The Chief Fire Officers’ Association (CFOA) and the Local Government Association (LGA) have called on government to carry out a root and branch review of the way fireworks are regulated in this country.
As the firework season starts, they are pressing for greater controls and safeguards for the import, storage, distribution and sale of fireworks, with fresh attention to internet access and distribution.
The firework industry is said to be worth around GB pound 64m and imports up to 20,000 tonnes of fireworks a year.
While fireworks can bring pleasure and excitement to many people especially at organised events, say the two organisations, fireworks pose an increasing danger on the streets. These range from low levels of anti-social behaviour, through to serious incidents that put at risk the community and the firefighters sent to deal with such incidents.
Mike Hagen, CFOA lead on fireworks, said: “We have real concerns over the lack of impact of the current regulations and believe there are more effective ways to control fireworks that, in the wrong hands, pose a massive danger to firefighters and the community. Some estimates place the amount of fireworks circulating in an illegal market as high as 20% of the 20,000 tonnes imported every year; that is simply not acceptable. We want to work constructively with government to revisit the arrangements to make sure they are fit for the purpose intended.”
A copy of latest statistics for fireworks injuries produced by The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) can be viewed on the CFOA website.
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