It’s the time of year that families across the country will be heading out to brave the cold to view spectacular firework displays for Bonfire Night – while A&E departments will be bracing themselves to deal with horrific burns injuries.
Unfortunately, too many family trips over this period end in tragedy, with around 1,000 people ending up in hospital with injuries from fireworks, in the four week period around November 5.
In all cases these injuries would have been avoidable, so the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) is asking everyone to “remember, remember” its simple safety advice to ensure a happy and safe Bonfire Night.
Ashley Martin, RoSPA public health project manager, said: “Burns injuries are absolutely devastating, not just for those injured but also for their family, particularly when children are involved, as they leave terrible physical and mental scars that will last a lifetime.
“Equally devastating is the fact that they are completely avoidable when fireworks are involved. People only need follow our simple safety advice, to ensure they and their family avoid a tragedy.”
Kent Fire and Rescue Service Community Safety Service Delivery Manager, Charlie Smith said: “Bonfire night can be great fun for all the family but it is important that people celebrate safely. It is always best to attend an organised display but if you are planning your own, please make sure you follow the firework code.
“Many accidents are caused by improper use of fireworks and by carelessness. Figures show that more children than adults get hurt by fireworks.”
He added: “Bonfires are a lot of fun too, but they can be dangerous. If you are having a bonfire this year, we urge you to take care and to follow our simple tips on our website, to make sure you and others are safe and acting lawfully.”
Never keep fireworks in your pocket, never throw fireworks, and make sure to always buy them from a reputable retailer.
Organised displays
Many local authorities, schools and community groups hold firework displays to mark certain occasions and they are a great place to enjoy a good night out. They are sometimes free of charge and many raise money for local charities. Fireworks can be expensive. You’re likely to get more dazzle and bang at an organised event. And, you won’t have to plan and host it yourself, taking responsibility for the safety aspects.
Enjoying the fireworks in your local park with your local community – sharing the ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ in the crowd – can be a great way of getting together, meeting with your friends and neighbours and sharing in your local community spirit. But remember to take a torch along with you and make sure children wear bright clothes so they can be easily seen.
Hosting a fireworks party
If you have a safe place to do so and want to celebrate with fireworks in the comfort of your own garden or on other private land (with the landowner’s permission), there’s nothing to stop you and there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy a great evening. But remember that both you and your guests will need to take care.
Remember all fireworks should be purchased from reputable suppliers. It is an offence under firework legislation for anyone under 18 to possess fireworks in public places and an offence for anyone other than a firework professional to possess professional display fireworks.
Plan Ahead
- It’s safer to go to an organised display – if you’re aged 18 or over and still want to buy your own fireworks, only buy those marked BS 7114:1988 from a reputable retailer.
- Keep your pets indoors throughout the evening with the curtains closed.
- Plan your firework display to make it safe and enjoyable.
- Respect your neighbours – don’t let off fireworks late at night.
- Fireworks must be stored 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.
- Do you have a large enough space to let fireworks off safely? Each firework should have a minimum safety distance marked on it.
- Be considerate to your neighbours: warn them beforehand so they can take in their washing, close windows, keep their pets indoors and, if necessary, take other precautions. Why not invite them?
- Only buy fireworks from reputable dealers. The fireworks should have the product safety marking BS7114 or equivalent and carry a CE mark.
- Most shops have only been given permission to sell fireworks on or between these dates:
- 15 October to 10 November
- 26 to 31 December
- 3 days before Diwali and Chinese New Year
To buy fireworks at other times, you must go to specially licensed shops.
- Fireworks cannot be let off between 11pm and 7am except on:
- Bonfire Night (5 November), when the cut off is midnight;
- New Year’s Eve, Diwali and Chinese New Year, when the cut off is 1am.
These tips are to help you think about and prepare for a fun and safe celebration at home.
Firework safety tips:
- Fireworks must only be handled and lit by responsible adults.
- Don’t drink alcohol if setting off fireworks.
- Always supervise children around fireworks and never give sparklers to a child under 5.
- When you are watching fireworks, stand well back.
- Keep fireworks in a closed metal box and take them out one at a time.
- Follow the instructions on each firework. Different fireworks can present different hazards and so the instructions vary. Read them in daylight or by torchlight, never by a naked flame.
- Let fireworks off one at a time.
- Light the firework at arms length with a taper and stand well back.
- Never play with fireworks – they are explosives and can hurt you.
- Do not throw fireworks – it is highly dangerous.
- Direct any rocket fireworks well away from spectators.
- Keep naked flames, including cigarettes, away from fireworks.
- Never leave matches or lighters lying around
- Never go back to fireworks once they are lit. Even if it hasn’t gone off, it could still explode.
- Never throw fireworks and don’t put them in your pocket.
- Always supervise children around fireworks and never give sparklers to children under five. Even when sparklers have gone out they are still hot so put them in a bucket of water after use.
Sparklers can be a great way for children to enjoy their evening, but can be extremely dangerous as they burn at fierce temperatures – the heat from a sparkler can be equivalent to a welding torch for a child, so never give them to under fives.
Make sure to:
- Always wear gloves with sparklers, preferably leather ones
- Hold it at arm’s length while an adult lights it
- Use it in a clear space, away from others
- Never hold a baby in your arms when you are holding a sparkler
- When the sparkler has finished, put it into a bucket of cold water straight away and leave it there.
Never leave candles burning unattended, in a draught or anywhere near curtains or under shelves, which could ignite.
We recommend that you do not use sky lanterns as you have no control over them once they’ve been set off. They can kill animals, litter the countryside and start fires. If you do choose to set them off, always follow the manufacturers’ guidance/instructions carefully.
Clearing up:
- Pick up the spent firework cases – they can still be dangerous. Look for fireworks with a torch. Use tongs or some other suitable tool and wear heatproof gloves.
- Don’t allow children to collect firework cases.
- If any firework looks as if it hasn’t gone off after at least half an hour, soak it in water to prevent it reigniting.
For more information on how to enjoy a safe Bonfire Night, see www.rospa.com/home-safety/advice/fireworks-safety or our specialist fireworks safety site www.saferfireworks.com
Know the law
It’s an offence to:
- sell adult fireworks to anyone under 18
- have adult fireworks in a public place if you are under 18
- have fireworks meant for a professional display
- let off fireworks after 11pm and before 7am, except on Bonfire Night (allowed up to midnight), New Year’s Eve, Diwali and the Chinese New Year (all allowed up to 1am).
You can also be fined up to £5,000 and imprisoned for up to 6 months for selling or using fireworks illegally. You could also get an on-the-spot fine of £90.
For more details on fireworks at the law visit www.gov.uk/fireworks-the-law.
Having a bonfire or beacon
A bonfire or beacon are great ways to celebrate Bonfire Night and other events, but do follow these safety tips:
- You can’t get rid of household waste on the bonfire if it will cause pollution or harm people’s health. You should always burn dry material as it produces less smoke. Never burn treated wood, rubber, plastic, foam or paint.
- Warn your neighbours beforehand so they can take in any washing, close windows, keep pets indoors and take other necessary precautions.
- Build your bonfire well clear of buildings, roads, garden sheds, fences, trees and hedges and, if possible, choose somewhere sheltered from wind to minimise the risk of the bonfire being blown out of control or of smoke restricting the vision of road users.
- Check there are no cables – like telephone wires – above the bonfire.
- Before you light the bonfire, always check the bonfire’s construction is still sound, that hazardous items such as aerosols and fireworks have not been thrown onto it and whether any pets, wildlife or small children have crawled inside inside
- If possible the entire pile should be re-sited before being lit, if not possible, use broom handles to lift from the base of the pile, and shine torches, looking and listening carefully for any signs of life.
- Always keep a bucket of water or a working hosepipe nearby in case of fire.
- Never use flammable liquids to start a bonfire and never throw on fireworks or burn dangerous items such as aerosol cans, paint tins, foam furniture or batteries.
- Keep bonfires to a manageable size and evenly built so that they collapse inwards as they burn.
- Bonfires should be lit after the firework display unless positioned sufficiently far away to ensure stray sparks from the bonfire cannot fall into the firework area.
- Don’t leave bonfires unattended and keep children and pets away. A responsible adult should supervise the bonfire until it has burnt out.
- Once the bonfire has died down, pour water on the embers to stop it reigniting.
- Make sure that the fire is out and surroundings are made safe before leaving.
Going out
Out to a firework party or display? Make sure you lock up and keep valuables out of view while you’re out – even if only for a short while.
References
- www.rospa.com/media-centre/press-office/press-releases/detail/?id=1419
- www.saferfireworks.com/firework_code/index.htm
- www.kent.fire-uk.org/news/campaigns/bonfire-night-safety/
- www.kent.fire-uk.org/your-safety/home-safety/what-are-the-risks/bonfires-and-fireworks/
- www.gov.uk/government/publications/celebrating-bonfire-night
- www.kent.police.uk/advice/halloween-and-bonfire-night-advice/
- www.kent.police.uk/burglary/