Use of Pyrotechnics

[Luke]

Hey,

 

I've been reading these forums for a while now, but only certain laws have been brought up. I was just wondering, what are the laws/regulations of using pyrotechnics? I read somewhere that you must have a fire exit between the audience and the pyro, and that you have to have the pyro 10+ feet away from the audience, but I want to know if there are any other regulations.

 

Any help would be good,

Regards,

Luke.

[andystone]

Check out this page on Le Maitres web site http://www.lemaitreltd.com/Safety.asp

 

You can download the code of practice from this page, which should help.

 

Andy Stone

Stagetec Distribution Ltd

www.stagetec.co.uk

[Luke]

Thanks! The Code of Practice is here for anyone else interested: http://www.lemaitreltd.com/LeMaitreCodeofPractice.pdf

[Brian]

Plus, any venue which operates with a Public Entertainments Licence (ie all of them operating legally) will have conditions imposed by the licensing authority.

[Jivemaster]

Your first point of contact is your venue licence holder, see the licence terms and conditions. Liase through them with your licensing officer at your licensing authority, - local council probably now.

The code of practice gives some guidance assuming your licence holder permits pyros.

The storage of pyros ( explosives ) is regulated and often the first point of contact is the council trading standards dept. The law is being changed currently several old acts are being combined and updated into MSER ( manufacture and storage of explosives regs) which is currently running behind its expected progress through the drafting and parliamentary process. If you need a store check its compliance with both the existing explosives acts and MSER as their regs differ and MSER will supercede the explosives acts likely within 12 months

 

UK national law will vary according to location, England and Wales the Westminster act, Scotland may differ, Ulster will differ a lot.

 

Your venue licence holder will need to get all the terms added to the licence and the insurance, and yes there's another can of worms Your theatre insurers may not cover pyros so you may need another insurer to cover use and storage of pyros, -- yes even the accountant may hate you just for asking.

 

If and once you have the licence holder's permission then Pyro Safety means

selecting and placing approved devices and firing them only if safe, to a tested plan agreed by all the relevant cast crew and managers, With risk assesments and contingency plans for failures. And essentially all written up and filed safely ready to show a HSE inspector that you had competantly planned to avoid hazards to rduce the risks and to minimise hazards in the case of a over active firing or a fail to fire.

 

The current first aid for any burn that still hurts after 10 seconds is to flush with water Sterile if possible bottled drinking water for second choice then wrap in clingfilm and get the casualty to hospital by ambulance by 999 telling the operator its a burns injury then they can stand a burns team ready at A&E