger children often lack the physical coordination to handle fireworks safely.
• Curiosity: Children are often excited and curious around fireworks, which can increase their chances of being injured (e.g., when they re-examine a firecracker dud that initially fails to ignite) (U.S. CPSC 1996).
• Experimentation: Homemade fireworks (e.g., ones made of the powder from several firecrackers) can lead to dangerous explosions (U.S. CPSC 1996).

• In addition to medical costs directly and indirectly attributable to fireworks injuries, U.S. fire departments reported approximately 24,200 fireworks-related fires in 1999 that were estimated to have cost $17.2 million in direct property damage (NFPA 2002).

• Studies suggest that state laws regulating the sale and use of fireworks affect the number of injuries incurred. For example, in one state, the number of injuries seen in emergency departments more than doubled following the legalization of fireworks (McFarland 1984).
• Under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act, the federal government prohibits the sale of the most dangerous types of fireworks to consumers. These banned fireworks include large reloadable shells, cherry bombs, aerial bombs, M-80 salutes, and larger firecrackers that contain more than two grains of powder. Under this same Act, mail-order kits to build these fireworks are also prohibited (Banned Hazardous Substances 2001).

• The safest way to prevent fireworks-related injuries is to leave fireworks displays to trained professionals. See safety tips from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.