Top 10 Tips for Firework,
Bonfire and Sparkler Safety
Stay Safe : Have Fun
This article looks at the Top Tips for 10 Firework, Bonfire, and Sparkler Safety 2023.
Fireworks and fireworks displays are loads of fun, but fireworks can be really dangerous if you don’t use them properly. Follow the Firework Code for a safer Bonfire Night and fireworks party.
Here’s our guide on how to stay safe around fireworks, bonfires, and sparklers.
Follow these top 10 tips for a safer FIREWORKS party:
Only buy fireworks that carry the CE mark – this means the firework meets British and European safety standards, which all fireworks should meet (a reputable shop will know this). From the 4th July 2017, it is illegal for any retailer, wholesaler, and distributor of fireworks to sell any fireworks marked with the old BS7114 mark as they no longer conform to the Pyrotechnics Articles Safety Regulations.
Read and follow the instructions on each firework using a torch if necessary.
Only one person should be in charge of setting off fireworks. That way, fewer people are put at risk.
Keep them in a closed box and use them one at a time.
Light the firework at arm’s length with a taper and stand well back.
Keep naked flames, including cigarettes, away from fireworks.
Never return to a firework once it has been lit.
Don’t put fireworks in pockets and never throw them.
Direct any rocket fireworks well away from spectators.
Do not throw discarded fireworks onto bonfires. They may still have some gunpowder left in them.
Did you know?
- It is against the law to carry fireworks in public if you’re under 18
- Fireworks must not be sold to anyone who is under 18
- It is an offence to let fireworks off during night hours (11 pm to 7 am), except on Bonfire Night (midnight), Diwali, New Year’s Eve, and Chinese New Year (1am)
- It is an offence under the Explosives Act 1875 to tamper with or modify fireworks
Follow these top 10 tips for a safer BONFIRE party:
Prepare for the bonfire in advance, and in daylight. On the night you will need a torch, a bucket of water, eye protection and gloves, a bucket of soft earth to put fireworks in, and suitable supports and launchers if you’re setting off Catherine wheels or rockets.
Site the bonfire well away from houses, garages, sheds, fences, overhead cables, trees, and shrubs AND ALWAYS AWAY FROM FIREWORKS.
Build the stack so that it is stable and will not collapse outwards or to one side.
Check the bonfire for hiding pets or wild animals before lighting it. Small animals like hedgehogs or frogs may have made their home in it.
NEVER use flammable liquids – paraffin or petrol – to light the fire.
Don’t burn foam-filled furniture, aerosols, tins of paint, and bottles.
Keep everyone away from the fire – especially children, who must be supervised all the time.
Keep pets indoors. Ensure doors, windows, and curtains are closed to reduce the sounds of explosions and have some background noise on to help distract them, e.g. the TV. Don’t try to coax them out of hiding; this may frighten them more.
For an emergency keep buckets of water or the garden hose or a fire extinguisher ready.
Pour water on the embers before leaving.
Follow these top 10 tips for a safer SPARKLER party:
It is recommended that sparklers are not given to under-5s.
Make sure everyone handling sparklers wears gloves.
Hold sparklers at arm’s length while being lit and light them one at a time.
Don’t wave sparklers about close to other people.
Never hold a baby in your arms while you are holding a sparkler.
Don’t take sparklers to public displays, it will be too crowded to use them safely.
Plunge finished sparklers hot end down into a bucket of water as soon as they have burnt out as they can stay hot for a long time.
Show children how to hold sparklers in advance – away from their body and at arm’s length.
Teach children not to wave sparklers near anyone else or run while holding.
Avoid dressing children in loose or flowing clothes – they may catch light.
Please note that this article provides basic easy-to-understand guidance on fire safety provisions and the key fire safety information required to comply with legislation. Our articles are reviewed regularly. However, any changes made to standards or legislation following the review date will not have been considered. We aim to assist you to understand the fire-related terms within your Fire Risk Assessment. It does not provide detailed technical guidance on all fire safety provisions, and you might require further advice or need to consult the full standards and legislation.
Fire Risk Consultancy Services have the knowledge and experience to assist your business to comply with all legal requirements surrounding fire safety including legislation. Be sure to read our accompanying guides: Fire Alarm System Types, Fire Extinguishers, Emergency Lighting, Fire Doors, and Fire Safety Signs, also published on this site.
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