Remember these Fireworks Safety Tips to Stay Safe on the Fourth of July

In the summer of 2011, nearly 9,600 firework-related injuries were reported. To keep your firework display both safe and fun, the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) has compiled a few helpful tips from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC):

1. Make sure that your fireworks comply with state and local regulations and codes.
2. Avoid buying fireworks that are packaged in brown paper because this is often a sign that the fireworks were made for professional displays and that they could pose a danger to consumers.
3. Always have an adult supervise fireworks activities. Parents don't realize that young children suffer injuries from sparklers. Sparklers can burn at temperatures hot enough to melt some metals.
4. Never allow young children to play with or light fireworks.
5. Retreat to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks.
6. Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not ignited fully. Ignite fireworks one at a time.
7. Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
8. Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.
9. After fireworks complete their burning, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding it to prevent a trash fire.

Additional firework safety information may be found at
http://www.cpsc.gov/onsafety/2012/06/cpsc-science-fireworks-injuries/. To hear more firework safety tips, please listen to the Firework Safety episode of “Safe & Sound.”