Lecture Notes for
Fireworks Display Practices – Outline

A few sample pages are available – click on the link to see the sample page.

Section 1: Elements of Hazard Management for Firework Displays:

• Accidents, law suits and regulation
• Definitions:
  • Hazard
  • Risk
  • Safe
• Hazard management:
  • Recognition of hazards
  • Evaluation of risks
  • Control of risks
• Display operator defined and their responsibilities

Section 2: Basic Aerial Shell Components and Their Manner of Functioning:

• Firework aerial shell shapes and sizes:
  • Spherical
  • Cylindrical
  • Basic aerial shell components
  • Manner of aerial shell functioning (manual firing)
  • Shell leader (fuse):
    • Black match
    • Quick match
  • Lift charge (propelling charge)
  • Fireworks time fuse (delay fuse) and priming
  • Stars (pellets of pyrotechnic composition)
  • Shell inserts (small pyrotechnic components)
  • Shell burst charge (break charge)
  • Shell labels

Section 3: Aerial Shell Malfunctions, Their Causes and Safety Considerations:

• Aerial shell ignition problems:
  • “Premature ignition”
  • Delayed ignition – “Hangfire”
  • Ignition failure – “Misfire”
• Aerial shell functioning problems:
  • Explosion within the mortar
    • Mild explosion – “Flowerpot”
    • Powerful explosion – “Shell Detonation”
  • Explosion just above the mortar – “Muzzle Break”
  • Delayed explosion – “Low or Ground Break”
  • Failure to explode – “Dud Shell”
  • Burning debris reaches ground
  • Shell components fall to ground unignited
• Measures to protect the public and the crew from malfunctions
• Aerial shell inspection items

Section 4: Alternate Fireworks Aerial Shell Components and Construction:

• Aerial shell fusing:
  • Top vs. bottom fusing
  • Redundant fuses
  • Spolette fuses
• Aerial shell types:
  • Multi-break shells
  • Component shells
  • Salutes / Reports / Maroons
• Spherical aerial shell star and burst charge configurations
• Cylindrical aerial shell burst configurations
• Star types:
  • Color change stars
  • Comet and strobe stars
• Electric matches and connectors
• Other ignition systems
• • “No-Match” shock tube
  • “Lightning Thermo Tube”

Section 5: Typical Spherical Aerial Shell Performance:

• Typical aerial shell and mortar parameters
• Aerial shell firing time sequence
• Internal mortar pressures
• Mortar recoil forces
• Aerial shell muzzle velocity
• Aerial shell burst height
• Effect of mortar length
• Aerial shell burst delay times
• Aerial shell burst spread (effect diameter)
• Explosive and thermal output
• Effect of mortar tilt angle (trajectory)
• Aerial shell drift distance
• Aerial shell float time in water

Section 6: Other Fireworks Types:

• Low-level aerial fireworks:
  • Mines
  • Comets
  • Roman candles
  • Cakes and multi-shots
• Firework rockets
• Helicopters
• Wheels
• Fountains, gerbs, and waterfalls
• Lancework
  • Quick match fusing
  • Sticky Match fusing
• Fire rope

Section 7: General Display Site Requirements:

• Display site size
• Site security
• Other site requirements
• Site plan
• Fireworks display permitting
• Floating vessels and platforms requirements
• Rooftops and other limited egress locations requirements

Section 8: Fireworks Display Equipment:

• Firework mortar types
  • FRE
  • HDPE
  • Paper
  • Thick Steel
  • ABS
  • Sheet steel
  • Aluminum
  • PVC
• Firework mortar requirements:
  • Diameter
  • Strength (wall thickness)
  • Length
  • Mortar plugs
  • Mortar inspections
  • Mortar racks, boxes (troughs) and barrels
  • Ready box
  • Other display equipment
  • Personal safety equipment
  • Emergency equipment

Section 9: Mortar Placement Issues:

• Mortar placement within the secured area:
  • Recommended for manual firing with reloading
  • Optional for manual firing without reloading
  • Optional for electrically fired displays
• Separation distance requirements
• Organization of mortars
• Burial of mortars
• Mortar angling
  • Down-range aerial shell trajectory displacement
  • Angling for wind drift
• Placement of mortar racks and troughs
• • Rack bracing
  • Rack barricading
  • Rack orientation
  • Trough orientation
• Placement of ready boxes

Section 10: Chain Fusing Techniques:

• Chain fusing method 1
• Chain fusing method 2
• Preparation of finale chain fusing
• Methods for slowing quick match burning
  • Comparison of slowing methods
• Delay elements for quick match
  • Self made
  • “Pyroclock” units
• Making slow-burning fuse chains
• Short fusing
• Re-ignition points

Section 11: Making Repairs to Fireworks:

• Most often needed repair supplies
• Making slow-burning fuse chains
• Specific repairs to aerial shells:
  • Missing shell leader safety cap
  • Short black match delay element
  • Damaged delay element
  • Short shell leader
  • Tear in shell leader
  • Seriously damaged shell leader
  • Fuse loop / suspender torn or missing
  • Leaking lift powder
  • Damaged casing or water-damaged shell
• Repairs to other fireworks
  • Loose components
  • Damaged nosing

Section 12: Setup of Ground and Low-Level Aerial Fireworks:

• Separation distances for ground and proximate audience displays
• Setup of fireworks on poles
• Guy wire safety tips
• Separation distances for comets and mines
• Setup of low-level aerial fireworks
• Accidental ignition considerations
• Moisture protection
• Iron wire tie example

Section 13: Manual Display Firing Procedures:

• Display operator responsibilities
• Firing crew personnel assignments
• Aerial shell loading
• Aerial shell firing
• Separation distances for comets and mines
• Ready box tending
• Aerial shell spotting during display
• Crowd control monitors
• Show interruptions
• After the show
• Requirements for barge and roof-top displays
• Requirements for firing salutes
• Preloaded manually fired displays

Section 14: Basic Electricity:

• Ohm’s law
• Wire resistance
• Electric circuit symbols
• Series circuits
• Parallel circuits
• Internal battery resistance

Section 15: Set-up and Safety of Electrically Fired Displays:

• Basic set-up for electrically fired display
• Public and crew safety
• Requirements for electrically fired displays
• Earth as a source of firing current
• Electric match sensitivity
• Precautions because of electric match sensitivity
• Mortar inspection after malfunctions
• Short wiring
• Exceptions to inspection after malfunctions

Section 16: Techniques for Electric Firing:

• Basic electric firing circuit
• Electric matches
• Characteristics of electric matches
• Electric match attachment methods
  • Attachment points
  • “Quick Fire” clips
  • “Magic Fire” igniters
• Series firing circuits
• Parallel firing circuits
• Comparison of series and parallel firing circuits
• Testing firing circuits
• Types of electric firing units
• Wire and splicing wire
• Covering electrically fired mortars