Always follow the firework safety
British Standards
All our wholesale fireworks are stringently checked and tested to comply with BS EN 15947.
Selling and storing fireworks at retail premises (What you need to know)
The storage of fireworks for retail sale is subject to a number of legal requirements, in particular:
You must licence your premises, with your Local Authority, in most areas this will be the Trading Standards Department, but in Metropolitan Boroughs it will be the Fire and Rescue Service.
The maximum quantity of any hazard type of fireworks allowed in Local Authority licensed premises is 2000kg.
Where fireworks are kept in their original packaged state, it is possible to equate hazard type with the figures on the orange diamond label present on the outer carton as follows: “1.4G” equals HT4 “1.3G” equals HT3.
A safety distance from any public or occupied building, or road and other works will be required where more than 250kg of HT4 or more than 25 kg HT3 (or more than 25kg of a mixture of HT3 and HT4) is stored. Tables 1 and 2 below give the full quantity distance relationships for HT4 and HT3.
Where a mixture of HT3 and HT4 fireworks are stored, the total explosive mass must be regarded as HT3.
Carry out a risk assessment covering all aspects of the sales and storage process.
Public access to fireworks on display must be prevented (for example by use of display cabinets) until the fireworks are sold
The quantity of fireworks allowed in the sales area is restricted, to a maximum of 12.5kg net mass of explosives per display cabinet, The number of cabinets permitted depends on the floor area Table 3 below give details.
A statutory notice relating to the age of sale and possession of fireworks must be di played
You can only sell fireworks of Category 1 to members of the general public over 16 years of age or Category 2 & 3 to members of the general public over 18 years of age The above relate to firework storage at retail premises, there are different rules for storage for private use.
Full details of all the legislation regarding the storage and sale of fireworks are available from:
Your Local Authority,
The Health and Safety Executive website
The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial website
Your supplier.
Quantity distance tables
| Hazard Type 4 | |
|---|---|
| Net Mass (kg) | Distance (m) |
| <250 | 0 |
| 250 – 300 | 1 |
| 300 – 340 | 2 |
| 340 – 370 | 3 |
| 370 – 400 | 4 |
| 400 – 450 | 5 |
| 450 – 500 | 6 |
| 500 – 550 | 7 |
| 550 – 600 | 8 |
| 600 – 650 | 9 |
| 650 – 700 | 10 |
| 700 – 750 | 11 |
| 750 – 800 | 12 |
| 800 – 900 | 13 |
| 900 – 950 | 14 |
| 950 – 1000 | 15 |
| 1000 – 1100 | 16 |
| 1100 – 1150 | 17 |
| 1150 – 1200 | 18 |
| 1200 – 1300 | 19 |
| 1300 – 1350 | 20 |
| 1350 – 1400 | 21 |
| 1400 – 1450 | 22 |
| 1450 – 1550 | 23 |
| 1550 – 1600 | 24 |
| 1600 – 1650 | 25 |
| 1650 – 1700 | 26 |
| 1700 – 1800 | 27 |
| 1800 – 1850 | 28 |
| 1850 – 1900 | 29 |
| 1900 – 2000 | 30 |
| Hazard Type 3 | |
|---|---|
| Net Mass (kg) | Distance (m) |
| <25 | 0 |
| 25 – 50 | 23 |
| 50 – 75 | 25 |
| 75 – 100 | 29 |
| 100 – 150 | 33 |
| 150 – 200 | 37 |
| 200 – 300 | 42 |
| 300 – 400 | 47 |
| 400 – 450 | 47 |
| 450 – 500 | 50 |
| 500 – 600 | 51 |
| 600 – 700 | 53 |
| 700 – 800 | 54 |
| 800 – 900 | 55 |
| 900 – 1000 | 63 |
| 1000 – 1100 | 70 |
| 1100 – 1200 | 71 |
| 1200 – 1300 | 72 |
| 1300 – 1400 | 73 |
| 1400 – 1500 | 74 |
| 1500 – 1600 | 75 |
| 1600 – 1700 | 76 |
| 1700 – 1800 | 78 |
| 1800 – 1900 | 79 |
| 1900 – 2000 | 80 |
| Total floor area of the sales area (square metres) |
Maximum quantity of fireworks that may be kept under a licence requiring a separation distance of 0m (kg – net mass of explosive) (Note a maximum of 12.5kg net mass of |
|---|---|
| up to 20 | 12.5 |
| up to 40 | 15 |
| up to 60 | 20 |
| up to 80 | 25 |
| up to 100 | 30 |
| up to 150 | 35 |
| up to 200 | 40 |
| up to 250 | 45 |
| up to 300 | 50 |
| up to 350 | 55 |
| up to 400 | 60 |
| up to 450 | 65 |
| up to 500 | 70 |
| 500 and over | 75 |
Further information
For further information to ensure you have a SAFE night please visit:
The British Fireworks Association
www.britishfireworksassociation.co.uk
The Explosives Industry Group
www.eig.org.uk
Health and Safety Executive – General Firework Guidance
www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/fireworks