Oooh Aaah...
GROUNDSMEN just love bonfire night. After a hectic couple of months preparing turf for the winter and spring, along come the crowds to trample all over their hallowed surfaces. Not so long ago, November nights were always frosty sharp with keep-cosy clothes an absolute necessity. Not now. Our shifting weather patterns are changing all that.
“It rains without fail when we hold our fireworks event,” bemoans Steve Rouse, Head Groundsman at Edgbaston, the home of Warwickshire County Cricket Club. “Each year we’ve suffered torrential rain leading up to 5 November or on the day itself. The only thing that it creates is a mudbath.” The scale of the quagmire is easy to imagine when one considers that the ground attracts no fewer than 6,000 people to each of three fireworks displays, all staged on the same day. For the last three years, the club have handed over the responsibility of organising this extravaganza to Birmingham City Council’s events department but, from bitter experience, Steve and his team now take steps to minimise damage to the turf by spent fireworks raining down on it.
leave their stadia standing idle for long periods of the year. Events like the fireworks display bring in valuable revenue. It’s a financial fact of life for many big sports clubs, whether groundsmen like it or not,” he remarks. “We use germination sheets or cloth squares to protect the wickets now. When fireworks explode, the plastic heads shower down on the ground and can still be quite warm when they hit the surface. They can create some ugly looking burn marks.” For smaller clubs who want to run a display and bonfire, but may not have the budget to contract out responsibility for staging the event to a specialist organiser, the issue of safety looms large. The Health and Safety
Executive, however, offers extensive guidance for those planning their own public display, while also clarifying matters for larger clubs who will be contracting out the organisation of it.
ORGANISING A PUBLIC FIREWORK DISPLAY
Before the event:
Having run the gauntlet of everything from heavy boots trampling all over freshly seeded areas to suspected contaminated ground boards that prevented anything from growing, Steve acknowledges that fireworks displays are, to him and his fellow grounds staff at least, a ‘necessary evil’.
“Clubs cannot afford to
Think about who will operate the display. Remember that certain types of firework may only be used by professional firework display operators. In untrained hands these fireworks can be lethal. If the display is to be
Is there space for the fireworks to land well away from spectators? Remember to check in daylight for overhead power lines and other obstructions. What is the direction of the prevailing wind? What would happen if it changed? Plan and mark out the
areas for spectators, firing fireworks (and a safety zone around it) as well as an area where the fireworks will fall. Think about how people will get into and out of the site. Keep pedestrian and vehicle routes apart if possible. Mark exit routes clearly and ensure they are well lit. Ensure emergency vehicles can get access to the site.
stewards/marshals. Make sure they understand what they are to do on the night and what they should do in the event of an emergency. Signpost the first aid facilities. Think about what you would do if things go wrong. Make sure there is someone who will be responsible for calling the emergency services and local authority.
Appoint enough
Don’t let anyone into the zone where the fireworks will fall and anyone other than the display operator or firing team into the firing zone or the safety zone around it. Discourage spectators from bringing drink onto the site. Don’t let spectators bring their own fireworks onto the site.
bonfire at the display then you should check the structure is sound and does not have small children or animals inside it before lighting it. Do not use petrol or paraffin to light the fire. Have only one person
If you will also have a
responsible for lighting the fire. That person, and any helpers, should wear suitable clothing eg a substantial outer garment made of wool or other low-flammable material. Make sure that the person lighting the fire and any helpers know what to do in the event of a burn injury or clothing catching fire Never attempt to relight
fireworks. Keep well clear of fireworks that have failed to go off.
If your site is near an airport you may need to contact the Aviation authorities. Ensure you have a suitable place to store the fireworks. Your firework supplier or local authority should be able to advise.
provided by a professional firework display operator make sure that you are clear on who does what, especially in the event of an emergency. Consider whether the site is suitable and large enough for your display, including a bonfire if you are having one.
If you plan on selling alcohol the bar should be well away from the display site.
On the day of the event
Recheck the site, weather conditions and wind direction
The morning after:
Carefully check and clear the site. Dispose of fireworks safely. They should never be burnt in a confined space (eg a boiler).
Detailed publications on putting on firework displays are available from HSE Books. Contact details and further information are available from the website:
www.hse.gov.uk/explosives
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