Have a (safe) blast

Warm weather on our nation’s biggest summer holiday means grill-outs, picnics and brilliant fireworks shows to end the night. With sunshine and fireworks come several safety risks, including skin burns and fires—all of which can be avoided.

Thousands of people are injured each summer by consumer fireworks. Damaging burns, fires and even death are the result. The National Fire Protection Association informs us that fireworks start an average 18,500 fires per year, including 1,300 structure fires, 300 vehicle fires, and 16,900 other fires. These fires caused an average of three deaths, 40 civilian injuries and an average of $43 million in direct property damage. In 2017, U.S. hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 12,900 people for fireworks-related injuries.

"As we move into the Fourth of July celebrations, use extreme care when handling fireworks and always utilize focused oversight of children," said Larry Jaudon, director of the Environment, Safety and Health Department (ESH) at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (Sanford Lab). "Never allow children to be unsupervised around fireworks—even sparklers, which many view as being safe but can reach a temperature of 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit."

Be the one to make sure your crew is safe this Fourth of July. Read the following safety guidelines from the National Safety Council regarding consumer fireworks:

Sparklers

Every year, young children can be found along parade routes and at festivals with sparklers in hand, but they are a lot more dangerous than most people think. Sparklers burn hot enough to melt some metals and can quickly ignite clothing. Many children have received severe burns from dropping sparklers on their feet.

Bottle Rockets

Bottle rockets got their name for a reason. The small rockets are attached to a stick, lit by a fuse and typically fired from a bottle. Teens have been known to have “bottle-rocket wars,” firing them at one another and causing chest, head and eye injuries.

Physicians at Vanderbilt Eye Institute at Vanderbilt University Medical Center have seen so many eye injuries caused by bottle rockets they conducted a study they hope will lead to better education and "legislative enhancements" on fireworks safety.

"The majority of the children (in the study) ended up with reduced vision, and probably half of those were deemed legally blind," said Dr. Franco Recchia, associate professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences at Vanderbilt.

Firecrackers

Firecrackers are designed to explode on the ground. They are often linked together by one long fuse and explode in a series. They are designed to be very noisy, but they also can cause burns and other serious injuries.

Roman Candles

Roman candles eject multiple exploding shells from a tube the user holds in his or her hand. There have been numerous reports of severe burns and other injuries, which are sometimes caused when the device gets jammed. Some children—and adults—have even lost fingers.

Two Words About M-class Fireworks

Just don't.

You hear them go off every year: M-80s, M-100s, even M-250s. The unmistakable explosions associated with these devices can rattle the windows of homes for blocks. They are produced illegally and without quality control, have short fuses and cause hundreds of extremely severe injuries each year.

If They're Legal

If fireworks are legal to buy where you live and you choose to use them, be sure to follow the following safety tips:

• Never use fireworks while impaired by drugs or alcohol
• Never allow young children to handle fireworks
• Older children should use them only under close adult supervision
• Anyone using fireworks or standing nearby should wear protective eyewear
• Never light fireworks indoors
• Only use fireworks away from people, houses and flammable material
• Only light one device at a time and maintain a safe distance after lighting
• Never ignite devices in a container
• Do not try to re-light or handle malfunctioning fireworks
• Soak unused fireworks in water for a few hours before discarding
• Keep a bucket of water nearby to fully extinguish fireworks that don't go off or in case of fire

Better yet, grab a blanket and a patch of lawn, kick back and let the experts handle the show.

"I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that our household pets are not quite enamored with the explosions and bright lights associated with the dazzling displays," said Jaudon. "Keep pets in a secure location and never expose them to direct proximity of fireworks."

The Environment, Safety and Health Department at Sanford Underground Research Facility promotes health and safety in the workplace, as well as healthy living and wellness for all employees. If you have questions about health and wellness, please contact our occupational health nurse, Laura Baatz, who is onsite daily at lbaatz@sanfordlab.org.