The American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) urges the public to leave fireworks in the hands of the professionals.
According to the U.S. Consumer
Product Safety Commission, 38% of all reported fireworks-related
injuries from June 22-July 22, 2001, were to fingers, hands, and arms.
These injuries included burns, lacerations, fractures, and traumatic
amputation.
Of the finger, hand, and arm injuries, the majority of injuries were
caused from accidents involving firecrackers, bottle rockets, and
sparklers—three firework-types most often used in a backyard
environment. Accidents involving firecrackers, bottle rockets, and
hand-held sparklers totaled 57% of all fireworks injuries
(source: American
Pyrotechnic Association).
ASSH encourages individuals to attend a public fireworks display
(monitored for safety by a local fire department) rather than setting
off fireworks near or around their home.
The following precautions should be taken when attending a public fireworks display:
Obey safety barriers and ushers
Stay back a minimum of 500 feet from the launching site
Resist the temptation to pick up firework debris when the display is over. The debris may still be hot. In some cases, the debris might be “live” and could still explode.
Never give children hand-held sparklers. Sparklers cause 10% of all firework injuries (source: American Pyrotechnics Association)—and were associated with the most injuries to children under 5 years of age (source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)
Find out more about hand surgery or find a hand surgeon near you. Learn more about the members of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.