The American traditions of parades, cookouts, and fireworks help us celebrate the summer season, especially our nation's birthday on the Fourth of July. However, fireworks can turn a joyful celebration into a painful memory when children and adults are injured while using fireworks. Although legal consumer fireworks that comply with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) regulations can be relatively safe, all fireworks are hazardous and can cause injuries. Fireworks are classified as hazardous substances under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act. Some fireworks, such as illegal firecracker-type devices (M-80s, quarter sticks) and professional display fireworks, should never be used or handled by consumers due to the risk of serious injuries and deaths.

Following are just a few examples of recent injuries caused by legal and illegal fireworks:

A 49-year-old male from Nebraska was fatally injured in an explosion while illegally manufacturing homemade fireworks in his garage. Materials and tools used in the production of fireworks or explosives were recovered by the authorities at the scene.

A 26-year-old male duct taped together a large number of sparklers to make a sparkler bomb. When he lit the homemade device, it exploded before he could move away. The resulting injuries required surgery to remove skin and flesh from the man’s right knee, hip, and leg.

An 11- year-old male found an unused golf ball-shaped firework on the beach and lit it. The firework exploded in his right hand. He lost his right index finger, middle finger, and thumb.

To help prevent incidents like these, the federal government, under the Federal Hazardous Sub-stances Act, prohibits the sale of the most danger-ous types of fireworks to consumers. These banned fireworks include: large reloadable mortar shells, cherry bombs, aerial bombs, M-80 salutes, and larger firecrackers containing more than two grains of powder. Also banned are mail-order kits de¬signed to build these fireworks.

In a regulation that went into effect Dec. 6, 1976, the CPSC lowered the permissible charge in firecrackers to no more than 50 milligrams of powder. In addition, these amended regulations provide perfor¬mance specifications for fireworks other than firecrackers intended for consumer use and include a requirement that fuses burn at least three seconds, but no longer than nine seconds. All fireworks must carry a warning label describing necessary safety precau¬tions and instructions for safe use.

CPSC estimates that in 2010, about 8,600 people were treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries associated with fireworks. More than half of the injuries were burns, and most of the injuries involved the head (including face, eyes, and ears) hands, fingers, and legs. Children and young adults under the age of 20 years old accounted for more than 50 percent of the estimated injuries. Fireworks should be used only with extreme caution. Older children should be closely supervised, and younger children should not be allowed to play with fireworks, including sparklers.

Before using fireworks, make sure they are permit-ted in your state or local area. Many states and local governments prohibit or limit consumer fireworks, formerly known as class C fireworks, which are common fireworks, and firecrackers sold for consumer use. Consumer fireworks include shells and mortars, multiple tube devices, Roman candles, rockets, sparklers, firecrackers with no more than 50 milligrams of powder, and novelty items, such as snakes, airplanes, ground spinners, helicopters, fountains, and party poppers.

To help consumers use fireworks more safely, the CPSC offers these recommendations:

• Do not allow young children to play with fire-works under any circumstances. Sparklers, consid-ered by many to be the ideal “safe” firework for the young, burn at very high temperatures and can easily ignite clothing. Children cannot understand the danger involved with fireworks and may not act appropriately in case of emergency.

• Older children should be permitted to use fireworks only under close adult supervision. Do not allow any running or horseplay.

• Set off fireworks outdoors in a clear area, away from houses, dry leaves, or grass and other flammable materials.

• Keep a bucket of water nearby for emergencies and for pouring on fireworks that fail to ignite or explode.

• Do not try to relight or handle malfunctioning fireworks. Soak them with water and throw them away.

• Be sure other people are out of range before lighting fireworks.

• Never light fireworks in a container, especially a glass or metal container.

• Keep unused fireworks away from firing areas.

• Store fireworks in a cool, dry place.

• Check instructions for special storage directions.

• Observe local laws.

• Never have any portion of your body directly over a firework while lighting.

• Do not experiment with homemade fireworks.
  PARENTS SHOULD SUPERVISE THE ORDERING AND USE OF MAIL-ORDER “MAKE YOUR OWN” FIREWORKS KITS AND COMPONENTS. THESE KITS— DESIGNED TO BUILD BANNED FIREWORKS— ARE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

  Following is a summary of state regulations as of June 1, 2011.

  I. STATES THAT ALLOW SOME OR ALL TYPES OF CONSUMER FIREWORKS (formerly known as class C fireworks), AP-PROVED BY ENFORCING AUTHORITY, OR AS SPECIFIED IN LAW (40 states, District of Columbia and Puerto Rico):
  
  

  Alabama Alaska Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Indiana Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maryland Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana

  Nebraska New Hampshire New Mexico Nevada North Carolina North Dakota Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

  
  

  (The District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, in addition to the above states, enforce the federal regulations and applicable state restrictions).
  
  

  II. STATES THAT ALLOW ONLY SPARKLERS AND/OR OTHER NOVELTIES (total of 5 states):
  
  

  Illinois Iowa Maine

  Ohio Vermont

  III. STATES THAT ALLOW ONLY NOVELTY FIREWORKS - (total of 1 state):
  
  

  Arizona

  IV. STATES THAT BAN ALL CONSUMER FIREWORKS (including those that are allowed by CPSC regulations) - (total of 4 states):
  
  

  Delaware Massachusetts

  New Jersey New York

  
  

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