Fireworks Safety

The safety of using fireworks has been the subject of
debates over the years. Annually, more than hundreds are
injured because of fireworks, with some victims needing to
have parts of their body amputated due to the power of the
blast.

But injuries aren’t the only concern when it comes to
handling fireworks. Since fireworks are composed of
highly-flammable materials, there is also the risk of them
causing fire.

It is especially the case when they are poorly stored just
like what happened in the Philippines in December 2007 when
several stores selling fireworks were burned down because a
firework was accidentally lit.

Because of these, several countries regulate the use of
fireworks in their territory. In the United States for
example, the use of fireworks is allowed although it is up
to each state on how they will regulate the use of them.

The National Council on Fireworks Safety is a US-based
organization that aims to promote fireworks safety. Below
is a list of their advice in handling fireworks.

- Fireworks should not be lit indoors especially sparklers.

Doing this is potentially hazardous to people and may cause
fire when thrown into flammable materials or surfaces.

- Only persons who are over 12 are to be allowed in
handling sparklers since these fireworks can cause injury
if handled incorrectly.

- People shouldn’t mix drinking alcohol and lighting
fireworks. Drinking alcohol slows down a person’s reaction
time and could be dangerous when handling fireworks.

- Finally, people are told to use their common sense. A
little bit of caution is also encouraged.