Independence Day weekend is upon us. Hopefully your plans for the weekend include spending time with loved ones, celebrating the great things about our nation and eating some delicious food. In addition, you will hopefully get to watch some fireworks either live or on television. If you are planning on lighting your own fireworks, it is critical that you observe several safety precautions in order to ensure that your holiday weekend is not ruined by preventable injury.
Sometimes, fireworks are affected by manufacturing defects. One reason why you should never attempt to relight a firework that fails to ignite is that the firework may be defective and could potentially explode upon a second relighting. However, if you are harmed by a defective firework, you may be able to hold the manufacturer accountable for the harm you have suffered.
Ultimately, it is important to behave in safe ways regardless of whether or not your fireworks could be potentially defective. Even “safe” fireworks can cause serious injury. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the majority of fireworks-related injuries occur on the fingers and hands, followed by the head, face and ears. In addition, a staggering 16 percent of fireworks-related injuries harm the eyes, which do not easily heal.
Please, if you are going to set off your own fireworks this weekend, make sure that you are sober when you do so. In addition, only set them off outdoors and in an unobstructed area. Practice caution and commonsense and you will hopefully have a healthy, happy Fourth of July weekend.
Source: Consumer Product Safety Commission, “Fireworks Information Center,” Accessed July 2014
