National Campaign for Firework Safety
Annual Report 2001

The biggest number of children killed by fireworks this year was in March in Jianxi Province in China.  The children at the Primary School there were doing some additional work for the local firework company when 41 were killed in an explosion.  This followed 50 fatalities the previous year.

National Campaign for Firework Safety wrote to the Health & Safety Executive, The DTI and the European Commission asking for a policy to suspend all further imports of fireworks as 98% of our fireworks are imported from China. "The Chinese may have 1000 years of making fireworks behind them, but their quality control is suspect. The Campaign want all exports of fireworks from China to stop until the Chinese authorities have looked at their technical systems again", we said.

The Health & Safety Executive are responsible for checking all imports of fireworks.  Their response was that any new policy on the Chinese situation was a matter for the DTI and its Ministers, and they must sort it out. 

Since this disaster in March, all we have had from our Government and the European Commission is prevarication.  Nobody wanted to upset the Chinese by banning their imports or even asking them to check their systems.

The H & S Executive meanwhile are looking at the system of licensing and registration for the manufacture and registration of fireworks in Britain.  In their new policy they will ask the Local Authorities to revoke licensing or registration, if they consider the site is not suitable to store manufacture fireworks.  This could also be refused where the Licensing Authority regarded the licensee as not a fit person to hold a license or registration. This is to cover a situation where there has been a persistent breach of the license or registration conditions or health and safety regulations, or a deliberate disregard for safety.

Another proposal is to change the current  law which allows the keeping of unlimited quantities of fireworks for up to 14 days.  The famous example was where a man bought himself 4 tons of fireworks, and kept them indefinitely as nobody knew of the incident, except the company that sold them, which said that he could have had 20 tons had he so wished. The new rule will allow no more than 50Kg of category 4 fireworks, for up to 21 days, provided they are not being kept for sale or use at work.

FIREWORK INJURIES IN THE UK
Although the British firework accidents are not as large as Chinese accidents, they are still burgeoning, year on year.  1000 last year most of the occurring around November 5. with 972 hospital cases, and 2 fatalities.  Most of the injuries were to children and teenagers.  The two fatalities were to 18 year olds who got hold of the dangerous category 4 fireworks.  For the first time ever the DTI admitted that most injuries occurred because of private fireworks and private firework parties. The figures were held back until the Summer this year, and the DTI admitted they would not be counting injuries from the second 4 week sales period in December, which numbered over 300 on the Millennium year.  As they agreed to a 2nd sales period , then there must be a counting period for firework injuries. "The point is well taken", said the DTI.

MOVING TOWARDS LICENSED FIREWORKS DISPLAYS
After several decades it seems the Government are moving steadily towards banning the private use of fireworks and private parties, and having a licensed system of firework displays only.  This is already happening in Northern Ireland, where a Minister has come out in a strongly worded statement against the private use of fireworks. Firework sales and use only returned to NI 4 years ago after the peace Agreement had been signed, and the industry went in and successfully lobbied.  Firework displays are already licensed through the NI Office.   The Security Minister there, Jane Kennedy, said that she and most people were fed up with the injuries , noise and nuisance that fireworks caused to people and animals, and that she intended to get rid of private firework sales and parties.

FIREWORKS NOISE NOW A MAJOR FACTOR
As injuries to children have always been a big factor over the decades now it is the noise of fireworks exploding.  This factor has emerged with a large section of the population because of  imports of higher grade fireworks in category 4.  Used as they are day and night particularly by irresponsible people who enjoy firework parties after midnight, this has become a serious problem for most people who need their nights rest, and who are sensitive to "bombardment"

National Campaign for Firework Safety  have suggested to the Local Authorities that they add fireworks to their list of noise nuisance for prosecution.  At present prosecution is usually for loud music at nights.

MEANWHILE A VOLUNTARY BAN ON THE USE OF FIREWORKS IS PROPOSED
After the horrendous events of September 11. in New York & Washington National Campaign for Firework Safety had a large number of letters, & E- mails from people across the UK who felt that as "mark of respect" to the people who died, we the foremost firework safety organisation should ask people to stand down their private firework parties. Our hearts go out to our comrades in the fire, police and emergency services who gave their lives for all of us that dreadful day. We have not asked Local Authorities to do the same because of long term arrangements  catering for thousands of people.  We have always supported the concept of organised firework displays in the community, and for 30 years have gone out and actively promoted them.  We were involved with the first major firework event for the opening of Picketts Lock Centre, in 1973, when we wrote a voluntary guidance for the display and safety arrangements.  The success of that display meant that we were invited to the Home Office to write the national guidance for displays in 1974. 

National Campaign for Firework Safety have gone ahead and put out the message asking people to donate the money they would have spent on fireworks to the victims of terrorism in New York, and the people of Afghanistan, who have suffered dreadfully for 20 years, and are still suffering  This is something small but meaningful that we can do for the people of the US.

CONCLUSION
The Government were supportive of new firework laws updating the 1875 Explosives Act when they came to Office in 1997. The first thing that they did was upgrading the age of purchasing fireworks to adult age.  They banned Bangers, and Mini-Rockets.  None of these measures have worked  because they have not licensed fireworks, but have allowed unscrupulous retailers to go on selling fireworks from corner shops to large warehouses to just about anybody. Furthermore a conviction for breaking the law does not mean that a retailer cannot sell fireworks again. 

It's time not just for the updating of the 1875 Explosives Act.  But for the introduction of the Firework Regulations Bill 2001 which deals with all matters pertaining to fireworks, from  licensing of displays, to a national training scheme to get up technical skills, to who gets fireworks and under what conditions they are allowed to have them.  We have gone through over a century of injuries and misuse of fireworks for no good reason,  now they are more dangerous. One fatality or serious injury would have been one too many.

NOEL TOBIN - DIRECTOR

NCFS was started in November 1969.

Noel Tobin has campaigned for firework safety for 30 years. He is married to Geraldine, and his normal job is as a Theatre Producer.  They have 2 children, and 2 Pets.