Splash & Relax
Fireworks Buyer's Guide
Fireworks Buyers Guide
At Splash and Relax, we want to help to make sure that your firework event is as enjoyable and as safe as it can possibly be. Follow our safety guidelines and have a great event!
Firework Safety:
FIREWORK CATEGORIES – What do they mean?
- Cat 1 – Indoor Fireworks – these are safe to ignite indoors preferably on a non-flammable tray or plate.
- Cat 2 – These fireworks require a minimum safety distance of either 5 metres or 8 metres between spectators and the display area.
- Cat 3 – A minimum safety distance of 25 metres is required between spectators and the display area.
Before choosing fireworks
- Decide where you are going to hold the display
- Measure out the entire area. If the distance is less than 25 metres between the display area and spectators you should only choose Category 2 fireworks that have either 5m or 8m safety distance requirements
- If the distance is over 25m between display area and spectators you can choose any Category 2 or Category 3 fireworks
- Check the area for overhead tree branches - fan effect fireworks have big spreads. The shots ejected from fireworks can bounce off branches – don’t assume they will go straight through
- Check the entire area for potential risks – for example, are there any green houses or sheds nearby, do they have flammable materials stored inside?
Purchasing Fireworks
- Always use a reputable Firework Company to buy fireworks. It is illegal to buy fireworks from any unlicensed trader, and offers from “the back of a van” or “a man in a pub” should be avoided for both you and your spectators’ safety
- Ensure all fireworks purchased have the BS7114 part 2 or CE mark on them
- Do not be afraid to ask questions! All retailers should know all about the safety distances and requirements for a safe and happy event.
Things you will need on the night
It’s easy to get a few household things together, these are:
- A closed metal box to store the fireworks – take them out one at a time
- A bucket of water – to cool sparklers and put out any small fires
- Eye protection and gloves for those lighting the fireworks
Setting up your Display
Safety is the most important aspect of your display
Ensuring that your fireworks remain upright is imperative
There are a number of methods for this but for cakes, barrages, mines and single ignitions we recommend putting a stake in the ground and securely attaching the firework with gaffer tape or cable ties
- Position the stake between the firework and your spectators
- Tie securely but not overtight, the tubes need some room for expansion as the shots are ejected
- Make sure you know where the fuse is located
- If damp / wet, place the fireworks on a waterproof surface e.g. carrier bag
- If raining, keep you fireworks covered until you are ready to light them
- For Catherine Wheels, fix securely to a post and ensure firework is free to rotate before lighting
- For Rockets, use the tube supplied by your retailer and angle slightly off vertical
Lighting fireworks
- Only designated persons should be responsible for letting off fireworks
- Light fireworks at arm’s length, using a portfire or similar
- Never go back to a firework that has been lit – even if it hasn’t gone off it could still explode
- Put any fireworks that have failed to ignite in a bucket of water and leave overnight before disposing
Other tips on the night
Finally, follow these other rules for a safe night:
- Keep pets indoors – most animals get very scared by the lights and noise from fireworks
- Never put fireworks in your pocket or throw them
- Never throw spent fireworks on a bonfire
- Take care around bonfires – all clothes, even those labelled ‘low flammability’ - can catch fire
Types Of Fireworks:
RocketsEveryone who loves fireworks loves rockets! A classic firework type, rockets need little introduction and are always popular with both enthusiasts and audiences alike. Reaching a greater height than other aerial consumer fireworks, rockets comprise of a motor which carries the payload high into the sky and a bursting charge which ejects the effect from the head of the rocket. Launched from a tube or a rack, rockets reach a height of up to 100m and at the larger end of the scale can provide the biggest single bursts of any consumer firework, with vast sky filling performance from larger models. Smaller multipack rockets now utilise black powder bursts and are thus quieter than rockets of old, but still provide some novel and colourful effects as well as whistles and crackles, so should not be overlooked for a garden display. For a larger display, however, we offer pyromeshed rockets which are supplied in specially developed mesh cage packaging which renders them 1.4G and allows courier delivery and safe storage of the most powerful legal effects and high powder weights possible. All of the latter type demand a 25m safety distance and should be treated with respect as they are powerful fireworks. If you have the space, don’t miss out on our pyromeshed large rockets!
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Multishot BarragesWithout doubt the most popular type of fireworks for consumer use are multishot barrages. Also known as cakes or batteries, barrages consist of a number of individual tubes fastened together and internally fused so that all fire from a single point of ignition. Each tube ejects an effect high into the air, which is known as a shot. Barrages are relatively easy to set up and this, combined with the potential duration and ease of ignition, means they form the backbone of most displays, providing continuity and of course spectacular effects. The majority of barrages are Category 3, meaning they have a safety distance of 25m, however, increasing number of Category 2 barrages are becoming available, with an easily accommodated 5m safety distance. Thanks to modern firework technology, the range of barrage styles and effects available is now vast. |




















