Bonfire Night is a popular celebration amongst the British people, and I’m sure we can all agree that fireworks can be very fun. With their bright striking colours and loud booming sounds, they are certainly a family favourite during this time of year. However, it is important to be aware of the dangers of fireworks and how to prevent accidents from happening.
Dangers of Fireworks
Fireworks can be very dangerous to yourself and those around you, as well as buildings, properties, nature and pets. Some dangers include…
- Burns to skin
- Eye injuries
- Hearing loss and damage
- Property damage
- Permanent damage to hands, eyes and face
Many people decide to not have fireworks at home and go to a public display.
Nevertheless, we have 10 tips to prevent these dangers occurring in the home so you can have a safe and most importantly, fun bonfire night.
Top Tips
- Never let your child play with fireworks, either before or after they have been lit.
- Only buy legal fireworks. In the UK and Ireland, look for explosives that have UKCA marks on.
- Wear gloves when lighting sparklers and make sure your children are wearing gloves too when handling them.
- Always light fireworks outside in an open space and make sure a bucket of water or hose pipe is nearby.
- Do not point fireworks towards anyone, even as a joke.
- Light one firework at a time and have one person in charge of lighting them. The less people around, a smaller amount of people are at risk.
- Soak all fireworks in a bucket of water before throwing them away.
- Never light a firework around open flames and never throw spent fireworks on a bonfire.
- Ensure that your pets are safe and indoors with the curtains closed. It’s also a good idea to have somebody in the house with them as the lights and noise could scare them.
- Never give sparklers to a child under the age of five.
What to do if an injury or emergency occurs?
If you or somebody around you gets an injury to their eye as a result of the use of fireworks, it is important they do not touch or rub their eye, as well as wash with water or ointment, as this may cause more damage. Get medical care right away.
If you get a burn to the hands, face or anywhere else on the body, remove any clothing or jewellery that is covering the burn. Run the burn under a cold tap, call the doctor immediately and await further instructions.
If yours or someone else’s property is set on fire by a firework, call 999 and request the fire brigade right away, and move as far away from the property as you can.
