Fireworks evidence base

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has published its report on the fireworks evidence base on 29 October 2020.

Read the report.

OPSS has developed the evidence base by:

drawing on existing data, literature and research

undertaking stakeholder engagement with a wide range of organisations and groups, inviting them to submit data they can collate or have access to that is not available to OPSS or is not publicly accessible

The aim has been to seek evidence around the key issues raised in petitions, correspondence and debate. These are:

market-related information

noise

injuries and accidents

anti-social behaviour and illegal activity

environmental information

intelligence related to non-conformity and non-compliance with product requirements

international comparisons

Fireworks information supplied to OPSS

OPSS is publishing information provided by organisations and existing online content drawn to its attention (highlighted in the hyperlinks below).

This is for general reference and does not represent the views of OPSS.

Please note that a number of the following materials are not Crown Copyright.

Market-related information

Firework importation notification system: Quarter 3 evaluation October to December 2019 (PDF, 638KB, 3 pages) – Provided by Suffolk County Council Trading Standards Service

Submission from the British Pyrotechnics Association (BPA) and CBI Explosive Industry Group (PDF, 105KB, 2 pages)

Evidence sent to House of Commons Petitions Committee – Provided by Bright Star Fireworks and the British Fireworks Association (BFA)

Consumer safety product awareness programme report, drawing on an online survey by Atomik Research (PDF, 746KB, 14 pages) – Provided by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA)

Submission from Association of Convenience Stores (PDF, 163KB, 3 pages)

Noise

Submission from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) (PDF, 199KB, 4 pages)

Position paper on the use and sale of fireworks – Provided by the British Veterinary Association (BVA)

BVA Voice mini-survey (PDF, 382KB, 3 pages) – Provided by BVA

Submission from the British Fireworks Association (BFA) (ODS, 54.8KB)

Injuries and accidents

Hospital admitted patient care activity 2017-2018 – Provided by RoSPA

See:

External causes spreadsheet

Submission from the British Horse Society (BHS) (PDF, 136KB, 3 pages)

Intelligence related to non-conformity and non-compliance with product requirements

Firework occurrence summary 2014-2019 (PDF, 382KB, 5 pages) – Provided by the Civil Aviation Authority

Other

Reports, debates and petitions – Provided by the Firework Abatement Campaign

See:

Full report 2019

MP briefing firework debate 2018

Addendum to report 2018

Full report 2016

Not a one-way road – Severity, progression and prevention of firework fears in dogs (Stefanie Riemer, 2019) – Provided by RSPCA

Fireworks information commissioned by OPSS

Fireworks: noise levels and impacts on health and the environment (PDF, 246KB, 7 pages)

Open source monitoring report – Fireworks (PDF, 1.14MB, 9 pages)

Scottish consultation on fireworks

Consultation on fireworks in Scotland – Provided by the Scottish Government

See:

Analysis of consultation responses

Nationally representative opinion poll

Review of existing evidence

Fireworks action plan: Promoting the safe and appropriate use of fireworks in Scotland

Petitions Committee inquiry

Fireworks report 2019 – Provided by the House of Commons Petitions Committee