1 izaskun astondoa pirotecnia astondoa,s.a.'s manager and afape's president guillermo...

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Izaskun AstondoaPirotecnia Astondoa,S.A.'s Manager andAFAPE's President

Guillermo Rodriguez-BronchúPIROVAL and AFAPE's Manager

9th International Symposium on Fireworks Berlín, Germany April 3-7, 2006.

Europe Normalization: Utopía?


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Consumer fireworks of categories 1, 2 and 3 are those small firework items intended for personal use and which can be purchased over-the counter in many states.

The retail value of fireworks in Spain is about €100m and has grown steadily over the last years.

This activity is, normally, more supervised and regulated than manufacture or storage because all countries want to guarantee the proper and safe functioning of fireworks.

Introduction



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Pyrotechnics Directive

With the advent of the common market in 1993, the EC started preparing for a proposed Pyrotechnics Directive. Previosly, the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) was in hand on the preparation of a series of standards for individual types of fireworks.

There were obvious differences between the countries present in the committee.

29 standards has been published, 7 more has been withdrawn due to no interests of more than 3 members or due to safety reasons.

The last time the committee hold a meeting was in 2005.

Introduction



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The availability of fireworks to consumers varies among European countries.

Policies and legislation control their sale and use, the types of fireworks legally available, quantities consumed and the times when they are set off, reflecting the historical-cultural differences that exist between member sates.

In this paper we would like to compare the current situation of countries. There are profound differences between north-european and Mediterranean countries, e.g. where the north-european countries consider noise as an inconvenience and limit the sound level of the fireworks or restrict their use, but south european countries try to make compatible traditions with a sensible use of them. We will compare the following countries: United Kingdom, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Netherlands and Spain.

Pyrotechnics Directive



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1. Policies Analysis

Regulated by the Explosives Act 1875 and the Explosives (Age of Purchase) Act 1976. The Fireworks Act 1951 (containing powers to order the destruction of any fireworks

considered to be dangerous when in the possession of the public). The Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 1986 and the Consumer Protection Act 1987 . Local Authority Trading Standard Officers have the authority under the Consumer

Protection Act to test fireworks for safety in the hands of consumers. Bristish Standard BS 7114 issued in 1988 covers the classification, specification,

labelling, and methods for testing fireworks. The Fireworks Act 2003, Fireworks Regulations 2004 (amendment), Fireworks

Regulations (Safety) 1997 (amendment).

United Kingdom

Belgium

Fireworks legislation is laid down by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Explosives Department, Article 265, 7 03.09.58 updated 07.01.66, list of permitted fireworks 03.11.58, explosives fireworks definition 26.01.66..

The sale and use of fireworks is governed by the Statutory Order of Parliament 24th May 1972, and the recent amendment by the Statutory Order of 23rd October 1992.

Denmark



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France

The sale and use of fireworks is covered by Decree nº 90-897 1 October 1990.

Germany

The sale and use of fireworks in Germany is governed by the law on explosives, issued by the Ministry of the Interior.

Netherlands

The sale and use of fireworks is governed by the Fireworks Law 2002; regulation further requirements consumer fireworks 2004

Spain

The basic law is the Explosives Law (Reglamento de Explosivos RD 230/1998) which lists requirements for manufacture, classification and transport, as well as sale.

1. Policies



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Classification Characteristics Comments

1. N

2. E . Data not available

1. Category 1

“Indoor”

Suitable for use inside domestic buildings

2. Category 2 “Garden”

Suitable for outdoor use in relatively confined areas

• Safety distance 5m.• Debris less than 3m

3. Category 3 “Display”

Suitable for outdoor use in large open spaces

• Safety distance 25m.• Debris less than 20m• Sound level (23h– 7h) 120 dB (AI)

2. Classification

United Kingdom

Belgium

1. Normal Available to the public.

2. Display Require special permission from the local authority.

• Require professional pyrotechnicians for shells greater than 50mm (diameter).

Denmark

France

1. Group K1 Minimum risk.

2. Group K2 Firing instructions must be available

3. Group K3 Medium risk fireworks Clear instructions must be adhered to

Sound pressure level < 161dB (lin)

Fuse burning shall be 3,0s to 6,0s



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2. Classification

Germany

1. Class 1

“Toy Fireworks”

• Max of 3g net explosive content • Max height up to 20cm• Max of 2,5mg of silver fulminate or 0,5g of collodion

cotton (with no more than 12,6% of nitro cellulose) • Max noise level of 120 dB (AI) at a distance of

0,5m.

2. Class 2

“Small Fireworks”

• Max of 50g net explosive content (single item). Batteries and combinations 200g (with second fuse)

Fireworks with a report • Max of 6g of black powder; rockets may content up

to 20g (explosive content <10g)

• Max noise level of 120 dB (AI) at a distance of 8m.• No debris >8m




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Netherlands

Spain

The classification will mostly be the UN, Fireworks, 47, 1.4 according to ADR legislation.

Sound pressure 153 dB (lin)

2. Classification


• Class 1 •Very low risk; suitable for indoor and outdoor use in relatively confined areas • Fuse burning shall be 2,0s to 12,0s

• Not sound level limit



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• Clase 2 • Low risk; suitable for outdoor use in relatively confined areas.

• Flash bangers (max 0,5g nec)

• Rockets max 40g nec (report 5g)

• Fuse burning shall be 3,0s to 12,0s (either

friction or flame ignition)


• Clase 3 • Medium risk; suitable for outdoor use in large open spaces

• Flash bangers (max 3g nec)

• Rockets max 250g nec (report 20g)

• Fuse burning shall be 3,0s to 12,0s (either

friction or flame ignition)


Spain

2. Classification




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3. Sale and Use

United Kingdom

Belgium

Sale and Use Comments

Voluntarily restricted to:

November 5th (October 15th to November 10th).

New Year’s Eve (December 26 to 31)

Chinese New Year (and three more days).

Diwali (and three more days).

However, and for private use, fireworks may be purchased direct from the manufacturers throughout the year or retails outlets (categories 1-3).

July 21st, New Year’s Eve and Private Use.

Denmark

France

New Year’s Eve.

On sale all year around.

Class 1 : all year around.

Class 2: December 29th to 31st.

Class 3:

Set off between 6pm(31st) and 6am (January 1st).

Private use require local council approval .

Organised displays.

Germany



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Sell to consumers only on 29th, 30th and 31st of december (working days). Class 1 all year around

Consumers are allowed to use fireworks only on 31th december and 1st of january (10am-2am).

3. Sale and Use

Sale and Use Comments

Netherlands

Spain

Fireworks are mostly used during summer months .

Special dates 19th march (San José), 24th june (San Juan), New years Eve.



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UK Belgium France Germany Netherlands SpainDenmark

4. Age Restrictions

10

12

14

16

18

20

Age



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5. Prohibitions

• Fireworks of erratic flight• Mini rockets• Report batteries• Report combinations• Flash bangers

United KingdomBelgium

Denmark

Germany

• Roman candles >12mm.• Shells >30g nec.• Bangers with more than 2g of black powder.

• Rocket> 400g weight, and head of 60mm.• Hand-held fireworks• Friction ignited fireworks• Fireworks of erratic flight• Report fireworks

Netherlands Spain

• Nec > 200g• Fireworks without an external visibly burning fuse• Fuse burning not between 3,0s to 6,0s

• Friction bangers• Flash bangers



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6. Special safety measures

Denmark

France

• Some fireworks (heksehyl) must have a green safety fuse.

• Large fireworks articles (>150g) must have firing instructions

K1• No confusion with toys or food

K2 • Min height for shells and rockets 12m

K3 • Min height for shells and rockets 20m



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Part

3 Aerial wheels

4 Bangers and banger batteries

6 Bengal flames

7 Bengal matches

8 Bengal sticks

9 Crackling granules

10 Double bangers

12 Flash bangers and batteries

13 Flash pellets

15 Fountain

17 Ground spinner

Published Standards

European Committee for Standardization (CEN) 1993-2005

Part

18 Hand-held fountains

19 Hand-held sparklers

20 Jumping crackers

22 Mines

23 Non-hand-held sparklers

24 Novelty matches

27 Rockets

28 Roman Candles

29 Serpents

34 Table bombs

35 Throwdowns

36 Wheels



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Due to: (a) no interests of more than 3 members. (b) safety reasons

Part

11 Electric igniters

14 Flying squibs

16 Friction ignited flash bangers

26 Percussion caps

30 Shells

32 Snaps

37 Whistlers

Withdrawn standards



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Part

4 Banger and banger batteries

12 Flash banger and fb batteries

15 Fountains

19 Hand held sparklers

23 Non-hand-held sparklers

27 Rockets

34 Table bombs

A-deviations

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1

Published standards

6

2

1

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Conclusions

The harmonisation of basic safety requirements for certain types of pyrotechnic articles, as well as for all those that can be used by non-specialist end users, would imply a high degree of safety in the use of these articles. However, the draft of the directive fails to comply with the fundamental

requirement regarding the free circulation for goods in the internal market.

This will result in articles with CE marking that comply with minimum safety requirements, in an internal market of free circulation, but which will be impossible to commercialise or use in northern European countries.

We will be able to manufacture products that are safe but undesirable in some countries and yet, these products are manufactured in countries of the Mediterranean region, Italy, Portugal and

Spain.



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Thank you very much !We apology for all the mistakes you may have found in this paper

Izaskun [email protected]

Guillermo Rodríguez-Bronchú[email protected]

1 izaskun astondoa pirotecnia astondoa,s.a.'s manager and afape's president guillermo...

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