Fireworks Safety 

(Want to have some safety handouts available at your facility? Reproducible 
forms describing safe fireworks purchase and use are available on the following website: http//:www.acutecare.com/fireworksafety.htm
for your use with permission by the National Council on Fireworks Safety. 
Their homepage is located at http://www.fireworksafety.com/)

Federal safety regulations, perhaps with increased consumer awareness, are making the Fourth of July holidays safer than ever. Fireworks injury rates are at an all-time low dropping 44% just from 1994 to 1998. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)* (using a sampling technique in surveying selected hospitals and subsequently estimating the number of fireworks-related injuries) estimates that 7,000 people were treated for fireworks-related injuries in 1998. This is down from an estimated 8,300 in 1997 (and 10,900 injured in 1995 and 12,500 in 1994). These figures include commercial and homemade items, as well as large (and illegal) explosive devices. The explosive devices like M-80s and M-100s have been banned since 1966, though these illegal explosives still account for one-third of all Fourth of July injuries. A recent report prepared by CPSC analyzed injury data collected over a seven year period, and concluded that "legal fireworks" accidents were relatively minor, did not result in hospitalization and most often involved "misuse" rather than "malfunction." 

In 1976, the Consumer Product Safety Commission moved to regulate legal fireworks products. All fireworks now legally available for sale to consumers must comply with the CPSC rules. States, counties and municipalities regulate their availability and use. Since the adoption of these regulations, the amount of fireworks used each year has doubled, suggesting that the injury rate in terms of injuries per one million pounds of fireworks ignited has declined significantly. This Fourth of July, legal fireworks that meet the safety regulations of the CPSC will be on sale in 40 of 50 states and the District of Columbia. Recently, legal fireworks were reclassified within two major categories (consumer and display). "Consumer" fireworks are those fireworks devices formerly classed as "Class C Common Fireworks" and now classed at "Fireworks 1.4G" by the U.S. Department of Transportation [Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 173.56 (j)]. State laws may vary as to what types of devices are deemed to be "fireworks" under state law. "Consumer" fireworks include cone fountains, cylindrical fountains, roman candles, sky rockets, firecrackers, mines and shells, helicopter-type rockets, certain sparklers and revolving wheels.

Some examples from Midwestern states are listed below (from information from the American Pyrotechnics Association):

Please note - Below is a summary of state laws and not intended to be the sole or definitive statement of the individual laws. Local city and county laws may be more stringent that the state laws. This listing is to be used as a guideline only. State and local laws should be consulted before purchasing and/or using fireworks. For overview information on other states, please refer to the National Council on Fireworks Safety's website at http://www.fireworksafety.com/

Kansas
specifically permitted- all pyrotechnic devices classified as "consumer fireworks" by US DOT and 
labeled as Class C except certain rockets.
Specifically prohibited- any rocket mounted on a wire or stick, including any device containing 
such rockets.
Selling period- June 27-July 5 including delivery of mail order fireworks.

Illinois
specifically permitted- sparklers, snake/glow worm pellets, smoke devices, trick noise makers, plastic 
and paper caps.
specifically prohibited-firecrackers, torpedoes, skyrockets, roman candles, bombs

Iowa 
specifically allowed- gold sparklers containing no magnesium, chlorate or perchlorate, flitter sparklers not more than 1/8" in diameter, snakes containing no mercury.
specifically prohibited-firecrackers, torpedoes, skyrockets, roman candles, dayglo bombs.

Minnesota 
specifically allowed-none.
specifically prohibited-firecrackers, torpedoes, skyrockets, roman candles, dayglo bombs, sparklers.

Missouri
specifically permitted-fireworks that comply with the US consumer Product Safety commission 
regulations
specifically prohibited-ground salutes that exceed DOT Class C limits
selling period-June 20-July 10, Dec. 20-Jan 2.
age to purchase-14 unless accompanied by an adult.

Nebraska
specifically permitted-gold and silver sparklers (colored sparklers prohibited after 1999 season), spray 
fountains, torches, color fire cones, star and comet type aerial shells without explosive charge, lady fingers not to exceed 7/8" in length and 1/8" in diameter, total pyrotechnic composition not to exceed 50 mg each, color wheels and any other item approved for sale by fire marshal. Samples must be submitted to fire marshal prior to sale, for examination. Permissible fireworks list issued annually.
selling period- June 25-July 4.