Firework Safety
- Choose fireworks suitable for the site where you are going to launch them. There is a huge variety of fireworks available and some will be more appropriate for your location than others, factors such as height, spread from left to right, noise etc.
- Store fireworks in a cool, dry place and keep them away from children. The maximum amount of fireworks that can be stored in a dwelling is 10 kg gross weight. Any amount in excess of this must be stored in a separate, locked building.
- Transport fireworks in your trunk or in the absence of a trunk (e.g. van or pick-up truck), transport fireworks in a non-sparking container with a lid. Do not smoke while loading, transporting or unloading fireworks
- Choose an open area away from buildings, vehicles, overhead obstructions and dry brush/grass or other vegetation which could catch fire. A minimum clear area of 30 m x 30 m is required for the safe use of aerial fireworks and 20 m x 20 m for fountains or other ground-based items.
Keep spectators at least 20 m away.
- Each firework has printed instructions on the label and a minimum safety distance, be sure and follow them. All legal fireworks in Canada have instructions printed in both English and French, if it doesn’t then don’t buy them!
- Follow all local by-laws and provincial laws regarding the use of your fireworks.
- Do not give fireworks to anyone under 18 years of age. Fireworks are great family fun but they burn hot, fire projectiles with force and are intended to be handled only by adults with respect.
- Familiarize yourself with your fireworks beforehand. Note the various types and locations of fuses as there can be several different types.
- Never attempt to take fireworks apart or modify them in any way.
- PRO Tip – make sure that you setup the fireworks so that all fuses are on the same side. This saves searching for the fuse in the dark.
- Always have water handy such as a garden hose or buckets of water.
- Be cautious of lighting fireworks when it’s windy. If you have any doubt as to whether it is too windy try lighting just one firework as a test shot and watch carefully to see what effect the wind has. If you still aren’t sure it is always best not to go ahead.
- The shooter and any assistants should ALWAYS wear eye protection. Protect your eyes with safety glasses or safety goggles. Regular prescription glasses or sunglasses provide little or no protection and may actually contribute to an injury. Wear non-flammable clothing such as cotton; never wear synthetic fibres (nylon, polyester) when firing.
- Never allow smoking anywhere near where the fireworks are stored, setup or being used.
- Keep unlit fireworks away from your firing area and in a box that is securely covered so that stray sparks cannot get inside. It should be situated upwind from your firing line.
- Setup cakes and items with a base on a hard, flat and level surface to ensure stability. Grass is typically not suitable, lay down wood/plywood.
- Bury cylinder items such as roman candles and barrages 1/3 to 1/2 of their length in a bucket of sand, wheelbarrow full of sand or a hole or trench dug in the ground. Angle the pieces away from the audience 5 to 10 degrees. If the ground is wet at all and the item may be buried for sometime consider placing it in a plastic bag before insertion into the ground.
- Use a flashlight or preferably a headlamp so that the fuse can be easily seen and you are not stumbling around in the dark. buried for sometime consider placing it in a plastic bag before insertion into the ground.
- Light fireworks with a flare and handle, a propane torch with a trigger, or an extended butane lighting device. Light with an extended arm, then retire.
- PRO Tip – use our 15 minute flares with our Shooting Stick handle and light like the pros!
- Never allow any part of your body over top of the firework device.
- If an item does not light easily, or lights and then fizzles out do not approach the piece for 30 minutes. Never try to re-light. This is called a hang fire and there is a chance that the fuse may just be smouldering and could spark back to life unexpectedly. Soak in a bucket of water overnight then dispose of.
- After the show wait 30 minutes before you begin cleanup in case of any firework being a hangfire. Be sure and clean up all spent materials and debris after the show and dispose of them. Leave your site cleaner than when you found it!
- Never burn used fireworks or casings in a bonfire, campfire or fireplace.
- And finally, and most importantly, be considerate of your neighbours. Why not let them know you are doing fireworks, it shows you are thinking of them and it makes all the difference in the world between having happy neighbours or upset neighbours. If they have pets they can take steps to minimize the noise factor by closing windows, turning on the tv or music.
