Firework Safety for You and Your Family

Everyone knows that the beginning of July means one thing - fireworks. But it’s also common for injuries to result from the misuse of fireworks. In 2017, there were 8 fireworks-related deaths in the United States, with victims ranging in age from four to fifty-seven. There were an additional 13,000 fireworks-related injuries that were treated in emergency departments in.

The one-month period surrounding Fourth of July celebrations account for 67% of all firework-related injuries. The majority of these injuries, at 16%, were caused by the seemingly-innocuous sparkler. Friedman and Simon, a personal injury firm, offered some safety suggestions to help keep you and your family safe when using fireworks.

Sparklers are much more dangerous than you think. Though they are often used as a child’s first firework, sparklers burn hot enough to catch clothing on fire. Young children are also attracted to the color and may grab at the burning sparks. A careless wave or holding it too close to the body can cause skin burns. Always hold sparklers at a distance and mind where the sparks go.

Fireworks are required by law to have many warnings on them. It’s important to read and follow these warning to avoid injuries. Some common warnings include:

• Distance requirements for viewing
• Platform requirements (e.g. for mortars)
• Firework classifications (consumers can only use Consumer Fireworks)

Other warnings include general safety issues such as only lighting one firework at a time, getting away quickly, and having a way to extinguish a firework nearby such as a bucket of water or a fire extinguisher.

Many firework injuries come from ignoring these warnings. Another source of injury comes from people misusing fireworks. Sometimes children (or even adults) throw or point lit fireworks at other people. Needless to say, this is very dangerous. You should also never hold onto a lit firework. Fuses vary in length and burn time, so you can never trust past experience of how long it’ll take before the firework will ignite.

Speaking of ignition, occasionally you can get a dud firework. This is a very dangerous situation because you don’t know if it may be smouldering on the inside and waiting to explode. If you light a firework and it doesn’t go off, wait a few minutes to see if it ignites. If it doesn’t, soak it from a distance with a hose and throw it away. Fireworks that have gone off successfully should also have their remains soaked in water prior to disposal to prevent a trash fire, as they can still be quite hot.

You should also confirm that your seller is selling legal fireworks. Most professional-grade fireworks are not wrapped in those fancy colored packages. They are wrapped in plain brown paper with a small label. You should never try to make your own fireworks.

In the D.C. area, there are also certain kinds of Consumer Fireworks that are illegal. Firecrackers, exploding fireworks, and sparklers longer than 20 inches are all illegal. The rules in Virginia and Maryland may vary depending on the county that you are in. Be careful when transporting fireworks from one area to another as the laws may conflict. In some jurisdictions, fireworks are banned entirely.

If you follow these tips, you’ll be able to celebrate safely with fireworks and avoid being one of the thousands of people who get injured every year by these devices.