Get tips from the personal injury lawyers at Pope and Howard in Atlanta, GA.
Setting off fireworks on New Year’s Eve or other holidays is a fun way to celebrate; however, it is important to stay safe around these explosives to avoid serious injury. Keeping a few tips in mind will keep everyone safe this holiday season. Continue reading below to see tips from the personal injury lawyers at Pope and Howard in Atlanta, GA or contact our firm today if you think you have a potential case.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, people mishandling fireworks most often injure hands and fingers. Hands and fingers can suffer severe burns or people can lose them altogether.
The head, face and ears can also be injured due to fireworks and serious eye injuries are all too common.
In some cases, even death can result.
So what can you do to stay safe and keep others around you safe as well?
Even with small-scale fireworks, it is important to use both eye and ear protection. No one should be losing eyesight or hearing during the holidays because of a fireworks accident. But it is inevitable that some fireworks may go off early or in an unorthodox manner. Wearing eye and ear protection helps against the risk of this worst-case scenario taking place, and also minimizes the potential damage that could come with any accident.
Wearing gloves is also important when handling fireworks: holding them and lighting them. This protection helps prevent against serious burns that could come with any firework-related accident.
Fireworks need a quick light to get their fuse going. However, friction can also cause an early explosion, so they must be handled with extreme care. Never, for any reason, carry around fireworks in your pocket. They must be carefully handled for the shortest amount of time possible until they are lit. Otherwise, serious and potentially fatal injuries could happen as a result. Be sure to keep any fireworks in a safe place until you are ready to use them.
Getting carried away with fireworks is an easy way to injure someone else. One tip to keep in mind is to never try to emulate professional firework displays at home. Experts handle major firework displays for a reason. If you take on too much, the risk of injury increases.
This may be the most important thing to keep in mind when it comes to fireworks and safety. Children should be nowhere near fireworks for any reason. They will not understand the risks involved and could turn a safe situation into a dangerous one without even realizing what is happening. There is also the obvious risk of a young child suffering a serious injury in such a situation.
Have you been a victim of a firework-related accident that was not your fault? If so, contact Pope & Howard today. Our firm specializes in helping victims seriously hurt due to the negligence of others.