02 November 2012
Stay Safe and Enjoy Bonfire Night and Fireworks
Bonfire Night can be spectacular but it is important to remember
not everyone enjoys the evening or hearing fireworks being set
off.
Officers will be carrying out extra patrols over the weekend and
into Monday November 5th in your area to keep you safe but there
are number of steps you can take to ensure a great Bonfire
Night.
Remember fire is dangerous. Even small bonfires can get out of
control very quickly. Wherever possible attend a professionally
organised event, especially if fireworks are also involved.
Remember…
- Fireworks are noisy (which can upset very young or elderly
people as well as pets) they can cause damage and they can cause
serious injuries if not used properly.
- You have to be 16 or over to buy ‘novelty’ fireworks, such as
sparklers, caps and ‘serpents’, and 18 or over to buy all other
types of fireworks.
- It is an offence to let fireworks off between 11pm and 7am
except on 5th November, Diwali, New Year’s Eve and Chinese New Year
when the curfew is 1am. It is also an offence to set off fireworks
in a public place.
- Please buy fireworks from outlets that have agreed to store and
sell their fireworks responsibly.
- Please think of potential dangers before setting off Chinese
Lanterns. There is a risk, particularly in rural areas, of them
landing still alight near hay barns and there is also a danger of
livestock ingesting pieces of wire from discarded lanterns.
Legislation and background information:
A firework is “any device intended for use as a form of
entertainment which contains, or otherwise incorporates, explosive
and/or pyrotechnic composition, which burns and/or explodes to
produce a visual and/or audible effect.” The Fireworks (Safety)
Regulations 1997.
There are 4 categories of firework:
- Category 1: These are suitable for use inside domestic
buildings, and must be marked 'indoor'.
- Category 2: These are for outdoor use in gardens and paddocks
etc. and require a minimum spectator distance of 5 metres, and must
be marked 'outdoor'.
- Category 3: These are display fireworks for use in large
outdoor spaces, e.g. recreation grounds, large fields, etc., and
require spectator distances of a minimum of 25 metres, and must be
marked 'display'.
- Category 4: These are for specialist use and may only be used
by a professionally trained and qualified person, generally at an
organised public fireworks display, and therefore the general
public are prohibited from possession such fireworks.
Adult fireworks:
Can only be bought by persons aged 18-years or over and may not
be possessed by persons aged less than 18 years in a public place,
with certain exemptions. Persons less than 18 years who
possess a firework in a public place are contravening Section 11 of
the Fireworks Act 2003 and Regulation 4 of the Fireworks
Regulations 2004, which can result in six months' imprisonment
and/or a fine.
Anyone aged 16 or over may possess any of the following:
Caps, cracker snaps (the bit in a cracker that goes bang when
the cracker is pulled apart), novelty matches, party poppers,
serpents, throw downs and sparklers.
Throwing a firework
Any person who throws a firework into a public place will be
contravening Section 80 of the Explosives Act, which can result in
six months imprisonment and/or fine.
Possessing a Category 4 firework
Any person who possesses a category 4 firework will be
contravening Section 11 of the Fireworks Act 2003 and Regulation 5
of the Fireworks Regulations 2004, which can also result in six
months' imprisonment and/or a fine.
