Johannesburg - With New Year’s Eve ahead, a time where traditionally people light fireworks to welcome the new year in, people have been warned about the proper handling of fireworks.
“The dangers associated with the use of fireworks cannot be emphasised enough. Injuries caused by fireworks range from minor scrapes to severe burn wounds and amputations and, in many cases, those hurt are children under the age of 15,” said René Grobler, trauma programme manager at Netcare Milpark Hospital.
In recent weeks alone, two young boys made national headlines after they sustained severe injuries in firework-related accidents. The one boy’s hand was amputated after he lit a firecracker he found in his sister’s room, while the other boy sustained massive facial injuries when a firecracker exploded in his face during this year’s Diwali celebrations.
“People tend to forget that fireworks are in essence explosive devices and that they should therefore be used with extreme caution,” says Grobler.
Furthermore, fireworks can have an extremely stressful effect on animals and pets.
This can also result in distressed animals to go into a “flight or fight” mode and may hurt themselves, or attack their owners or other people.
Grobler said that although strict laws exist under the relevant sections of the Explosives Act, the unlawful sale and use of fireworks still remains a big problem.
“If you buy fireworks, remember that only licensed firework dealers are authorised to sell them to the public and they can easily be identified by large signs stating “dealer in fireworks” displayed in their stores.”
She warned people to steer clear of fireworks with names such as "Indian Kings", "Classic Foils", "Square Bombs", and "Cherry Bombs”. These are illegal fireworks and the public is urged to report the sellers of these fireworks to the police immediately, she said.
Grobler provides some tips on how to use fireworks safely:
Only use fireworks in designated areas set out by your local municipality
Read the instructions on the packaging of fireworks and make sure that you follow it. This can include instructions on how to properly light and discard used fireworks safely
Never light fireworks indoors. Fireworks should only be used outside in an open area away from buildings
Make sure you wear protective safety glasses and gloves when operating fireworks
Always have a fire extinguisher and a bucket of water nearby when lighting fireworks
Never attempt to make your own fireworks and never light fireworks if you suspect that they are homemade
Never allow children near fireworks
Never try to relight fireworks that fail to ignite as they could still react to residual heat and may well explode while you are handling them.
Even when all the necessary precautions have been taken, accidents can still happen and people need to prepare for such an eventuality. Make sure that there is a first aid kit nearby at all times and have emergency numbers saved on phones in case needed them.
“When someone is hurt by fireworks, initiate first aid immediately and phone a emergency medical service providers such as 082 911 for professional assistance,” Grobler cautions.
“The most common firework injuries are burns. While waiting for the ambulance, run the wound under cold water. Do not apply any ointments to the wound. If a wound is bleeding, put pressure on the wound and cover it with a towel or a piece of fabric to slow down bleeding,” she concludes.
@annacox