British Pyrotechnists’ Association and Explosive Industry Group

Firework Handbook 1999/2000This brief guide has been prepared by the British Pyrotechnists’Association (BPA) and the Explosive Industry Group (EIG) of the CBI toassist users of fireworks and the Enforcing Authorities in having a betterunderstanding of fireworks, good practice and firework law. By its verynature this guide cannot hope to cover all aspects of this important, butextensive, subject. However, the guide does give advice on where toobtain further information where appropriate.

Contents1. Firework law2. The British Standard for Fireworks3. Fireworks available to the general public4. Firework Displays5. Storage of fireworks6. The BPA Code of Practice7. Sources of further information8. Contact Details9. Stop Press (Items of particular concern)

Whilst every effort has been made to cover all current legislation andregulations and other relevant information when this Guide went to print,neither the BPA, EIG nor their servants or agents can accept responsibilityfor, or liabilities incurred directly or indirectly as a result of, any errors oromissions in this Guide. Those involved in the firework sector areresponsible for taking their own legal and other advice as they see fit.Readers are also strongly advised to check their own position with therelevant organisation(s) referred to in this Guide and whether there hasbeen any change in legislation or regulation since the publication of thisGuide.

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1. Firework lawFireworks are explosives, but they are also, in the main, consumer items.Firework law can be broken down into two main areas - that enforced by theHealth and Safety Executive (or their agents), and that enforced by theDepartment of Trade and Industry (and their agents).

Professional useImportationTransportPackaging

Consumer useStorage (Note 1)

Consumer protection(including the British Standard)

Manufacture“DTI” legislation“HSE” legislation

Note 1 Storage in all forms from “private use” to magazine sites although Local AuthorityTrading Standards Officers or others may enforce points of sale and “Registered”premises

Explosive Acts

The basis of the majority of UK law relating to fireworks is the 1875Explosive Act and subsidiary legislation. The Act, due for overhaul by HSEshortly encompasses all aspects of manufacture and storage, includingdetails of construction and Quantity/Distance relationships for explosivesbuildings. Many sections of the Act have been repealed by regulationsmade under HSWA. If in doubt please check with BPA or EIG, or direct tothe Explosives Inspectorate (all contact details are at the end of thebooklet).

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The Health and Safety at Work etc Act

Modern Health and Safety legislation mostly stems from regulations madeunder the 1974 Health and Safety at Work etc Act (HSWA). Theseregulations are increasingly “Goal Setting” rather than “Prescriptive” innature, and rely on Approved Codes of Practice (ACoPs) and Guidance toflesh out compliance issues. Examples of regulations made under HSWAinclude:-

Limited applicability to fireworks at present.Placing on the Market and Supervision ofTransfer of Explosives Regulations(POMSTER)

Limited applicability to fireworks at presentControl of Explosives Regulations 1991(COER)

Defines vehicle types, placarding etc forcarriage of explosives by road

Carriage of Explosives Regulations 1999(CER IIa)

Again, brings UK into line with UNrecommendations.. Requires testing andcertification of all packagings for transport ofexplosives

Packaging of Explosives for CarriageRegulations 1991 (PEC)

Brings UK into line with United NationsRecommendations, and requiresclassification of all explosives for transport byHSE or MOD

Classification and Labelling of ExplosivesRegulations 1983 (CLER)

Consumer Protection Act and General Product Safety Regulations

The basis of consumer law in the UK is the Consumer Protection Act. Inessence the Act says that items on sale to the general public must be fitfor use by the general public, and must be safe in use without any form oftraining. The General Product Safety Regulations (the result of aEuropean Directive) covers similar scope. It is because of this over-ridingAct that training cannot be a means of proving competence for potentialpurchasers of prohibited fireworks under the 1997 Firework (Safety)Regulations.

The British Standard for Fireworks

The British Standard, although not law, is “called up” by the GeneralProduct Safety Regulations as a standard to comply with for items on saleto the public. The British Standard, and the types of fireworks it includes,is described in more detail in a later section.

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2. The British Standard for FireworksAll fireworks on sale to the general public today should comply with theBritish Standard for Fireworks, and in addition conform to the requirementsof the 1997 Firework (Safety) Regulations.

The British Standard for fireworks (BS 7114, 1988) is a performance-basedstandard in which testing and compliance is based on batch testing ofproducts. It is divided into three parts:

Part 1 Categorisation and description of FireworksPart 2 Construction and performance criteria for consumer fireworksPart 3 Testing methods for compliance

and categorises fireworks into 4 types. Each category has generalperformance and labelling criteria associated with that category, and inaddition each firework type within a category has specific performancecriteria which have to be met.

Not SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot specifiedDisplay(Professional)

Category 425m20m5-15 secsDisplayCategory 35m3m3-13 secsGardenCategory 2VariousVariousVariousIndoorCategory 1

General Viewingdistance

General Debrisdistance

General FuseDelay time

Name

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Firework Types and Effects

The British standard names types of fireworks in various categories, andshould be consulted for specific information about firework types and testand performance methods. The following tables outlines the major typesof garden and display fireworks specified in part II of the British Standard .

Device designed to be projected from a mortar tube andcontaining propellant charge, delay fuse, burster andpyrotechnic unit(s). After projection, ascent then bursting of thefirework case and ejection of the pyrotechnic unit(s) produces avisual and/or aural effect

XShell

Assembly including several elements each corresponding to oneof the devices listed above in any combination, with a singlepoint of ignition

XXCombination

Wire coated along one end with explosive composition anddesigned to be held in the hand or fixed in the ground whichemits sparks

XXSparkler

Self-propelled device with stick(s) for stabilization of flight whichascends, which can be followed by report and/or ejection ofpyrotechnic units producing a visual and/or aural effect

XXRocket

Device which is designed to rotate around a fixed point wichrotates, emits sparks and flames, with or without aural effect

XXWheel

Device fired on the ground, containing a single propellant chargeand pyrotechnic units (eg stars or noise units) which ejects allthe pyrotechnic units in a single burst producing a widelydispersed visual and/or aural effect

XXMine

Single tube containing alternate pyrotechnic unit (s) andpropellant charge(s) which ejects a pyrotechnic unit, or severalunits in succession, producing a visual and/or aural effect, or aseries of such effects, remote from the firework case usually inthe air

XXRoman candle

Single tube containing explosive composition which produces anemission of sparks and flames with/without aural effect

XXFountain

Single tube containing gunpowder producing a report (=bang)often following emission of sparks

XXBanger

Description

Cat

3

Cat

2Type

Following the 1997 Firework (Safety) Regulations, some of these types arerestricted for sale to the General Public.

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The European Standard

The European Standard for Fireworks, due for completion in 2002,approaches standards for fireworks in a different way. Instead of onestandard divided into 3 parts, the European standard will have a separatestandard for each permitted type.

Broadly the European Standard follows the British Standard model. Therewill be 4 categories, however the test and safety distances will be altered.

There will be many more types of fireworks with a Standard - although wewait to see how this will be accommodated in UK law.

Further details of the European Standard will be available in the nextrevision of this guide.

3. Fireworks available to the general publicThe range of fireworks available to the General public is now restricted tothose types specified in the 1997 Firework (Safety) Regulations.

The 1997 Firework (Safety) Regulations

The DTI prepared a set of emergency regulations in 1996 which were madeinto permanent law in 1997.

Prohibitions

These regulations prohibit the sale to the general public of the followingfireworks

Shells and shells in mortarAerial maroons and aerial maroons in mortarFireworks of erratic flight“Mini” rockets (which have a well defined minimum size - minimum 300mmlength, and 12mm diameter)Bangers and batteries containing bangersCombinations including bangers (except for wheels)Any other firework which is not specified in Schedule 3 of the regulations

Furthermore it modifies and extends the British Standard in respect of themaximum dimensions or weights of certain fireworks (schedule 2 of theregulations) .

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Sparklers

The regulations also require sparkler packets to be labelled with the text

Warning: not to be given to children under 5 years of age

Other restrictions

The regulations state that:

... no person shall supply any firework or anyassembly to any person apparently under the age ofeighteen years

The Regulations also describe those persons permitted to purchase theprohibited items including:-

(a) any person who is in business as a professionalorganiser or professional operator of firework displays;

(b) any person, being a person whose trade or business (orpart of whose trade or business) is the supply of fireworksor assemblies, for the purpose of supplying them inaccordance with the provisions of these Regulations;

(c) any local authority for the purposes of a firework displayput on by that authority or for use by that authority at anational public celebration or a national commemorativeevent;

(d) any person for use, in the course of a trade or businessof his, for special effects purposes in the theatre, on film oron television;

Clarification of which fireworks are permitted to be sold has been providedby DTI and they have stated that “cakes”, mines and Roman candlescontaining flash units (ie bangs) are not prohibited from sale.

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Firework Types and effects

The following table illustrates (as far as can be achieved on paper) a typicalconstruction and the different types of outdoor (Cat 2 and 3) firework effectstypical of the various firework types available to the general public. This listis illustrative only - users should always consult the label on the firework todetermine the effect.

Fired from an integral tube, amine produces a conical plumeof stars or noise units

Duration: approx 3 seconds

Mine

Multiple firings from a multitubeassembly of stars, bombettes(mini star bursts) and/or noiseunits

Duration: typically 30 secs

“Cake”

Single or multiple firings, oftenfrom a single tube, of stars,bombettes (mini star bursts)and/or noise units

Duration :10 - 45 secs

Roman cande

Ascends, often with Gold orsilver tail to produce star burstand/ or noise effect

Duration: approx 3 secs

RocketEffectDescription and DurationType

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Any combination of permittedfireworks, usually fusedtogether for simplicity of firing

Combination

A static combination of,usually, fountains to produce alatticework pattern of sparks

Duration: 25 - 45 secs

Set piece

Shower of sparks from a wire.

Duration 30-60 seconds

Sparkler

Showers of sparks or colouredflame emitted from a tube

Duration: 10 - 30 secs

Fountain

A pictorial representation of amessage or image,sometimes with additionaleffects

Duration: typically 45 secs

Lancework

(not explicitly a BS type)

Rotating device producingsparks and/or noise

Duration: 10 - 60 seconds

Wheel

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4. Firework DisplaysProfessional vs Consumer displays

Many displays, especially around November 5th, are fired by amateursusing fireworks conforming to the requirements of the 1997 Firework(Safety) Regulations. Some of these shows can be quite extensive andmay last for periods up to 60 minutes. The events are usually wellestablished, community, school or club events where a committee has beenformed to manage the event and to set-up and fire the display. Theseorganisations usually (but not exclusively) purchase fireworks in the form of“self-fire” kits direct from major suppliers.

These displays are good fun, and are safe provided that:-

A) thought has been given at the planning stage of the display -including consideration of what to do in adverse conditions etc

B) the site is suitable for the type and scale of event plannedC) only British Standard fireworks are usedD) that the firework operators are completely familiar with their role in

the display, the types of fireworks they will be firing, firing techniqueetc

Even in the absence of items prohibited in 1997, these displays can stillprovide spectacular entertainment for the audience.

Firework displays fired by professionals are usual where:-

A) the site puts extra restrictions on the fireworks that can be usedB) the display is to be fired in a very much reduced time (maybe as

short as 30 seconds)C) the budget permits or the display is very large

Firework professionals are “at work” and thus subject to all the regulationsunder HSWA. This means that they will usually carry out some form of siteinspection with the client, carry out a risk assessment and determine thetypes of fireworks suitable for the display, and rig and fire the displayentirely - leaving the organiser of the event to concentrate on other matters.

Professional firers have access to a much wider range of types and sizes offireworks than the amateur - and consequently rarely adhere to the distanceguidelines of the British Standard. Often this will mean professionaldisplays require MORE room than an amateur display - but there are

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circumstances where by careful choice of fireworks a display in a veryrestricted area can be safe and spectacular.

These matters, and others, will need to be discussed with the fireworkcompany prior to the event.

We recommend that you employ one of the members of the BPA or EIG to arrange and fire your firework display.

Training

The only national, impartial and recognised training available for thefirework industry is the BTEC firework firers courses at present organisedvia Loughborough College and the Production Services Association (PSA).The BPA, EIG and their members have been involved with BTEC on theformulation and presentation of courses, which fall into 5 levels:-

In progressFireworkConsultant/Trainer

Level 5

In progressSenior Managersand EventOrganisers

Firework safetymanager

Level 4

Courses availablelate 1999

Managers andenforcers

Firework safetyOfficer

Level 3

Courses availablein September 1999

Professional fireresProfessional FirerAward

Level 2

Courses availablenow

“Amateur” firers ofBS Category 3fireworks

Foundation FirerAward

Level 1StatusScopeName

Further details of the courses can be obtained from the BPA, EIG or fromBTEC at Loughborough direct.

The sale of Category 4 fireworks

The 1997 Firework (Safety) Regulations prohibited the sale of category 4fireworks (and other specified types) except to certain groups of people(including the Armed Forces and Local Authorities) unless they were“Professional”.

The BPA and EIG membership have agreed that category 4 fireworksshould only be sold to companies with adequate legal storage (Division Aor above) and insurance. The BPA, EIG and other bodies, have also

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proposed that, once established, BTEC level 2 should be the minimumstandard of competence for users of Category 4 fireworks.

5. Storage of fireworksStorage of fireworks can be legally achieved in many ways in the UK.

14 Day Rule and “Private Use”

The Explosives Act 1875 permits the storage of a limited quantity offireworks (5Kg) for an unlimited period of time, or the storage of anunlimited quantity of fireworks for up to 14 days prior to their use. It isgenerally taken that these provisions apply to “private use” that is use by thekeeper or associates (eg for a school bonfire) but not for sale. It alsoapplies where local operators are storing fireworks prior to them firing aprofessional display.

Registered premises - Mode A and B

The first level of legal storage are “Registered premises”.

In a building “Separate” from a dwelling house(Note 3)

1000KgMode AIn closed metal containers250KgMode B

CommentsMaximum Quantity ofFireworks

Notes:-

1. Quantities given are gross weights2. There are no minimum distance requirements for Mode A

The vast majority of Registered Premises are held by shopkeepers forsupply of fireworks to the General Public in the period leading up toNovember 5th (indeed it is a requirement of the 1875 Act that all premisesselling fireworks should be “Registered” with the Local Authority). The BPAfeel that Registered Premises are not suitable for professional fireworkdisplay companies owing to their limited storage capacity, and the fact thattheir status may neither be refused or revoked.

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Local Authority Stores

215m110m7200KgDiv E140m70m3600KgDiv D89m45m1800KgDiv C40m23m600KgDiv B26m23m300KgDiv A

Distance fromBuildings etc

Distance from Roadsetc

Quantity ofFireworks

Notes

1. Quantities given are gross weights

For further information please consult the Explosive Act 1875 andespecially HSE publications XI2 - Summary of the Acts concerningpremises Registered for Gunpowder or Mixed Explosives and XI3 -Summary of the Acts concerning Stores for Mixed Explosives

The 1997 Firework Fusing Exemption

This exemption certificate was introduced realising that many small displayoperators wish to (and indeed do) fuse firework prior to use in their owndisplays. Although this is strictly prohibited under the Explosives Acts, thisexemption permits limited operations under carefully controlledcircumstances in association with a HSE magazine, Local AuthorityRegistered Premises or Store where the fireworks are for “own use” andnot for sale.

The exemption requires that:-

Only one such exemption may be granted for a premisesA maximum of two people are working.The quantity of fireworks is kept lowThat work is carried out in a separate, dedicated building remote from thefirework storeThat normal cleaning and good “housekeeping” rules are followed.

The exemption, however, does not remove the obligation on the user tohave all fireworks made (including assemblies) authorised, and classifiedand packaged prior to transport according to normal explosive legislation.

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HSE Factory and Magazine licences

The highest level of storage and control in the UK is at HSE licensedfactories and magazines.

Under this regime the processes and storage capacities of buildings aredetermined individually having regards to the type of materials beinghandled, and the distances to adjacent buildings etc.

An HSE Factory Licence is the appropriate level for a company importingand manufacturing/modifying large quantities of fireworks for onward sale orfor displays.

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6. The BPA Codes of Practice

Over many years the BPA have agreed voluntary codes of practice withmembers of the firework industry. Prior to the introduction of the 1997Firework (Safety) Regulations the BPA and EIG also agreed a voluntaryrestriction on the sale of certain items to the general public. Currently thevoluntary restrictions include agreements on:-

Millennium Firework sales

3 weeks prior to November 5th forselling fireworks for the November5th period

Limitation of the period ofadvertisimg for sale of fireworks

Not later than 11:00pm except inspecial circumstances

Timings of Firework Displays

Further information is available from the BPA.

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7. Sources of further informationExplosive Safety Management CD Rom

The Explosive Industry Group of the CBI have prepared a multimedia,interactive CD Rom containing further details of firework law, illustration offireworks and firework effects etc. Further details are available from EIGdirect.

Websites

Current information about fireworks and safety related issues is availablefrom the following websites.

http://hse.gov.uk/hsehome/HSE homepagehttp://www.dti.gov.ukDTI homepagehttp://www.fireworksafety.co.ukUK Firework safety sitehttp://www.eig.org.ukExplosive Industry Group

HSE Guides

BPA and EIG were involved in the preparation of two award winning HSEguides on firework displays:-

“Giving your own firework display” HSG123

“Working together on firework displays” HSG124

Details and ordering information is available from HSE Books.

Video

The BPA have produced a video “Celebrate Safely” on preparing and firinga firework display aimed at organisers of small events such as schools,clubs etc.

A commercial video, Display safe with Fireworks, is available from MCVideo productions, 23 Albion Hill, Exmouth, Devon EX8 1JS

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8. Contact DetailsFor further information about the BPA and EIG

Tel: 0171 395 8063Fax: 0171 email: info@eig.org.uk

Brig Charles SmithCentrepoint103 New Oxford StreetLondonWC1A 1DU

Explosive IndustryGroup of CBI

Tel: 01162 566000Fax: 01162 566050

Michael Chamberlain1 Waterloo WayLeicesterLE1IDB

BritishPyrotechnists’Association

For general enquiries

Tel: 01787 881165PO Box 1999SudburySuffolkCO10 6FS

HSE Books

Tel: 01509 210835Fax: 01509 232310email:fireworks@loucoll.ac.uk

Ximena WilliamsThe Laser centreLoughborough CollegeRadmoor RoadLoughboroughLE11 3BT

LoughboroughCollege

Tel: 0181 996 9000Fax: 0181 996 7400

Roger Tanfield389 Chiswick High RoadLondonW4 4AL

British StandardsInstitute

Tel: 0151 951 4000Fax: 0151 951 3891email:chris.murdoch@hse.gov.uk

Alan DuckworthSt Annes HouseUniversity RoadBootleMerseysideL20 3RA

Health and SafetyExecutive -Explosives Branch

Tel:0171 215 0358Fax:0171 215 0357

John Perry10-18 Victoria StreetLondonSW1H 0NN

Department ofTrade and Industry

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9. Stop Press - Topics of current concern

Mini Rockets are adequatelydescribed in the 1997 Firework(Safety) Regulations. They mustnot be less than 300mm long,nor have a diameter less than12mm

Some enforcing authorities areinterpreting “Mini Rocket” as anysmall rocket

November 1998

BPA/EIG advises common sensein interpreting the restriction onsale of Roman Candles >30mm.The next common size of Romancandle is 40mm and thedifference should be obvious.

Some BS Cat 3 Roman candleshave a bore size (internaldiameter) of > 30mm, despitethe fact that their payloads are<=30mm

March1999

The HSE guidance does notapply to Local Authority storesand registered premises wherethe quantities of fireworkspermitted for storage are veryrestricted. For more informationcontact HSE ExplosivesInspectorate

Following advice from HSEregarding storage of fireworks inHSE licensed steel magazinessome Local Authority enforcershave determined that it is nolonger appropriate to store suchitems in Registered Premisesand Licensed stores

May1999

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