As we head towards firework season we’ve put together our top ten firework safety tips and also some sparkler safety tips that we hope you will find helpful.
As large scale events cannot now happen, people may be tempted to do their own home displays without being fully aware of the potential dangers.
According to figures from NHS Digital, there were almost 2,000 occasions of people going to A&E linked to fireworks in 2018/19. And over the bonfire night and Diwali period in 2018, more than 35,000 people sought advice from the NHS.uk website on how to treat burns and scalds, a significant jump on usual numbers.
Top Ten Safety Tips:
1. Make sure you buy fireworks from reputable retailers. All instructions should be in English and fireworks should conform to British standard BS7114, which should be clearly written on the box
2. Keep fireworks in a closed box and use one at a time
3. Keep naked flames (including cigarettes) away from fireworks
4. Ensure family members and spectators are located sufficiently well back
5. Pay particular attention to the direction of rockets. Ensure they are facing away from the spectators
6. Sparklers cause more injuries than fireworks and get five times hotter than cooking oil. See our sparkler safety for children information below
7. Never use paraffin, petrol or methylated spirits to start bonfires
8. Site bonfires away from shed’s and fences and check the wind direction before lighting
9. Visit ROSPA for more information and some great video clips on firework safety
10. Spare a thought for pets, its’ estimated nearly half the dogs in the UK are scared of fireworks, visit the RSPCA for some great advice on fireworks safety for pets
Sparkler Safety for Children
Please take a moment to view this video we made. Sparklers cause significantly more injuries to children than fireworks themselves resulting in a significant number of burns. A sparkler can reach 2000 degrees, that’s more than 15 times the boiling point of water and will burn instantly on contact with skin.
Here are a few tips:
- Sparklers should be used by children over five years of age
- Gloves should always be worn when handling sparklers
- Light sparklers one at a time and keep them at arm’s length
- Have a bucket of cold water available to dispose of sparklers once they go out
- For really little hands, place the sparkler in a carrot for them to hold as it’s easier to grip
Whatever your health and safety needs, give us a call today 0117 958 2070 or e-mail us and make your health and safety, ‘Hassle Free’
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