Obligation to report fireworks

The Příbram Municipal Authority draws attention to the obligations arising from Decree No. 123/2014 Coll., on safety and technical requirements for the handling of pyrotechnic articles, which regulates:

• safety and technical requirements for the handling of pyrotechnic articles, in terms of their safe storage and use, in relation to their classification into classes and categories,
• the definition of a fireworks display, as well as the information to be included in the notification and the conduct of a fireworks display.

A fireworks display is defined as the simultaneous or sequentially rapid setting off of pyrotechnic articles
a) of categories 1, 2, 3 or T1, or classes I, II, III, or sub-classes T0 or T1, or (
b) category 4 or T2, or class IV or sub-class T2, which are not regarded as explosive articles, or in combination with pyrotechnic articles referred to in point (a),to produce heat, light, sound, gas, smoke or a combination of these effects by means of self-sustaining exothermic chemical reactions, provided that the total net mass of explosive substances contained in all such pyrotechnic articles set off by a single operator exceeds 10 kg in any 24-hour period within the boundaries of a single municipality.

The organiser is obliged to give advance notice of a fireworks display (no later than the penultimate working day prior to the event – Section 36d, paragraph 2 of Act No. 61/1988 Coll., on mining activities, explosives and the State Mining Administration, as amended) to the locally competent municipal authority (Příbram Town Hall, Tyršova 108, Příbram I) and to the regional fire and rescue service (Central Bohemian Regional Fire and Rescue Service, Příbram Unit, Školní 70, Příbram VIII).

Fireworks notification form    

The basic safety requirements for pyrotechnic products (in particular regarding safe distances) are set out below.

Failure to comply with these obligations may, under the aforementioned Act, result in a fine of up to 100,000 CZK for natural persons, and 5,000,000 CZK for legal entities or self-employed natural persons.

Annex No. 1 to Government Regulation No. 208/2010 Coll., on technical requirements for pyrotechnic articles and their placing on the market (extract).

Essential safety requirements for pyrotechnic articles

1. Every pyrotechnic article must achieve the performance characteristics specified by the manufacturer and communicated to the notified body, in order to ensure maximum safety and reliability.

2. Every pyrotechnic article must be designed and manufactured in such a way that it can be safely disposed of by an appropriate method with minimal impact on the environment.

3. Every pyrotechnic article must function correctly when used for its intended purpose.

4. Every pyrotechnic article must be tested under realistic conditions. Where this cannot be carried out in a laboratory, tests must be conducted under the conditions in which the article is intended to be used.

The following information and, where applicable, characteristics must be taken into account or verified

(a) the design, construction and characteristic properties, including the detailed chemical composition (mass and percentage of substances used) and dimensions; (b) the physical and chemical stability of the pyrotechnic article under all normal, foreseeable environmental conditions;
(c) sensitivity to normal, foreseeable handling and transport;
(d) the compatibility of all components with regard to their chemical stability, (
e) the pyrotechnic article’s resistance to moisture, where the pyrotechnic article is intended for use in damp or wet conditions and where its safety or reliability may be adversely affected by moisture,
f) resistance to low and high temperatures, where the pyrotechnic article is intended for storage or use at such temperatures and where its safety or reliability may be adversely affected by the cooling or heating of any component or of the pyrotechnic article as a whole,
g) safety characteristics to prevent premature or accidental initiation or ignition,
h) appropriate instructions and, where necessary, labelling regarding safe handling, storage, use (including safe distances) and disposal, in the Czech language,
i) the ability of the pyrotechnic article, its smallest consumer packaging and other components to withstand damage during storage under normal, foreseeable conditions,
j) specifications of all necessary equipment and accessories, and instructions for use to ensure the reliable and safe operation of the pyrotechnic article.

5. During transport and normal handling, pyrotechnic articles should not release any pyrotechnic composition, unless otherwise specified in the manufacturer’s instructions.

6. Pyrotechnic articles must not contain: (
a) explosives for civilian use, except for black powder or flash powder; (
b) military explosives.

7. Further requirements for individual groups of pyrotechnic articles 7
.1 Recreational pyrotechnics The
manufacturer shall classify recreational pyrotechnics into categories, in particular according to net explosive content, safety distances and noise levels.

7.1.1 Recreational pyrotechnic articles must, in particular, meet the following criteria:
7.1.1.1 for Category 1: (
a) the safety distance must be at least 1 m; depending on the nature of the pyrotechnic article, the safety distance may be shorter;
b) the maximum noise level within the safety distance must not exceed 120 dB (A, imp.) or the equivalent noise level measured by another suitable method;
c) they must not include firecrackers, batteries of firecrackers, flash firecrackers and batteries of flash firecrackers; and
d) bang balls must not contain more than 2.5 mg of silver fulminate.

7.1.1.2 for Category 2:
a) the maximum noise level at a safe distance must not exceed 120 dB (A, imp.) or the equivalent noise level measured by another suitable method;
b) the safe distance must be at least 8 m; depending on the nature of the pyrotechnic article, the safe distance may be shorter.

7.1.1.3 For Category 3:
(a) the safety distance must be at least 15 m; depending on the nature of the pyrotechnic article, the safe distance may be shorter; (
b) the maximum noise level at the safe distance must not exceed 120 dB (A, imp.) or the equivalent noise level measured by another suitable method.

7.1.2 Recreational pyrotechnics may only be manufactured from materials which minimise the risk of harm to health, property or the environment arising from fragments.

7.1.3 The method of initiation must be clearly visible or must be stated on the labelling or in the instructions.

7.1.4 When initiated and in operation, fireworks must not move in an unpredictable or uncontrollable manner.

7.1.5 Category 1, 2 and 3 fireworks must be protected against accidental initiation either by a protective cover, the smallest consumer packaging or the design of the product. Category 4 fireworks must be protected against inadvertent initiation in a manner specified by the manufacturer.

Responsibility for the accuracy of the instructions lies with

Augustin Kreuz