The Fourth of July comes with the annual traditions of gatherings in backyards and parks, grilling out – and warnings from safety experts about the dangers consumer fireworks.
These warnings are serious. Fireworks thousands of injuries each year, and when most of occur.
“Fireworks are beautiful to watch, but they can be deadly when mishandled or misused, or when the fireworks themselves contain illegal components,” Alex Hoehn-Saric, chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), said in a statement. “I urge everyone to use care around fireworks, only use fireworks labeled for consumer use, and always keep children far away from fireworks, including sparklers.”
An estimated 10,200 Americans were hospitalized with fireworks-related injuries in 2022, according to an annual report the CPSC. That’s a nearly 35% drop from 2020 when there were fewer public displays at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. About 7,400 of these injuries, roughly 73% of the year’s total, came within the one-month study period between June 17 and July 17. The leading age group for injuries during that time span was the 25- to 44-year-old range.
From 2007 to 2022, the CPSC received reports of 162 fireworks-related deaths, for an average of 10.1 deaths a year. Of the 11 deaths attributed to fireworks in 2022, five were associated with misuse.
Even with a shortage stemming from the pandemic and supply shortages – and the resulting higher prices for consumers – fireworks sales in the U.S. have soared to more than double their pre-pandemic totals. Personal fireworks sales began surging to record highs in 2020 when social distancing and COVID-19 protocols led many communities to cancel public displays.
Additional closures of amusement parks and sporting events also crippled sales of fireworks meant for public displays.
Injury numbers suggest public fireworks displays controlled by professional pyrotechnics experts are the best bet for people looking to view fireworks safely.
But for people who buy commercially available fireworks, the CPSC offers common-sense tips safe around fireworks. These safety tips include:
July 4th fireworks dangers: The 6 don’ts you need to know
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is offering up some do’s and don’ts on firework safety ahead of July 4th.
USA TODAY
For additional resources related to fireworks safety, the CPSC maintains a page at cpsc.gov/fireworks.
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