It’s never too early to start planning for a safe and successful fireworks display. Organisations holding displays need to consider a range of issues including relevant regulations, risk management and insurance coverage.
Planning should cover the following key areas:
Comprehensive guidance on how to plan for a successful event can be found in the Explosive Industry Group’s (EIG) Working together on firework displays and Giving your own firework display.
The Firework Regulations 2004 were introduced to help make fireworks safer to use and to tackle deliberate misuse. They cover topics including:
Find out more about the regulations with this guidance from The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents: Fireworks Safety and Safer Fireworks.
As with all events of this nature, conducting relevant risk assessments beforehand and adhering to risk management guidelines on the day will help to prevent a loss or injury occurring.
The public liability cover provided by RMP covers the ‘usual activities’ of a local authority. Special events such as bonfires and firework displays are considered one-off events, so you must let us know you are holding them. We will also require completion of our Firework Risk Management Questionnaire. Any additional premium payable will depend on the size of the event, your claims experience for similar events and the size of any self-insured retention.
Where specialist companies run an event on your behalf your public liability cover will only operate in respect of your own negligence in relation to the event and as part of the planning process you must ensure that they have suitable insurance cover. All but very minor groups and private individuals should have their own public liability cover, and you should make sure that they have it before the event.
Explosives Industry Group
British Fireworks Association
Department for Business Innovation & Skills
Health & Safety Executive
For more advice on how we can help lower the cost of your risk, please email contact@rmpartners.co.uk
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