Fireworks are not toys. They are explosives and the injuries they can cause can be devastating.
Here are some facts about fireworks and potential risks of not using them properly.
- Sparklers get five times hotter than cooking oil.
- A rocket can reach speeds of 150mph.
- A firework shell can reach as high as 200 metres.
- Three sparklers burning together generate the same heat as a blowtorch.
- You see the explosion of a firework before hearing it because sound travels at 761mph, but light travels at 671 million mph.
- The majority of firework-related injuries happen at family or private parties.
- Around half of all injuries are to children under the age of 17.
- The most common injuries are to hands, followed by the eyes and face.
- Fireworks are safer now than they have been in the past thanks to safety standards. Make sure your fireworks comply with British Standard 7114 or its European equivalent. Instructions should be in English.
