Bonfire Night: Fireworks Safety

Before your firework display

• Check the fireworks you buy are suitable for the size of the garden and conform to British Standards (BS 7114; 1988)
• Ensure your display area is free from hazards
• Do not tamper with fireworks
• Read the instructions in daylight
• Warn neighbours, especially the elderly and those with animals, about your display
• One person - clearly identified - should be responsible for fireworks

Firework safety: ensure you have the following

• Metal box, with a lid for storage of fireworks
• Torch for checking instructions
• Bucket of water
• Protective hat, eye protection and gloves
• First aid kit
• Bucket of soft earth to stick fireworks in
• A board for flat-bottomed fireworks
• Suitable supports for catherine wheels
• Proper launchers for rockets

Safety during the firework display

• Light fireworks at arm's length with a taper
• Stand well back
• Never go back to a lit firework
• Keep storage box closed between uses
• Keep children under control
• Never put a firework in your pocket - it is stupid and dangerous
• Throwing a firework is stupid and dangerous and illegal: it's a criminal offence to do so in a street or other public place, with a maximum penalty of a £5000 fine

Safety after the firework display

• Use tongs or gloves to collect spent fireworks
• Next morning, check again and remove firework debris