Safety tips
Fireworks are genuinely dangerous when handled carelessly. A few minutes of preparation prevents almost every injury we hear about.
Please do
- Buy only from a licensed dealer, and check the PESO mark on the box.
- Light fireworks outdoors, on open ground, well away from buildings and dry grass.
- Keep two buckets of water and a bucket of sand within arm's reach.
- Light one item at a time, at arm's length, using an agarbatti rather than a match.
- Keep a clear escape path behind you before you light anything.
- Wear cotton clothing — it is far less likely to catch and hold flame than synthetics.
Please never
- Never let children handle fireworks without an adult standing with them.
- Never return to a firework that has not gone off. Wait 20 minutes, then soak it in water.
- Never hold a lit firework in your hand, and never light one inside a container.
- Never carry fireworks in a pocket, and never store them near a flame or heat source.
- Never modify a firework or try to make your own.
- Never light fireworks near animals — the noise causes real distress.
If someone is burned
- Cool the burn under clean running water for at least 20 minutes.
- Do not apply ice, toothpaste, oil or ointment.
- Cover loosely with a clean, non-fluffy cloth or cling film.
- For any burn to the face, hands or eyes, or anything larger than a palm, go to hospital straight away.
Follow your local authority’s rules on permitted hours and noise limits. Green crackers are the better choice where air quality is poor.