 28th December, 2003 Volume 10, Issue 24 |
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Fireworks:
Think before you light By
Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema Too
often, a joyful celebration turns into a painful memory when people become
victims of fireworks. The injuries suffered during festive seasons by both
adults and children due to firecrackers range from minor to severe burns,
loss of eyesight to serious injuries to limbs. Speaking
to The Sunday Leader, Director, Colombo National Hospital, Dr. Hector
Weerasinghe said that the number of victims of firecrackers has decreased
over the years. He
said while the hospital treated about 100 patients for burns a few years
ago, today it was down to less than 10 victims. He said that this is a
very consoling change. He
attributed the positive trend to successful awareness campaigns conducted
by both the government and private sectors. However, he said the public
should be reminded of the dangers as often as possible because fireworks
will always be hazardous. "Many
of the accidents happen when people decide to throw crackers at friends,
send skyrockets horizontally or light firecrackers on their palms. Two
years ago, a man under the influence of liquor lit a firecracker inside
his mouth, resulting in serious burns," he said. As
for the victims, he said both adults and children were equally prone to
injury. Speaking
of the more hazardous types of crackers, Dr. Weerasinghe noted that the
worst was the 'triangular type,' which is banned in Sri Lanka. However,
there are manufacturers of the banned category due to popular demand. Meanwhile,
the Interior Ministry too has directed the police to crackdown on the sale
of triangular firecrackers. Both triangular crackers - known as Thunhulas
and sub-standard crackers known as Cheena Patas - are banned, according to
the Interior Ministry. The
chemical substances used in a cracker include potassium nitrate, barium
chlorate, arsenic, strontium nitrate, potassium perchlorate, copper oxide,
sodium bicarbonate, carbon, sulphur, perchlorate and aluminum powder, all
of which contain potentially hazardous substances. Moreover,
most pyrotechnics produce smoke and fumes, and when inhaled cumulatively
could prove extremely unhealthy. The
flashes and sounds could also have drastic effects, particularly on the
eyes and ears. Thus, when fireworks, especially sparklers are used it is
necessary not to wear loose clothes, scarves, etc., that could easily
catch fire. The
quality of manufacturing has been a huge concern in this part of the
world, with some countries, including China, the home of fireworks
imposing a ban on the fireworks. It
must be noted that even the crackers that adhere to stipulated
manufacturing standards are not completely
safe.
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