Firework Review Group: report to the Scottish Government

Footnotes

1. The public consultation 'Your Experiences, Your Ideas, Your Views' was launched in February 2019 and ran for a period of 14 weeks. Views were sought on the sale of fireworks to the general public, how people use and enjoy fireworks, the impact of fireworks on people, communities and animals, ideas on what actions could be taken to ensure fireworks continue to be enjoyed safely and responsibly. The consultation closed on 13 May 2019, having received a total of 16,420 responses.

2. 'Public attitudes towards fireworks in Scotland: representative omnibus survey' SG commissioned Progressive to conduct a study on the use and regulation of fireworks in Scotland. The project objectives were to understand the Scottish public's views on increasing control over the sale of fireworks; banning the sale of fireworks to the public; and introducing more control on how fireworks can be used in Scotland. The research was online with a representative sample of the Scottish population. Fieldwork took place between 9th and 14th May 2019. A total sample of 1,002 responses was achieved.

3. BPA members represent approximately 90% of the professional display companies in the UK, and approximately 95% of the turnover.

4. This includes: the Explosives Regulations 2014 working group; the standards for European fireworks; with the Health and Safety Executive on initiatives to promote fireworks classification procedures; and with the department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy as part of the Pyrotechnic Articles Liaison Group (PALG).

5. An online survey was carried out in February 2020. 22 Local Authorities responded to the survey, all indicated that organised firework displays take place in their local area.

6. This includes incidents where fireworks could be identified through review of information recorded on SFRS systems however this may not capture all incidents as there is no specific fireworks identifier

7. Does not include information from Highland and Islands Division as data on assaults on police officers cannot be separately identified for this area.

8. https://www.gov.scot/publications/fireworks-legislation-impacts-international-evidence-review/pages/4/

9. Data collection took place between 15.10 – 12.11.2019 to coincide with traditional selling period.

10. Eighty-four Minor Injury Units and Emergency Departments from 15 NHS Health Boards were invited to submit firework injury attendance data, and a total of 41 forms were returned from 23 Units from 15.10.19 – 12.11.19. There were no attendances in 59 ED and MIU. A total of 41 forms were returned from 23 ED and MIU

11. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (GGC) NHS Health Board provide medical care for the population of 1.2 million people. The Cannies burn department of plastic surgery serves 3 million patients in the west of Scotland, over half of the estimated 5.4 million Scottish population. A request was made to NHS GGC for coded admission and procedure data from 2008-2019. Permissions were granted and a query was developed using: WHO ICD-10 diagnosis code W39: 'discharge of fireworks'(World Health Organization 1993). Patient care episodes were exported from Trak (ICD-10 diagnosis codes) and OPERA (OPCS-4 procedure codes). Analysis was undertaken to investigate: patient demographic information; injury pattern, treatment modalities and health economic evaluation. Episodes of care were extracted from Scottish Morbidity Records where fireworks were mentioned as a cause of injury or firework injury included as a diagnostic code. Costs per episode of care were applied using hospital level specialty costs for the year 2018-19 (which are the latest data available).

12. The number of injuries exceed the number of patients as some patients sustained more than one injury

13. British Veterinary Association, 2018. Autumn 2018 2018 Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey (base 473 vets).

14. https://houseofcommons.shorthandstories.com/petitionsfireworks/index.html

15. Adult fireworks are category 2 and 3 fireworks. Category 4 fireworks can only be used by professionals.

16. The traditional periods where selling without a licence is permitted are: November 5 - (from 15th October to 10 November); New Year - (from December 26th to 31st); Chinese New Year - (on the first day of the Chinese New Year and the 3 days immediately preceding it); and Diwali - (on the day of Diwali and the 3 days immediately preceding it). Under section 31 of the Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 2015, an economic operator (i.e. retailer) must not sell: a Christmas cracker to anyone under the age of 12 years; F1 category fireworks to anyone under the age of 16; F2 and F3 category fireworks to anyone under the age of 18; F4 category fireworks to members of the public (they can only be supplied to a person with specialist knowledge).

17. The firers level training is for individuals assisting with the rigging, firing and derigging of professionally fired firework displays under the supervision of a senior firer. Prior to sitting the course and exam, candidates must have already had experience in using F4 (professional) fireworks and have logged a minimum of three professional organised displays. Senior Firers are the people who are in charge of teams of firers. They are responsible for managing the rigging, firing and deriving of professionally fired firework displays and are responsible for ensuring the safety of the display including to staff, the public, structures and anyone else affected by the display.