{"id":10804,"date":"2025-12-26T11:18:58","date_gmt":"2025-12-26T07:18:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medscriptum.org\/?p=10804"},"modified":"2025-12-26T11:19:01","modified_gmt":"2025-12-26T07:19:01","slug":"pyrotechnics-and-safety-what-harm-can-fireworks-cause","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medscriptum.org\/en\/pyrotechnics-and-safety-what-harm-can-fireworks-cause\/","title":{"rendered":"Pyrotechnics and Safety: What harm can fireworks cause?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-path-to-node=\"3\"><b class=\"\" data-path-to-node=\"3\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Worldwide, thousands of people end up in emergency rooms every year due to injuries caused by fireworks.<\/b><span class=\"\"> Although pyrotechnics create a festive atmosphere,<\/span><span class=\"\"> they are as dangerous as they are spectacular.<\/span><span class=\"\"> In cases of negligence,<\/span><span class=\"\"> injuries can range from mild burns to severe,<\/span><span class=\"\"> life-threatening damage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"4\"><span class=\"\">The most common injury is <\/span><b class=\"\" data-path-to-node=\"4\" data-index-in-node=\"26\">burns<\/b><span class=\"\">,<\/span><span class=\"\"> accounting for two-thirds of all cases.<\/span><span class=\"\"> 40% of injuries occur on the <\/span><b class=\"\" data-path-to-node=\"4\" data-index-in-node=\"102\">hands and wrists<\/b><span class=\"\">,<\/span><span class=\"\"> as people often ignite fireworks while holding them or fail to release them in time.<\/span><span class=\"\"> The force of the explosion is so great that it can cause bone fractures,<\/span><span class=\"\"> limb dismemberment,<\/span><span class=\"\"> or complete skin degloving.<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"5\"><span class=\"\">In addition to limbs,<\/span><span class=\"\"> head and face injuries are frequent.<\/span><span class=\"\"> Close-range explosions cause <\/span><b class=\"\" data-path-to-node=\"5\" data-index-in-node=\"88\">hearing loss<\/b><span class=\"\">,<\/span><span class=\"\"> including tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and ruptured eardrums.<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"6\"><b class=\"\" data-path-to-node=\"6\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Eye injuries<\/b><span class=\"\"> are particularly alarming.<\/span><span class=\"\"> Every year in the UK alone,<\/span><span class=\"\"> 10 people completely lose their sight,<\/span><span class=\"\"> while hundreds of others sustain severe damage.<\/span><span class=\"\"> Sometimes,<\/span><span class=\"\"> firework fragments penetrate soft tissues or even blood vessels,<\/span><span class=\"\"> creating critical threats to the respiratory tract and,<\/span><span class=\"\"> ultimately,<\/span><span class=\"\"> to life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"7\"><span class=\"\">A special mention should be made of <\/span><b class=\"\" data-path-to-node=\"7\" data-index-in-node=\"36\">sparklers<\/b><span class=\"\">,<\/span><span class=\"\"> which many consider safe.<\/span><span class=\"\"> In reality,<\/span><span class=\"\"> they burn at temperatures up to <\/span><b class=\"\" data-path-to-node=\"7\" data-index-in-node=\"117\">1000\u00b0C<\/b><span class=\"\">,<\/span><span class=\"\"> which is ten times hotter than boiling water.<\/span><span class=\"\"> Most victims of these injuries are children under the age of 5.<\/span><span class=\"\"> Their delicate skin is far more sensitive to high temperatures,<\/span><span class=\"\"> and the ignition of synthetic clothing can lead to severe body burns.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"\" data-path-to-node=\"8\">Environment and Animals<\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"9\"><span class=\"\">The harmful effects of pyrotechnics extend beyond immediate physical trauma to humans.<\/span><span class=\"\"> Their use releases heavy metals and toxic substances that cause irreparable damage to the environment and living beings.<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"10\"><span class=\"\">Animals have much more sensitive hearing than humans; therefore,<\/span><span class=\"\"> the sound of an explosion is unbearable and disorienting for them.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"11\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"11,0,0\"><b class=\"\" data-path-to-node=\"11,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Pets:<\/b><span class=\"\"> Most dogs and cats experience panic and fear.<\/span><span class=\"\"> Every year,<\/span><span class=\"\"> thousands of pets run away from home due to the noise,<\/span><span class=\"\"> and many die from heart attacks.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"11,1,0\"><b class=\"\" data-path-to-node=\"11,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Wildlife:<\/b><span class=\"\"> Birds,<\/span><span class=\"\"> frightened by the noise and lights,<\/span><span class=\"\"> often lose their orientation,<\/span><span class=\"\"> collide with buildings,<\/span><span class=\"\"> or fly so far from their nests that they die of exhaustion.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"12\"><span class=\"\">When fireworks explode,<\/span><span class=\"\"> various types of particles are released into the air.<\/span><span class=\"\"> For example,<\/span> <b class=\"\" data-path-to-node=\"12\" data-index-in-node=\"91\">perchlorates<\/b><span class=\"\"> eventually settle in the soil and poison water resources.<\/span><span class=\"\"> Heavy metals such as <\/span><b class=\"\" data-path-to-node=\"12\" data-index-in-node=\"183\">barium, copper, and strontium<\/b><span class=\"\"> remain in the air for long periods and cause respiratory problems.<\/span><span class=\"\"> As a result,<\/span><span class=\"\"> on New Year&#8217;s Eve,<\/span><span class=\"\"> air pollution levels in many cities often exceed the permissible norm tenfold.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"\" data-path-to-node=\"13\">Regulation of Pyrotechnics in Georgia<\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"14\"><span class=\"\">It is noteworthy that the use of pyrotechnics in Georgia is strictly regulated by law.<\/span><span class=\"\"> According to the <\/span><b class=\"\" data-path-to-node=\"14\" data-index-in-node=\"104\">Code of Administrative Offenses<\/b><span class=\"\">,<\/span><span class=\"\"> the sale of pyrotechnic products to minors (persons under 18) is prohibited,<\/span><span class=\"\"> with substantial fines imposed on both physical and legal entities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"15\"><span class=\"\">Additionally,<\/span> <b class=\"\" data-path-to-node=\"15\" data-index-in-node=\"14\">noise regulations<\/b><span class=\"\"> are in effect,<\/span><span class=\"\"> prohibiting the use of pyrotechnics during night hours (23:<\/span><span class=\"\">00 to 08:<\/span><span class=\"\">00),<\/span><span class=\"\"> except on designated days such as New Year&#8217;s Eve (from 21:<\/span><span class=\"\">00 on December 31 to 09:<\/span><span class=\"\">00 on January 2) and January 14.<\/span><span class=\"\"> Violations of the law entail monetary fines,<\/span><span class=\"\"> and in cases of repeated offenses,<\/span><span class=\"\"> the fine is doubled and the inventory is confiscated.<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"16\"><span class=\"\">In Georgia,<\/span><span class=\"\"> only <\/span><b class=\"\" data-path-to-node=\"16\" data-index-in-node=\"17\">Category I, II, and III<\/b><span class=\"\"> pyrotechnics are permitted for civilians.<\/span><span class=\"\"> These include low-hazard products:<\/span><span class=\"\"> sparklers (&#8220;Bengal lights&#8221;),<\/span><span class=\"\"> firecrackers,<\/span><span class=\"\"> and small-scale fireworks intended for open spaces.<\/span><span class=\"\"> All of them must be accompanied by instructions in the Georgian language.<\/span><span class=\"\"> As for <\/span><b class=\"\" data-path-to-node=\"16\" data-index-in-node=\"294\">Category IV (professional)<\/b><span class=\"\"> pyrotechnics,<\/span><span class=\"\"> they are prohibited for ordinary citizens and can only be used by certified specialists.<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"17\">For safety purposes, specialists recommend wearing <b data-path-to-node=\"17\" data-index-in-node=\"51\">natural fabric clothing<\/b> that covers as much skin as possible when using pyrotechnics. Synthetics melt and stick to the body in case of fire, doubling the damage. It is important to use <b data-path-to-node=\"17\" data-index-in-node=\"236\">protective goggles and gloves<\/b> when launching fireworks and to keep children under constant supervision.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"18\">However, the best way to protect yourself, animals, and nature is to refuse pyrotechnics and use more modern, safe alternatives, such as <b data-path-to-node=\"18\" data-index-in-node=\"137\">laser shows<\/b>.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"18\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nfpa.org\/education-and-research\/home-fire-safety\/fireworks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NFPA<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Worldwide, thousands of people end up in emergency rooms every year due to injuries caused by fireworks. Although pyrotechnics create a festive atmosphere, they are as dangerous as they are spectacular. In cases of negligence, injuries can range from mild burns to severe, life-threatening damage. The most common injury is burns, accounting for two-thirds of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":10803,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1594,1665,1657],"tags":[3562,3561],"class_list":["post-10804","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news","category-public-health","category-science","tag-fireworks","tag-pyrotechnics"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/medscriptum.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10804","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/medscriptum.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/medscriptum.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medscriptum.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medscriptum.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10804"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/medscriptum.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10804\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10814,"href":"https:\/\/medscriptum.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10804\/revisions\/10814"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medscriptum.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10803"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/medscriptum.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10804"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medscriptum.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10804"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medscriptum.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10804"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}