Don’t blow off your hand or put out your eye by using fireworks improperly during July Fourth celebrations this year

Every year I write about it and hundreds of other journalists do too. However, thousands of people continue to injure themselves with fireworks around July Fourth every year and deaths continue to occur.

A new report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission highlights the hazards posed by consumer use of fireworks.

For 2023, the CPSC received reports of eight deaths and an estimated 9,700 injuries involving fireworks. Out of the eight deaths, five were associated with firework misuse, two with a device malfunction, and one from an unknown cause. 

The report shows that between 2008 and 2023, injuries from fireworks have increased, despite data showing a steady decline since the peak in 2020 during the pandemic when public displays were canceled.

“While it is a great American tradition to enjoy fireworks around the 4th of July, it is important to remember that all fireworks, even sparklers, pose dangers to consumers,” CPSC Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric said in a statement. “The safest way to view fireworks is to watch professional displays.”

If you choose to light your own, make sure you only buy legal fireworks intended for consumer use from a reputable retailer, Hoehn-Saric said, adding consumers need to follow simple safety tips. 

To understand more about fireworks-related injuries hazards around the 4th of July, conducted

An analysis by the CPSC of injury data in the four weeks surrounding the July Fourth holiday in 2023 found the following:

• Teenagers ages 15 to 19 years of age had the highest estimated rate of emergency department-treated, fireworks-related injuries, with children ages 5-9 years old having the second highest rate.
• There were an estimated 800 emergency department-treated injuries associated with firecrackers and 700 with sparklers. 
• The parts of the body most often injured by fireworks were hands and fingers, an estimated 35 percent of injuries, along with head, face, and ears, an estimated 22 percent.
• About 42 percent of the emergency department-treated fireworks-related injuries were for burns.
• In fiscal year 2023, about 18 percent of selected and tested fireworks products were found to contain noncompliant components, including fuse violations, the presence of prohibited chemicals, and pyrotechnic materials overload.

Celebrate safely this holiday by following these safety tips from the CPSC:

• Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks, including sparklers. Sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit – hot enough to melt some metals.

• Make sure fireworks are legal in your area, and only purchase and set off fireworks that are labeled for consumer, not professional, use.
• Never use fireworks while impaired by alcohol or drugs.
• Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy, in case of fire or other mishap. 
• Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly.
• Never try to relight or handle malfunctioning fireworks. Soak them with water and throw them away.
• Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse. Move to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks.
• Never point or throw fireworks, including sparklers, at anyone.
• Douse the spent device with lots of water from a bucket or hose before discarding the device after fireworks are done burning to prevent a trash fire.

Best wishes on July Fourth. I hope you have a fun, safe celebration.