Photo: Crana Crescent halloween party in BuncranaEvery year around Halloween the familiar sound of bangers and rockets fill the air around the country. We here in Inishowen see more evidence of fireworks than a lot of other areas because of our proximity to the border. It is an offence to buy or use fireworks without a licence from the police in the north and this would be invalid if they are brought over the border. Although there is a 150 year old law banning the use of fireworks in the Republic of Ireland, one of the main concerns is the quality of the devices (of course all fireworks are potentially dangerous if not handled with care). There are some reputable companies that do make safe, reliable fireworks but we are seeing more and more cheap and unpredictable rip offs being peddled to unsuspecting buyers. The fact that the fireworks are illegal here makes setting them off all the more exciting as far as the offenders are concerned. Also, as fireworks are illegal here there seems to be very little publicity when it comes to safety issues regarding safe practice. So here is the firework code.
THE FIREWORK CODE OF SAFETY
Make sure fireworks meet the BS 7114 safety requirement and keep them in a closed box.
Follow the specific instructions on each firework
Light fireworks at arm's length using a taper, never a naked flame
Stand well back
Never go back to a firework once it's been lit
Never put fireworks in a pocket
Never throw fireworks
Always light sparklers one at a time and wear gloves to hold them
Never give sparklers to a child under five
Keep pets indoors, (my dog’s life is being made a misery at the moment)
SEVENTEEN INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT FIREWORKS
1. The first fireworks were probably made in China, around 2,000 years ago.
2. Over 130 million fireworks were sold in Britain and Ireland last year.
3. In the Far East, fireworks have been used at religious ceremonies for centuries.
4. Last year over 900 people required hospital treatment from accidents involving fireworks.
5. The word for firework in Japanese, 'hanabi', means 'fire-flower'.
6. Italy and France were the first European countries to have fireworks, in the 1300s.
7. At family back-garden displays, sparklers cause more injuries than air-bombs, bangers, rockets and roman candles combined.
8. Half of all firework accidents happen to children under the age of 16.
9. You can go to a firework display in spring if you like. A firework company in Yorkshire hold one of the biggest displays in Europe annually to demonstrate their new ideas for the coming celebrations later in the year.
10. Coloured fireworks didn't exist until the 1800s.
11. Three sparklers burning together generate the same heat as a blowtorch.
12. The world's largest single firework was set off at a festival in Japan in 1988. The shell weighed over half a tonne and the burst was over a kilometre across.
13. Hands and eyes are most at risk in firework accidents.
14. A firecracker display in Malaysia in 1988 used over 3 million crackers, measured almost 6 kilometres and burned for over 9 hours - the longest display on record.
15. There is a British Safety Standard for fireworks: BS 7114.
16. Most firework accidents are caused at family back-garden displays closely followed by incidents in the street.
17. Throwing a firework in a street or public place is a criminal offence; there is a big fine for offenders.
THE FIREWORK CODE OF SAFETY
Make sure fireworks meet the BS 7114 safety requirement and keep them in a closed box.
Follow the specific instructions on each firework
Light fireworks at arm's length using a taper, never a naked flame
Stand well back
Never go back to a firework once it's been lit
Never put fireworks in a pocket
Never throw fireworks
Always light sparklers one at a time and wear gloves to hold them
Never give sparklers to a child under five
Keep pets indoors, (my dog’s life is being made a misery at the moment)
SEVENTEEN INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT FIREWORKS
1. The first fireworks were probably made in China, around 2,000 years ago.
2. Over 130 million fireworks were sold in Britain and Ireland last year.
3. In the Far East, fireworks have been used at religious ceremonies for centuries.
4. Last year over 900 people required hospital treatment from accidents involving fireworks.
5. The word for firework in Japanese, 'hanabi', means 'fire-flower'.
6. Italy and France were the first European countries to have fireworks, in the 1300s.
7. At family back-garden displays, sparklers cause more injuries than air-bombs, bangers, rockets and roman candles combined.
8. Half of all firework accidents happen to children under the age of 16.
9. You can go to a firework display in spring if you like. A firework company in Yorkshire hold one of the biggest displays in Europe annually to demonstrate their new ideas for the coming celebrations later in the year.
10. Coloured fireworks didn't exist until the 1800s.
11. Three sparklers burning together generate the same heat as a blowtorch.
12. The world's largest single firework was set off at a festival in Japan in 1988. The shell weighed over half a tonne and the burst was over a kilometre across.
13. Hands and eyes are most at risk in firework accidents.
14. A firecracker display in Malaysia in 1988 used over 3 million crackers, measured almost 6 kilometres and burned for over 9 hours - the longest display on record.
15. There is a British Safety Standard for fireworks: BS 7114.
16. Most firework accidents are caused at family back-garden displays closely followed by incidents in the street.
17. Throwing a firework in a street or public place is a criminal offence; there is a big fine for offenders.
Environmental.
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