How to avoid injury and death when using fireworks

In 2009, two deaths and nearly 9,000 emergency room visits for injuries occurred from fireworks related incidents. Most fireworks injuries involved consumers younger than 20 and resulted in the loss of a limb in many cases.

During the 30 days surrounding last year’s Independence Day holiday, nearly 6,000 injuries involving fireworks were reported. Burns and lacerations to the hands, face, and head were the most frequently reported injuries. More than half of the injuries during this time period were related to firecrackers, bottle rockets, and sparklers.

One consumer, Jason Henderson, lost both hands and sight in his right eye during a fireworks-related incident.

Here are recommendations from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission on how consumers can prevent injury and death when using legal fireworks:

• Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks.
• Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them.
• Avoid buying fireworks that come in brown paper packaging, as this can often be a sign that the fireworks were made for professional displays and could pose a danger to consumers.
• Adults should always supervise fireworks activities. Parents often don’t realize that there are many injuries from sparklers to children under five. Sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees – hot enough to melt some metals.
• Never have any portion of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse. Move back to a safe distance immediately after lighting.
• Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not fully functioned.
• Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
• Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap.
• Light one item at a time then move back quickly.
• Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.
• After fireworks fully complete their functioning, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding to prevent a trash fire.

Have a happy and safe Fourth of July.