The Epic Fireworks Blog

Archive for the ‘fireworks in the headlines’ Category

An angry councillor has written to Bristol City Council’s licensing committee urging them to reject plans to allow a fireworks factory to store more explosives at its site.

Firework and match manufacturer Octavius Hunt has asked the Council to allow it to store more explosives at its factory in Redfield,  even though a report compiled for the hearing features a catalogue of safety and other breaches.

The factory was fined £17,500 for an explosion on site in June 2004, while Avon Fire service has submitted a report following a fire last May, which highlights a a number of shortcomings in the factory’s fire procedures.

A Council officer visited the site last month and noted a number of unresolved operational issues at the factory.

The Health and Safety Inspectorate concluded in a letter dated June 3, 2009 to the Managing Director of the factory “that there had been a history of unintended fires and explosions, the accumulation of waste, failure to follow documented procedure…” and yet they are refusing to make their inspection report available to the committee – forcing the Council to make a Freedom of Information request for it.

Cllr John  Kiely said in a statement: “I doubt you could have made this up, there are a number of very serious questions about the operation of this factory that needs answering.

“This is densely populated area, with older persons bungalows and other residential properties with in yards of this site. Local residents are rightly concerned about having a firework factory, storing explosive material on their doorstep.

“I am also unimpressed with the lack of openness show by HSE’s in making its inspection available to the committee, how can they issue a license when being denied all the facts, on that basis alone I have asked the licensing committee to reject this application.”

Earl Coates, the firm’s quality and health and safety manager, said the increased storage would only be for novelty sparklers and other items such as party poppers.

He said they were the kind of items found on supermarket shelves but because of strict regulations, they were classed as low-grade explosives. He said: “There is no increased risk to the public.”

A CITY newsagent has been hit with a £27,000 fine after Trading Standards found fireworks hanging from live power cables and beneath boxes of lighter fuel at his store.

Tudor Harries, who owns and runs Tudors News in Morriston, was found guilty of two offences of failing to protect staff and public while storing fireworks for sale.

Harries labelled the size of the fine “ridiculous” and said he would be appealing the decision.

City magistrates heard that Trading Standards Officers who visited the shop discovered fireworks hanging from live power cables directly above the heads of staff.

Fireworks were also found in storage beneath boxes of lighter fuel and some were stapled to the wall.

Harries was also found guilty of selling alcohol to a 15- year-old after the youth took part in a test purchase.

Although Harries failed to appear in court, magistrates imposed fines on him reaching £27,000. When approached by the Post, Harries said he had decided to appeal.

He said: “Because of the ridiculous amount, it is now going to Crown Court.”

After considering the facts, magistrates imposed two penalties each of £10,000 resulting from breaches of the Health & Safety at Work (Etc) Act 1974 for failing to protect employees and failing to protect people not in employment but exposed to the risk of improper storage of fireworks.

Cabinet member for the environment, Councillor John Hague, said: “Fireworks are allowed to be sold in controlled circumstances by responsible retailers. Responsible sales prevent people being exposed to the dangers and anti social behaviour that results from the reckless use of fireworks in the community.”

A fine of £2,500 for selling alcohol to a person under the age of 18 was also handed down.

Swansea Council’s head of environmental health services Martin Saville said: “Once again we are disappointed it has been necessary to take action for selling alcohol to a person under the age of 18.” An additional fine of £2,500 was imposed for the offence of displaying fireworks otherwise in accordance with a licence.

Further fines of £200 and £2,500 resulted from offences of displaying fireworks in a manner that was not safe and selling fireworks outside of the prescribed period.

Harries was also ordered to contribute £1,000 towards the council’s costs.

Well, its that time again, and it wouldnt be the Olympics without the opening  ceremony fireworks display, so here it is. enjoy!

The number of people injured by fireworks has fallen has fallen by two thirds in the last four years, it was revealed on Thursday.

Thirty people were injured over the Halloween season in 2009, two less then previous year.

Over half of the casualties last year were children, with the most common injuries being to the wrist or eyes. Under a third of those who attended an Accident and Emergency Department required no further treatment, while another 27% were asked to revisit A&E for an additional check-up.

Welcoming the drop in injuries, Health Minister Michael McGimpsey also praised the effectiveness of the Government’s safety campaigns during the period.

“It is very encouraging to see a continuing decrease in firework-related injuries. The majority of injuries happened to young males and were caused by bangers,” he said.

“It is clear that the hard-hitting fireworks safety campaigns are working and that young people are getting the message that messing around with fireworks is dangerous.”

Mr McGimpsey also warned the public to not let standards slip in the years ahead.

He said: “While I am encouraged by this figure, we must not be complacent. I want local communities to take the message to heart – that although fireworks can be fun and exciting, they are nevertheless potentially very dangerous and must be handled carefully and within the law.”

“It is for all of us to make sure that fireworks are handled responsibly and safely and to make sure that our youngsters can enjoy a display without risk of injury.”

The amended Explosives Regulations in Northern Ireland, introduced in 2002, made it compulsory for anyone wishing to purchase, possess and use fireworks to obtain a licence.

Fireworks safety is very important, it is great to have fun and enjoy fireworks, but we must always remember that safety must come first. If you would like more information or advice about fireworks safety, check the Epic Fireworks Safety Pages

A unique ‘Shopper’s Day’ promotion across select malls in Dubai and a dazzling fireworks display on Al Seef Street kicked off celebrations to begin the 15th edition of Dubai Shopping Festival. To go on till February 28th, residents and visitors can expect 32 days of great shopping deals, world-class events, and exciting promotional deals

DSF effectively began with the Shopper’s Day – a unique one-day retail event that saw hundreds of shoppers win cash prizes of between AED 500 and AED 2,000 through the Scratch and Win Promotion. Cash prizes worth a total of AED 500,000 were given away to hundreds of lucky shoppers across participating malls.

The evening was marked by stunning fireworks and laser shows that lit up the evening sky. Dubai Carnivals also made its beginning at Mall of the Emirates as 120 international performers including jugglers, percussionists, and stilt walkers paraded the mall with brilliant costumes and music.

More than 150 local and international events are happening during DSF 2010, including concerts, shows, and musicals. This is in addition to the participation of over 6000 retail outlets and around 50 shopping malls offering as much as 75 percent discounts, turning Dubai into one big shopping and entertainment paradise.

MPs were last night accused of ‘insensitivity’ for throwing a private New Year’s Eve party on the Commons river terrace – so they can watch a spectacular end-of the decade fireworks show.

After a year of scandals over their expenses, 340 MPs, peers and their guests are paying £10 a head for an exclusive celebration in the shadow of Big Ben.

As thousands of ordinary revellers in Central London stand shivering in the cold to bring in the New Year, MPs will bid farewell to 2009 by gathering in a marquee across the river from the free London Eye fireworks show.

The MPs, peers and some senior bureaucrats will be served by catering staff with canapes and drinks including champagne.

Professional party organisers said the market rate for a ticket to such a unique event would be closer to £100 a head.

The ‘Noughtie MPs’ bash, approved by Commons Speaker John Bercow, has sparked anger among parliamentary officials, secretaries and manual workers, who have been banned from the terrace on New Year’s Eve –one of their few annual perks – to make way for the partying politicians.

‘They’ll be lucky if the whole bill for the evening is under £3,000,’ said one official. ‘After all their antics this year, having a knees-up like this is the height of insensitivity-You’d think they’d be keeping their heads down.’

Mr Bercow says the party will raise money for charity, but one member of the Commons staff said: ‘If they want to give money to charity they can write a cheque out for ten quid any time they like.’

Traditionally, MPs are back in their constituencies by December 31.

Suspicions about an event for them were aroused last week after staff were sent a memo by Serjeantat-Arms Jill Pay banning them from entering the building from 6pm on New Year’s Eve.

The memo said access would be ‘restricted to Members of both Houses, their escorted guests and duty staff only’.

Then invitations were seen that declared: ‘The Pavilion will open from 10pm until

12.30am, providing Members and their guests with an excellent view of the public fireworks display over the Thames whilst they welcome in the New Year.’

A spokesman for Mr Bercow says the event will make a £2,000 profit, after staff costs, for Help A London Child. MPs would get one drink in the ticket price and then pay normal ‘ commercial’ prices for bottled beer, wine and champagne – not the taxpayer-subsidised rates they usually paid.

But Commons insiders disputed the figures.

They claimed the cost of 15 staff paid £16 an hour doublerate overtime for up to six hours each would be over £1,400. In addition, they have been promised taxis home for up to £30 – a total of £450.

Mr Bercow’s spokesman last night said the party would raise money for a good cause. Click here for the full story.

If you watched the Opening Ceremony on Friday night, chances are you said something like, “no way that’s possible” at least once. It turns out you were right.

London’s Telegraph newspaper reports that some of the fireworks which appeared over Beijing during the television broadcast of the Olympic Opening Ceremony were actually computer generated. But — hold on — it’s not necessarily as bad  as you think.

The faked fireworks were actually set-off at the stadium, but because of potential dangers in filming the display live from a helicopter, viewers at home were shown a pre-recorded, computer-generated shot. It sounds dishonest, but I’m not sure it’s such a terrible thing.

The Opening Ceremony is, at its core, just one big performance. And isn’t it accepted that some things might not be legit at a performance?  The final torch bearer wasn’t actually running around the top of the stadium, does the fact that everyone could figure that out make it any less impressive? It might have been unnecessarily deceptive, but the firework-faking isn’t really that big of a deal. But, if I found out that the lighted-drum thing wasn’t on the up and up, then we’ll have problems, China.

TWO traders are counting the cost of illegally selling fireworks to a 15-year-old girl who volunteered to take part in an undercover operation by Herts trading standards in Cheshunt.

Suleyman Bozdag, 32, of The Beckers, Rectory Road, London, and Huseyin Hezer, of Banister House, Homerton High Street, London, respectively director and company secretary of Cilda Ltd discount store in Turners Hill, Cheshunt, were found guilty of the offence at Hertford Magistrates Court last Tuesday (December 8).

Both were fined £500. The shop was also fined £1,500, plus £279 costs. The offence took place on October 28, 2008.

The court heard that Bozdag and Hezer were of previous good character. In mitigation, both stated that “this has never happened before”.

Keith Emsall (Con, Letchworth South), executive member for community safety and culture, said: “While most shopkeepers are responsible, there are still some that seem to think that they can flout the law. Selling fireworks illegally will not be tolerated.

“There is a simple Think 21 policy for shopkeepers to follow to help them avoid selling fireworks to under 18s – if someone looks under 21, ask for identification. If their staff fail to do so, business owners are at risk of landing themselves a heavy fine. It is just not worth the risk.”

Shops are advised to only accept three types of identification – a passport, a photo driving licence, or a proof of age card with a PASS hologram such as the Validate card recently launched in Hertfordshire.

Hertfordshire Trading Standards says it will also make sure that fireworks are stored and sold safely and that banned fireworks are not sold to the general public.

Members of the public with concerns about safety and storage of fireworks or sales to young people can notify trading standards by contacting Consumer Direct on 08454 040506 (or by text phone on 0845 1281384 for people with hearing or speech difficulties) between 8am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays.

Hertfordshire businesses requiring advice on the law and selling fireworks can contact trading standards on 01727 813849. Click here for the original story.

The first video of the fireworks from National Day in the United Arab Emirates.