Fourth Of July Safety
Jill Nelson

Of all the holidays throughout the year, the Fourth of July
typically presents the greatest risk of fire danger and
injuries for adults and children. Unsafe use of fireworks,
sparklers and glow sticks are a serious concern. These products
can be potentially harmful to individuals of all ages. So,
before you swirl around a sparkler, light a firework or sport a
glow stick around your neck or wrist, keep in mind these
precautions to ensure the safety of you and everyone around
you.

As usual, the Fourth of July celebrations show many types of
fireworks and other explosives. Fireworks can be very exciting
and fun to watch; however they have the potential to become
very dangerous to the people lighting them as well as the
bystanders. When lighting fireworks, make sure you follow the
instructions and the warnings on the labels. If a firework does
not burn when you light it, do not try and light it again, this
can pose huge injury risks. Did you know that most firework
accidents are a result of people going back to light a firework
which did not light the first time? The safest choice, if you
want to see fireworks on the Fourth of July, is to attend a
local event, where you can watch a fireworks display created by
professionals. This will be much safer for you, your family and
your friends.

Sparklers are a great way to light up the night on the Fourth
of July. As exciting as these items may seem to small children,
it is important that they be used only by children 5 years of
age or older. Children younger than 5 years old are too young
to understand how to use them properly. When using sparklers
make sure your child’s clothes are tight-fitting, so the
sparkler does not catch fire on the clothes. If you have
children with longer hair, make sure their hair is tied back
since it is very easy for long hair to catch fire. Keep
Sparklers away from other people and when the sparkler is
finished, place it (hot end down) into a bucket of water. Do
not put the sparkler on the ground – it can end up piercing a
foot or starting a fire!

Glow sticks are very popular. Like other products, it has the
potential to become very dangerous if not used properly.
Although, glow sticks have very low potential of catching fire,
glow sticks can create hazards if the plastic is punctured or
torn. The chemicals used in glow sticks can cause irritation to
the skin and if consumed orally can become very harmful. If this
does occur, dispose of the glow stick immediately. Wash your
hands (or any other part of the body which may have been
exposed to the chemicals) with soap and water. If any part of
the glow stick is consumed orally, see a doctor and call the US
National Poison Helpline immediately at 1-800-222-1222. If a pet
has ingested the chemical, call the US Animal Poison Helpline at
1-800-213-6800. For more information on glow sticks and glow
stick safety, check out www.glowsticksdirect.com.

Whatever you decide to do for the Fourth of July holiday make
sure to have fun, be safe and respect the people around you.

About The Author: Jill Nelson is a freelance writer who enjoys
spending time with her children when she isn’t working as a
contributing editor for sites writing safety articles on topics
such as Glow Sticks for sites like
http://www.glowsticksdirect.com


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