Pacific Northwest Pyrotechnics Association
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NWPAA Safety Guidelines

NWPAA Safety Guidelines Authority and Scope
  • The Board of Directors shall have final say in any dispute.
  • The Safety Chairman and safety team will render initial decisions.
  • The Shoot Chairman shall consult with the Safety Chairman regarding display activities.
  1. These guidelines represent a minimum standard and include only the absolutely essential rules. Members are referred to NFPA-1123-2000, NFPA-1126-1995, PGI Safety Guidelines-2001 for additional information. These documents and the combined experience of the officers and safety team will serve in guiding specific decisions made regarding shooting and manufacturing issues. Where conflicts exist, these guidelines, 2004 edition shall supersede any prior published guidelines.
  2. Material shall ONLY be fired in the approved areas for specific types of fireworks. If unsure as to where you should shoot a device, please ask a safety team member or officer. Absolutely NO fireworks are to be discharged in the parking areas.
  3. Eye protection is mandatory when inside any shooting or display area or in the designated manufacturing area. Other protective clothing is at the discretion of the shooter, subject to approval by safety. Ear protection and cotton clothing are STRONGLY advised.
  4. No smoking within fifty feet of fireworks or anywhere within roped off firing areas.
  5. If you want to shoot fireworks, don’t drink ANY alcohol! Consumption of any alcoholic beverage will result in your being not allowed to shoot fireworks that day. Illegal drugs and fireworks DO NOT MIX and are prohibited at all club activities.
  6. All Class “B” finales shall be fired electrically and shall be set up in accordance with NFPA minimum rack requirements. One person will monitor the finale for re-ignition at designated points if needed. The monitor shall maintain a 25 foot distance from finale racks.
  7. Guest and children under the age of sixteen, when shooting Class “C”/1.4G fireworks, MUST be accompanied at all times by a club member. That member MUST be at least 21 years old.
  8. No guest under the age of 18 may shoot any firework device.
  9. Only guests who are licensed pyro-technicians or PGI certified may be in the Class B/ Experimental/Rocket or Ground Salute area.
  10. All activities that include any manufacture or assembly of fireworks must be performed in an approved area. Current approved areas include the assembly tent and the hands on seminar area unless otherwise approved by the Safety Chairman of the Board of Directors. Manufacturing anywhere else is ABSOLUTELY PROHIBITED.
  11. The following items are absolutely prohibited, with the sole exception of specifically approved demonstration: parachute flares, High explosives, ground based liquid fueled flame device, explosive gas mixtures, and firearms.
  12. On the Class “C”/1.4G, baby Class “B”/1.3G and Ground Salute areas hand lighting of more than one fuse at a time is expressly prohibited. Lighting of multiple fuses may be done with use of visco or quick match with approval from the onsite safety team member. Multiple fusing of ground salutes requires a sufficient distance of separation between devices to prevent them from propelling another device in the chain, if unsure as a safety person.
  13. Firecrackers and Ground Salutes must be discharged only in approved areas and by approved means. Hand holding and tossing these devices is expressly and absolutely prohibited. There are NO exceptions to this rule. Hand holding is only allowed if device is specifically designed to be held. No tossing of any firework device is permitted.
  14. Each and every club member has a responsibility for enforcing these safety rules. If you see any safety violations either correct them or bring them to the attention of the safety team.
  15. Even though the NWPAA shoots are family events and we encourage family participation, Class “B”, baby Class “B”, and experimental areas are off limits to anybody under the age of 18. Access may be granted in certain special situations with approval from the Safety Chairman and Shoot Chairman.
  16. Vending of chemicals and fireworks shall be in areas designated by safety and approved by the officers. Only NWPAA members who have paid that days shoot fee may purchase or pickup fireworks. (NO EXCEPTIONS).
  17. At all shooting areas, materials shall be stored, prior to shooting, in approved ready boxes.
  18. Single Class “C” cakes may only be discharged from within approved shoot boxes.
  19. No one under 18 allowed in any area with 1.3G (B Class material).
  20. Any member or guest promoting any illegal or unsafe act may be directed to leave the shoot site. Membership and/or guest privileges may be suspended or revoked by the Board of Directors.
  21. These rules are general guidelines. They may be modified or amended at any time by the Board of Directors. All interpretations of these guidelines are at the discretion of the safety chairman and the officers. If you have any questions regarding fireworks activities, safety rules, etc., PLEASE ASK before making a mistake.
 

Links

National Council on Fireworks Safety

 

Pacific Northwest Pyrotechnics Association
Return to the NWPAA home page.