FIRECRACKER OR FIREWORKS INJURIES

Fireworks Safety Brief

LOSSES

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, national losses involving fireworks amount to 3 deaths and 10,527 injuries annually. Hand and finger injuries are the most common and account for 32 percent of all injuries. Head and eye injuries occur with about the same frequency, equaling 19 and 18 percent of total injuries.

BACKGROUND

A review of firework mishaps shows a variety of factors contribute to the typical mishap. Most pre-school age victims are injured by fireworks ignited by someone else, while older children who are injured are usually lighting the fireworks themselves. Children under age five are commonly hurt by rocket-type fireworks; small firecrackers and ground spinners injure the majority of children between the ages of 5 and 14. Most of the injuries associated with large, illegal firecrackers such as M-80's are to older teenagers or adults. 

Hand Surgeons Agree:

Leave Fireworks to the Professionals 

The American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) has urged the public to leave fireworks in the hands of the professionals.According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 38% of all reported fireworks-related injuries from June 22-July 22, 2001, were to fingers, hands, and arms. These injuries included burns, lacerations, fractures, and traumatic amputation.
Of the finger, hand, and arm injuries, the majority of injuries were caused from accidents involving firecrackers, bottle rockets, and sparklers— the three firework-types most often used in a backyard environment. Accidents involving firecrackers, bottle rockets, and hand-held sparklers totaled 57% of all firework injuries (source: American Pyrotechnic Association).
One solution that has been offered by the ASSH to individuals is to attend public fireworks displays, which are monitored for safety by a local fire department, rather than setting off fireworks near or around the home.
The following precautions should be taken when attending a public fireworks display:

• Obey safety barriers and ushers.
• Stay back a minimum of 500 feet from the launching site.
• Resist the temptation to pick up firework debris when the display is over. The debris may still be hot, or in some cases, the debris might be “live” and could still explode.
• Never give children hand-held sparklers. Sparklers cause 10% of all firework injuries (source: American Pyrotechnics Association)—and were associated with the most injuries to children under 5 years of age. (source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)

portions  of this post are Copyright © American Society for Surgery of the Hand 2008.
added to hand modified by handctr

Fourth of July Fireworks Safety The American Society for Surgery of the Hand has joined an alliance to heighten awareness regarding the dangers of consumer fireworks.  Please visit the National Fire Protection Association site for details on how to stay safe and hear directly from victims who have been injured.  According to a newly-released NFPA report, in 2006 fireworks caused an estimated 32,600 reported fires, including 1,700 total structure fires, 600 vehicle fires, and 30,300 outdoor and other fires. “Bottle rockets aren’t the only things we don’t want to see soaring on Independence Day – we also don’t want to see the number of fires climbing,” said Massachusetts State Fire Marshal Stephen Coan who is featured in the PSA. “Nationally, there are typically more fires reported on Independence Day than on any other day of the year, and half of these fires are caused by fireworks. This puts civilians and firefighters at greater risk of death and injury and there is no excuse for it.” Massachusetts is one of only five states that bans all consumer fireworks. The others are Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island.

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