Consequences / fuck-ups:
http://members.shaw.ca/gryphon223/consequences.html
Some safety: (copy/pasted from mah site)
Area...
1. Clean! Clutter == deathtrap! No un-necissary fuse, compositions, solvent, completed devices, inserts, etc. If something did go wrong with what your working with... extra un-needed things in the area could go up too, making a bad situation a worse situation. Clean the work area, tools, mixing containers, etc... frequently! Dust and residue from various chemicals can accumulate and be a hazard!
2. No food or drink! It is easy to get poisoned when working with pyrotechnic chemicals! Many are super fine and can become airborne easily! This means if you have a drink in the work area you can easily get chemical particles in it. Very few chemicals in pyrotechnics are actually good for you, so best keep the food out of the area! If you really know what your doing, you should be fine, but just remember the risk you are running! Working improperly with barium nitrate has been a common way to get poisoned.
3. Store completed devices as well as you can... preferably per BATFE regulations if you can. If you can't, then at least store completed devices away from the work area, away from humidity, electronics, other people, etc... to minimize the damage if they happened to go off. It really should not be too hard to make a storage magazine though. Many pyros wont want to register even if they make it. Meh. Too each their own. Just remember... The BATFE is for the most part fine with hobby pyrotechnics... Want proof? Pyrotechnic clubs that are running massive conventions like The Pyrotechnic Guild International. The BATFE work with them extensively to ensure successful, safe conventions year after year. ... Its a certain group thats overstepping its jurisdiction that hobby pyrotechnicians should be most wary of. I talk of course of the CPSC... but this is a topic for a different section... (NOTE TO SELF: ADD CPSC SECTION AND LINK HERE)...
4. Don't store compositions like flash! Mix them as needed in the exact quantity needed to finish a device or devices! If you have several rockets that you want to put flash headers on for instance, prep the rockets one by one, then store them out of the work area, then mix up SOME of the flash, for flash i would NOT recommend mixing over 100g at a time... 100g is still a huge amount though. Ideally we would mix like 10g batches... But yeah... Then load it into the rockets one at a time and move the completed ones out of the area as they are finished. The idea is to keep as little composition in the work area as possible and hence reduce the damage possible when accidents occur. This is ALWAYS a good practice. Another option is to mix flash INSIDE the devices themselves. You do this by adding a pre-measured amount of each component of the flash or report mix to the header, shell, or insert without mixing them, just pile them on top of each other, then you seal up the header, shell, or insert, then gently roll it around in your hands to mix the flash inside the container right before you are going to fire it... By the way, if you mix up some flash and spill some of it, dampen and clean it up... Don't just cover it up. Out of sight and out of mind does not work in pyro. Some guys were mixing up flash (illegally) at PGI one year in a gravel parking lot. Some was spilled and someone covered the spill up with gravel... Then it all went off, gravel sparks. Don't be a dumb-ass. Also, don't mix up compositions in confined places. Like mobile homes or campers. DON'T BE A DUMB-ASS.
5. Keep the area static electricity free! Keep a humidity meter in the work area if you can! Dry air increases the chance of static electricity! Humid is good... Too humid sucks for trying to dry things like stars... but for the most part somewhat humid is good. I don't have any recommended humidity levels on hand for work areas...
6. No spark producing stuff! No welding equipment, grinders, motors, pilot lights, cigarettes, power tools, vehicles, or other sources of sparks, heat, etc in the work area! Exception could be made for motors and such that are explosion proof, meaning that they are completely sealed so that if they were in an explosive atmosphere like O2/H2 they would not create sparks able to ignite it. Obviously this is expensive for star rollers and such, so it is best to otherwise minimize the chance of accidents as best as possible. Use common sense. NO CELL PHONES! NO SMOKING! DON'T LIGHT OFF SMALL PILES OF COMPOSITION IN THE WORK AREA!
7. Clearly label all containers for chemicals, compositions, solvents, etc! Its also a good idea to add chemical formulas, nominal mesh or micron ranges, emergency procedures, incompatibilities, the composition (if mixed), and in some cases the date the chemical was manufactured... some somewhat go bad...
8. Store chemicals appropriately! Store oxidizers separate from fuels! Store solvents separately! Store chemicals away from finished devices!
9. Its a very good idea to keep Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for all the chemicals that you have in your work area. You can refer to them for information for safety, checking exact purity if listed, particle size spread, partical shape, and much more. Most suppliers include MSDS sheets with the chemicals when you order or buy them for no charge. Alternately you can find them online. However your product may be different from an MSDS found online.
10. Keep the poison control hotline phone number, the address of where you are, how to get there, other phone numbers for family, doctors, etc... on hand... perhaps right next to the nearest phone or tacked to the wall. You never know... you may accidentally poison yourself or otherwise need advice or medical attention. It would be best to always have another person present and make it clear to them that they need to contact the appropriate authorities in an emergency and tell them exactly where the numbers are and address, directions to address, etc are on a pre-made piece of paper...
11. If you use sulfur or sulfur containing compounds in the area, don't use chlorates too! Don't share tools, containers, etc!
12. If you use chlorates in the area, don't use sulfur, or sulfur containing compounds too! This includes vulcanized rubber! Beware the rubber bottomed shoe! Chlorates are that dangerous! Don't share tools, containers, etc! Perchlorates are less dangerous with sulfur, but still much more sensitive than many pyros realize.
13. Keep a fire extinguisher and water at hand incase of a fire. Its also a good idea to keep a metal bucket full of sand outside the work area where if a fire was in if, it would post no dangers... This bucket is for abandoning moist compositions that are heating up or giving off ammonia or other fumes, as they may very well burst into flames spontaneously. This can happen due to chemical incompatibilities as listed below. Its somewhat rare when you know what your doing... but its good to be prepared regardless. 2.5gal re-chargeable (with normal bike air pump) water fire extinguishers are very handy. Display companies generally have 3 or 4 of these when they shoot a display to put out any small fires. You should be able to find one online with a current hydrostat test certificate for around $50. Shop around.
14.
How to work...
1. Always be aware of what you are doing and what is around you! Don't let people sneak up on you and scare you, this can lead to accidents!
2. Don't be forceful with explosive compositions or devices. They don't like it. They will happily fuck you up!
3. Don't grind mixed compositions! This includes things like flash, whistle mix, most star compositions, fuel/oxidizer, etc... Exceptions are black powder and black power like star mixes that don't have metallic fuels. Never grind chlorate/fuel, perchlorate/fuel, or any other oxidizer/fuel mix aside from potassium or sodium nitrate/charcoal/sulfur... Unless you are 120% sure it is insensitive enough.
4. Don't run a ball mill in the work area! Or in any living area for that matter! Run ball mills far away from the manufacturing building via an extension cord. When you are going to check the progress of the mill, unplug the extension cord as far away from the ball mill as possible before approaching the mill. The exception to this is when the mill is very clean and milling just a fuel or oxidizer on its own so no possible explosion can happen.
5. Don't use sparking milling media like iron or steel! Use lead (hardened is preferable) or brass! A good source of lead milling media is .54 caliber musket balls from a gun shop. Its not hardened, but it works. A good source for brass is solid round brass rod from home improvement stores. This can be cut into little cylinders and sanded to use as milling media. 5/8" is around the right size. Another option to get the best of both worlds, the heaviness of lead, and the hardness of brass... is to use brass pipe, then cast lead into it and cut it into sections. Personally i just use .54 caliber lead musket balls at this point, however im likely to make more media via brass rod for BP in the near future. A bit of lead dust will get into your black powder, so if you can get brass, go for it.
6. Its a good practice to use different milling containers for different chemicals or classes of chemicals to reduce cross contamination. Also rinsing out the mill and scrubbing it down really well with hot soapy water is highly recommended between milling different chemicals in the same jar. Individual jars for milling: black power, charcoal, metal fuels, potassium nitrate, and organic fuels would be a good idea. If milling perchlorate, a container just for that would be good too. Same goes for chlorate (remember vulcanized rubber has sulfur! A PVC milling jar might be best here). Mind the sodium impurities due to cross contamination from milling jars and other sources! It can easily ruin colors!
7. Don't use sparking tools! Its best to use aluminum and brass tools for most things wood can also work well some of the time. Ramming a rocket using steel tooling is a recipe for disaster!
8. Stay static free! Ground yourself if you feel so inclined! Its a good idea when working with extremely sensitive compositions like flash and whistle! Some people sware by anti-static sprays when mixing these compositions. I have yet to mess with them, however, not having an accident yet while using it is not a testament to if it actually works well.
9. Beware of fine particulate dust(s)! Wear a respirator whenever dust is involved! Its a cheap investment that will prolong your lungs and general health! Also use slow deliberate movements to avoid scattering chemical dust(s) into the air in the first place. Many pyro chemicals are actually so fine that you might not notice when they floating around in the air and you are breathing them in.
10. Wear a face shield or other strong eye protection when mixing compositions and working on devices. Both to slightly lessen the chance of getting particulate dust(s) in your eyes, and lessen the chance of losing eyes if an accident should happen. You only get one pair of eyes.
11. Ear protection is a mixed blessing! You may preserve your hearing... but you are less able to hear others who may be trying to alert you to the presence of a hazard like a fire or a container thats about to fall off a table, etc! So really thats your choice! Overall its a good idea to have ear protection of some kind. You only get one pair of ears.
12. Wear chemical protection gloves when working with chemicals, latex and nitrile are common, keep track of what you have touched with your hands, with or without gloves on. If you are not using gloves, its likely that you will get absorption poisoning when messing with something particularly nasty someday (ie barium/strontium nitrate). Wash your hands frequently either way. Washing chemical gloves off is an option when you are handling relatively benign compositions like black powder and don't want to throw gloves away as its kinda wasteful. I have re-used a pair of nitrile gloves many times before, they don't wear out very fast. They are very high quality, despite them being disposable. I have used them multiple times when making perchlorate based compositions too, however, they tend to yellow a bit. Also though black powder is rather benign, it can have significant lead present from the milling media.
13. Kevlar gloves and arm sleeves are a good idea! Especially when mixing dangerous compositions!
14. Be aware of the dangers of the chemicals you are using!
15. COTTON! COTTON! COTTON! Do not wear synthetic clothing! They can melt when they burn and stick to skin! Kevlar (Aramid) and Nomex are some of the exceptions as they have been engineered to decompose without melting! They can take very high temperatures reasonably well. Race car suits and liners are usually Nomex. Many modern firefighting suits are generally Kevlar. Sometimes they are a mix of Nomex and Kevlar... You can also get flight suits from army surplus stores that are many times Nomex based... ON SECOND THOUGHT I THINK KEVLAR MIGHT BE NON-STATIC PROOF MAKING IT NOT THE BEST CHOICE. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT NOMEX. Something to look into.
16. Be aware of solvent fumes!
They can easily form explosive atmospheres. Sometimes the solvents will mix with the air and travel impressive distances to find a running motor or other possible source of ignition. Several accidents with acetone vapor have happened with pyros working in their garages. The blast of flames resulting from such explosions has lit up nearby exposed stars. Just imagine if they lit up some big titanium salutes. Solvent vapor can also kill brain cells. Wear a respirator. THIS WAS ALREADY COVERED?!
17.
Chemical Incompatibilities...
1. Chlorates and Sulfur (or phosphorus or arsenic).
Chlorates and sulfur are extremely shock, friction, and heat sensitive. They are also spontaneously combustible from chlorine dioxide gas that is formed from traces of sulfuric acid reacting with the chlorate. The sulfuric acid is formed from water reacting with the sulfur. Chlorine dioxide gas is a friction, shock, heat, and otherwise extremely sensitive explosive gas, and very strong oxidizer. Anything that is oxidizable, it will oxidize, leading to heating up, and ignition. Sometimes carbonates are added to try to stabilize the mixes and prevent acid from forming, but this does not work appreciably. Also sulfur does not even have to be present. Any acid lending H+ ions will lead to some chlorate decomposing into chlorine dioxide. Therefor chlorates and sulfur should be kept far away from each other. In other words, not only should you work with both using different tools, but using entirely different buildings if possible. Just a trace (a couple molecules) of both is all that is needed for a serious accident to happen. Don't use chlorate based stars with a black powder based prime. Don't use chlorate based burst (H3) with blackpowder based stars, priming, fuse, etc. NO SULFUR SHOULD BE IN A COMPOSITION IF CHLORATE IS ANYWHERE NEAR IT!
2. Chlorates and Ammonium compounds.
Chlorates and ammonium compounds will undergo a double-replacement (metathesis) reaction to produce the extremely dangerous ammonium chlorate. It is extremely sensitive, extremely explosive, and decomposes forming chlorine dioxide gas (see above) that generally leads to spontaneous combustion.
Note to self: Shimizu exceptions?!
3. Chlorates with Metals and nitrates.
Some metals used in pyrotechnics can readily reduce nitrates into ammonium compounds with the release of heat. With chlorate present too, ammonium chlorate can form. (see above and below)
4. Aluminum and Nitrates.
Aluminum can reduce nitrates to ammonium compounds and hydroxide ions. Some of the aluminum reacts with these hydroxide ions with the release of much heat, this can often lead to spontaneous combustion. If you smell ammonia gas when making or drying stars for instance it is a very good idea to immediately take the stars outside away from combustible materials and check how hot they are. They may burst into flames. You never really know. Addition of small amount of a weak acid can neutralize any formed hydroxide ions, the general choice is Boric acid. Also the use of a non-aqueous wetting agent and non-water activated binder is generally a good idea with such compositions. A coating on the aluminum like sterin which is on the majority of flake aluminum powders helps substantially, however, spontaneous combustion can still occur. Its best to keep an eye on nitrate/aluminum compositions that are drying to make sure that if something does happen, you are there to stop it. Don't store nitrate/aluminum compositions if you can help it, unless they are stars that are throughly dry, and kept sealed from moisture. Addition of 1-2% boric acid is a very good idea!
5. Magnesium and Nitrates.
Magnesium is attacked by acids much easier than aluminum, it will react with the boric acid, especially with the presence of moisture, like is introduced when using water soluble binders like dextrin. Magnesium should be coated with linseed oil if to be used with water soluble binders. Otherwise water should not be used as a solvent and a non-water soluble binder such as PVC, parlon, schellac, etc should be used. Magnesium should be coated with with potassium dichromate if to be used with ammonium perchlorate (see below). DO NOT ADD BORIC ACID TO MAGNESIUM/NITRATE COMPOSITIONS!
6. Magnesium and perchlorates or chlorates (and ammonium compounds).
Magnesium will generally get somewhat oxidized by perchlorates or chlorates to the point that it is much less reactive, if reactive at all during storage. Magnesium does however have the potential to react with perchlorates to form magnesium perchlorate, an extremely hygroscopic chemical with the release of heat, and a strong oxidizer. Magnesium chlorate is probably not a very good chemical to have around in a composition either. Magnesium is also reactive enough to react with the weakly acidic ammonium (NH4+) ion, because of this, magnesium should not be used with ammonium compounds like ammonium perchlorate, ammonium nitrate, or ammonium chloride without being protected from a surface treatment of linseed oil, parrifin wax, or potassium dichromate. Potassium dichromate is generally the best because the dichromate acts as a catalyst for perchlorate compositions the magnesium is used in, and it is very effective as a coating. If using ammonium perchlorate / magnesium compositions, generally it is recommended to coat with potassium dichromate. The only downside to coating with potassium dichromate is that as a species containing chromium, it is very toxic / poisonous, and hence dangerous to work with.
Selected Pyrotechnic Publications of Dr. Takeo Shimizu, Part 1, by himself, has some very excellent data on coatings for magnesium, and i strongly recommend that if you are interested to read the relevant portions of his work via Google books, or better yet, purchase them. He proposes a room temperature 24 hour soak in a solution containing magnesium sulfate, ammonium dichromate, and guanidine nitrate in specific ranges, each chemical carrying out a vital role.
7. Perchlorates and sulfur.
Surprise! Surprise! You thought that this was a safe combo huh? Well, it really is not all that stable! Only a bit more stable than chlorates and sulfur! It takes very little friction or impact to set off mixes containing perchlorates and sulfur, like their more unstable chlorate brothers. One of the demonstrations that i witnessed at the PGI convention was to show this instability. The presenter ground a miniscule amount of a perchlorate / sulfur based composition by hand between mortar and pestle and obvious popping noises resulted, much like those toy balls that you smash together and they pop... I'm not saying that you should not use it, im just saying to keep this instability in mind. I know that KP is very useful in particular. Also, though unlikely, it might be best to NOT mill perchlorate chemicals like potassium perchlorate with bismuth media. There is a touch explosive compound that is formed from perchloric acid and bismuth, and while it forming in a mill is unlikely in my opinion, it is probably best to not take any chances, unless you are certain. I am not.
8. Ammonium compounds and sulfur.NOTE TO SELF: IS THIS EVEN IMPORTANT HERE?! CHECK IT OUT!
I personally can't recall ever seeing a composition that had an ammonium compound and sulfur in it, aside from strobe compositions, which are an exception. However, sulfur, or more likely sulfides can react with ammonia compounds to make hydrogen sulfide gas (H2S) its the smell of rotten eggs... However... It is exceedingly poisonous too. Like on the level with hydrogen cyanide gas and other nasties. In addition, your nose can only smells so much of it before it "tires" of it and then you wont be able to smell it at all for a while. So it could be present and poisoning you though it smells like it was just around for a little while and it blew away... I have never heard of the smell coming from a star composition or anything though... yet... so you are probably safe so long as you don't use sulfides in particular.
9. Peroxides with pretty much anything.
Peroxides really don't have much of a use in pyrotechnics, because they are too unstable. Organic peroxides don't have a use at all! Forget them! It could save your life! Metal peroxides like barium peroxide or strontium peroxide have a potential use in tracers for bullets, but they are still very sensitive, and have not been used to my knowledge in star compositions, etc due to this sensitivity. One common demonstration to show the sensitivity of peroxides is to put some sodium peroxide on a piece of paper. From the atmospheric water and the formed essentially anhydrous hydrogen peroxide the paper will violently burst into flames.
10.
Firing safety...
Display operators have a ton of responsibilities for the spectators, the sponsors, the crew, and themselves. I'm not going to go into all these really. Just too much. I refer the interested person to whatever the latest version of the PGI Display Fireworks Operator Certification Study Guide is. Or you can read a past one, then buy the up-to-date one whenever you take the class at the PGI annual event if you so do. The below is more meant as a general overview of some things that an amateur should do when testing fireworks on their private property, or another's with permission... for themselves and/or a couple observers. Legally. If you don't know what that means, you need to find out. Like everything else on this page, this is NOT all-inclusive.
1. Use eye protection.
You only get one pair of eyes. They are delicate. Protect them. I use Z87+ certified glasses designed for display firework shooters. You can get Z87+ at your local hardware store too.
2. Wear a hard hat.
Pieces of debris falling into your hair pose a hazard. Hair smells horrible when it burns. Ignited and un-ignited stars hurt. Keep in mind that some amateur stars are rolled on lead cores. This generally vaporizes as the star burns up, but thats not a guaranty. Also the casing from the shell itself, inserts, etc. You can even get nifty hard-hats that have a screen face shield in front that can't fog up, and ear muffs that can be toggled on or off the ears. As far as i know they are pyrotech/blasting specialty. But you might be able to find something similar in a dedicated construction store or online.
3. Use hearing protection.
You only have one set of ears. Protect them. Fireworks can be pretty freaking loud. Take aerial titanium salutes for instance. ... Or gabe morts. Holy shit those are crazy loud. And when you are not expecting them they are fucking scary. The first thought that goes through your mind is crap, a rockets salute payload must have just gone off right next to me. Am i ok? Do i feel any pain? Can i move? Ok. Wow. Fuck. But yeah. Wear hearing protection.
4. Wear all cotton clothing covering as much of your body as possible.
Synthetics burn into skin and get sticky. Not fun I'd imagine. Wear a long sleeve shirt that is not all fuzzy, thicker is better than those thin ones. Wear bluejeans. You will probably get them a little dirty, and they are less likely to burn than synthetics. Wear closed toe shoes. Boots are good, but nearly tennis shoes work.. though they are generally synthetics. Using cotton gloves is often a good idea too. Tight weave kevlar or nomex could be good too. nomex gloves are really common for bikers for instance. Leather is also a possibility. Just make sure its not going to burn easily. Padding does not really matter. If a shell or something goes off in your hand you will have no hand no matter how padded your gloves are. Even with like steel gauntlets or something, your hand would just be gone. Keep that in mind.
5. Use a push button ignition propane torch!
Matches and lighters suck. Torch/jet lighters still suck. Road flares and portfires however work well. Propane torches, road flares, and portfires will light the fuse in one pass, you don't have to fiddle with shielding the flame while lighting a fuse like with lighters and matches. E-match is also another possibility. Its really easy to do electric firing, and it really is very safe. A rule in the PGI is that no shell over 6" will be hand fired, they will all be fired by e-match. Just too dangerous to do otherwise. If the shells you are shooting you are making yourself, attach a suitable delay to allow you to get waaaaaaay back so you are safe and can properly enjoy the effect too. The 3" of black match thing rarely allows you to enjoy the effect and be safe unless on like 3" shells or so... So perhaps leave 6" of black match exposed or attach a piece of visco like most people do. Visco highly recommended. Also when you light fuses, you need to do it with your arm fully extended and you back towards the fuse looking over your sholder and your feet ready to walk away without turning around. This shaves time and is a safer posture should something happen. Note to self: INSERT PIC I can't remember exactly but for every foot or so away from an explosive you get the explosive force that hits you is reduced by the cubed root or something. So for instance if you were 1 foot from an explosion and the force on your body when the shock wave hit it is 2,000 Newtons... If you were 2ft it would be 12.6N ... Much more reasonable. But the sound would probably rupture your eardrums or something horrid. [NOT CERTIAN! USE REF FROM COPAE/EXPLOSIVE BOOK]. But yeah. Light fuse and retire to a safe distance.
6. How to treat DUDS/hangfires/misfires/etc
Duds suck. They are horribly dangerous. They can go off 30+ minutes after lighting the fuse. Display operators are required to wait for 30 minutes after a show before taking equipment down and starting clean up, however many wait longer just incase. 45min feels safer. If you know exactly where a dud is, after 30 minutes you could go up near it and soak the inside of the mortar tube with water from a fire extinguisher to the point that the shell is surely submerged underwater, all the while staying away from the tube, and not being stupid and looking right into it or anything. Allowing it to soak for 5-15min, then dumping it out and into a bucket of water, and keeping it there for the time being. Later it can be disposed of in a fire, but it must be burst wet so that it does not go off. However, some shells today that are made of plastic wont get soaked internally in a water soak, so these shells are more dangerous to dispose of as they can still be set off in a fire. You could always make some sort of deep fire pit in the ground and burn them in there so that even if they did go off there is less risk to you and others. Taking the shell apart and fixing it is generally too hazardous to warrant. If you do, you are making that risk for yourself. Sometimes the quickmatch leader just failed to burn through to the lift powder and time fuse, in this case one can usually just fix the problem on site, however this is the users discretion. Having professionals dispose of duds is preferred. If you are handfiring shells and you light a fuse and don't hear the characteristic thump and whoosh as the shell is flying up and out of the mortor, you just hear a little thump, but you don't hear the shell flying out of the mortar... GET DOWN! This happens when the lift gases don't lift the shell out of the mortar, they just blow around it, or when the shell never got lift powder in the first place. It will go off unless the time fuse also fails to ignite. Chances are the shell will go off though, and soon. If you are on the ground pronto with you hands protecting your head you should sustain minimal injuries, but this is no promise. Other times you will hear just the quickmatch, then later the fuse will continue to burn down, and hit the lift... so really you have no idea what to do... If you don't hear a shell take off, jump/fall on the ground as far away as you can, don't run, you wont make it far enough. Cover your head. While you are jumping down, yell, "GET DOWN!" so that any spectators will know that you are not joking and have not tripped or anything. Otherwise they could do something stupid like run out into the fields and try to get you. You have very little time though. Depending on shell size and hence minimum time fuse length. For a 3" shell you will have around 3 seconds. Or rather should. You will not get far with 3 seconds. Especially if your body is in a position where it is not poised to spring. note to self: insert stray 4" salute story??!
7. Know the safe separation distances needed between the size of display fireworks you are setting off and any spectators, buildings, tree lines, powerlines, cars, etc and observe them. Its easy to do and a hell of a lot safer. Also be aware of the weather via continual alerts for the area, and be aware of wind direction and speed as it effects fall out. Be aware of the fall out area! Be aware of the humidity! Be aware of the dryness of foliage! Be aware of any burn bans or no-firework laws!
Know the display site size and distance of any spectators, cars, buildings, etc from the fireworks at all times. The display operators dream is generally a display off an empty floating barge with no combustion hazards out in a lake, or a big wide open field with beautifully green grass that will not sustain a fire or just dirt. Rain really sucks when you are trying to shoot off fireworks. Get weather updates so that you are not caught in the rain. Its easy to do. Watch the news and check weather continually several times a day on the days leading up to the shoot. Taking a radio and turning to a weather channel on site is a good idea so long as the radio is far away from the fireworks at all times. Perhaps have some car doors open and playing music while you set up, then switch to local weather channel or alerts or whatever every once and a while. Wind is a tricky thing. When there is no wind the smoke stays in one area mostly and makes it harder to see the fireworks there. This really sucks when you have put a lot of work into something. The optimum wind direction from the audience perspective is in such a direction to push the smoke farther away from the fireworks and to the left or right so that after every firework the smoke has cleared enough to not interfere too much with the beauty of the next. Wind is also multi-leveled most of the time. At ground level it might only be blowing ever so slightly, then up between 100-200ft it might be going 10mph or more faster and in a different direction. This can suck with shells sometimes. Especially when the levels are going in different directions. Sometimes a few test shells are sent up to test the wind. Crysanthemums are a better choice than peonys. Smoke star shells would be better. A rocket with a thick smokey tail should work well too. However, this test firing must be done when the smoke from any of these fireworks is actually visible in the day light. Unfourtunatly they don't really work at night. Wind also effects fall out considerably, so you want a little wind so that stuff does not fall right back down on top of you too. You also have to make sure that the fall out area is pretty ignition hazard free too. No cars, trees, houses, people, oil depots, etc. Dry plants burn easier than wet or moist ones. If the field has tall dry grass, its a very poor choice. If your firing shells nearly one at a time, it can be do-able so long as you have a fire extinguisher to put fires out. note to self: flaming shit star shell story?! Don't run out of water. Don't shoot fireworks when there is a burn ban in effect, or an applicable no-fireworks law is in effect. Be aware of humidity, it effects static electricity.
8. Any people with you will generally be much more likely to do stupid things. WATCH THEM!
Don't allow them to approach the fireworks unless its class c and you guys are working together or something. Make sure they are not stupid enough to look into mortars or anything like that. Keep them at as safe distance away. Make sure they have cell phones, know the way to the hospital, the current address and how to give directions to get there, etc in case of an accident. Friends on booze/drugs and fireworks don't mix well.
9. Don't put any part of your body over a mortor that you would not mind losing.
A common demonstration of the power of aerial shells is to put a plank of plywood over a class c 1-3/4" mortar and fire a shell through it. The shell will punch a clean hole through the plank and reach normal height and function properly generally as if the plank was not even there. A woman was killed a couple months ago when she got an illegal 3" display cake or shells, i can't remember and lit it in her backyard. A shell did not shoot so she walked up to it and looked into the tube. She was instantly killed in front of her little kids that were watching. I can't remember as to if the shell just skimmed her head or straight up punched through it. Either way the impact killed her instantly. A good perspective is not to think of mortars and aerial shells as fireworks, but rather as loaded cannons. They have that same kind of power.
10. Have a fire extinguisher or 2. Have water.
Refill-able 2.5 gallon water fire extinguishers are really great and more professional display operators will have at least 2 to 4 present and ready at all times. I just got one actually. It has a wicked good spray for the first 15 seconds or so and a really good distance. Its a bit heavy, but im sure as hell going to use it whenever im shooting stuff off. Stomping fires out works sure... but thats like 1 small fires. Imagine a really low break crysanthemum shell... Now you have like 15 small fires. By the time you have ran up there to it and stomped about 5 out, the rest are going to be getting rather large and you will be overwhelmed.
11. Don't use e-match or any electrical firing during thunderstorms, or when you can see or hear lightning in the distance.
Forgot to mention this in number 7. Thunderstorms an lightning can cause enough static electricity to set off e-matches and such. A strike could be miles away and still set it off. When you have e-matches you must ALWAYS store them so that both wires that you would hook into the system are touching eachother, this forms a closed circuit and is much less likely to fire due to static electricity, etc. No guaranty though. Also when the weather is horrible you must stop what you are doing and retire to a safe area. Bring a tarp to cover the mortars and such. But really, if its horrible, you should not be shooting off fireworks anyways.
12. Have a good flashlight.
30-45min after shooting all the fireworks off walk the area and search throughly for duds and anything else that is potentially dangerous. Picking up pieces of trash is good too. Then come back the next morning and search the area for duds again. At night car headlights work really well in addition to a spot light. You can have your friends help you, though it is dangerous. Make sure they know the dangers. Take your time, a good 10 minutes or so at the least. Duds are most likely to be in the fallout zone, or between it and the actual fireworks. Do a through cleanup! Those little head mounted flash lights are awesome.
13. Have supplies with you!
A toolbox with visco fuse, masking tape, duct tape, quickmatch, anvil cutters, etc is very helpful. You should have one, or at least similar supplies with you. Check out my Pyro Toolbox recommendations page.
14. Have food/water etc.
Being dehydrated and hungry really sucks. Prevent it. Drink a lot, piss like a race horse.
15. Alcohol and fireworks do not mix. Neither do other drugs.
Its a lot like drinking and driving and similar situations. The risk is too great.
16.
17. Have common sense!
Sensitivity...
All pyrotechnic compositions are sensitive to most things on this list, however their degree of sensitivity varies greatly. Caution is good. Erring on the side of safety and treating all compositions with the utmost gentle treatment is best. Try to treat compositions in such a way that ignition due to all of the below is pretty much never going to happen. And treat them so that if it did happen the damage would not be too severe.
1. Friction
Like matches or rubber shoes against a pyrochemicly dusted floor. Chlorate / sulfur and perchlorate / sulfur are notoriously friction sensitive. However most star compositions friction sensitivity is unknown. Blackpowder is probably the least friction sensitive composition. Well no, probably KNO3/Sucrose.
2. Static
As in static electricity. This is often due to the air being too dry and/or working with tools that can easily develop a static charge and/or not grounding ones self. Radios and such should not be around either really.
3. Impact
Like from a hammer, or the shock of a salute falling off a table onto the ground. Pounding compositions with a hammer presents a sparking hazard if its metallic too. Using a rubber or plastic deadblow hammer is safer. Or a wooden one. This also applies to the impact of a rammer with composition. Too hard and it could set it off depending on what it is... then that rammer would fly up and into the ceiling or through the roof or something and you would probably be deaf for a while and have serious burns to the hands... if not much worse.
4. Compression
Like pressing a whistle rocket. Many compositions have an approximate pressure where if reached they will detonate, or so i think i have read somewhere. Its generally really high, but when pressing already dangerous compositions like whistle mix, its best to be 100% positive just how much pressure you are putting on the propellant and to be careful not to go higher than whatever the recommended is.
5. Concussion? / Shockwave? / Detonation?
As in a big salute goes off... and another salute nearby goes off too from the shock. This is often called sympathetic failure. It can ruin displays. One shell goes off and the shock either sets others off too, or breaks the stars or deforms the mortar next to it so that that shell does not go off properly either.
6. Touch
Like NI3.3NH3, Mn2O7, silver acetylide, etc. These have no place in real pyrotechnics. Chlorate and sulfur compositions really don't either, but they have the very real possibility of forming somehow due to cross contamination or just dust(s) getting tracked around. Perhaps different dust(s) accumulating on particulate respirator filters... *Shudders* potassium chlorate dust, sulfur dust, and moisture... recipe for disaster... and next to your face no less.
7. Spontaneous combustion / detonation
Like random fire or booms. This is rare, but can happen due to all sorts of things. Solvent vapor, chemical incompatibilities, just plain old age, moisture getting to compositions or shells and the chemicals inside getting re-crystallized in certain ways that can sometimes lead to a sensitive situation. Apparently a lot of vitamin B12 will do it too lol. note to self: WAIT... WHATTTTT?!?!?!?!!!
8.
Health hazards...
1. Inhalation
Like breathing in fine chemical dust(s). Bad for your lungs obviously. A very easy way to accidentally kill yourself.
2. Absorption
Some chemicals like barium/strontium nitrate are easy to absorb through your skin/sweat when you are working with them, and are very poisonous. This also applies to solvents and all sorts of other chemicals that im not even familiar with. Meaning, lots of chemicals do this. Be safe.
3. Abortion
Working with chemicals could cause one. I don't know how. But its entirely possible. Even if your wife/spouse/lover does not mess with them... She may just get exposed somehow. Just like coal miners and asbestose workers, the chemicals are easily tracked back into the house and can cause all kinds of problems. Its probably best to just straight up stop messing with chemicals before, during, and quite a bit (read: years) after having a baby. In addition to the obvious miscarrage situation you have to deal with wondering hands on the floor that get put in its mouth and you gotta lock up all your chemicals somewhere where the baby can't get to them.
4. Burns
They WILL happen. Usually from fuse spit. Or testing small amounts of compositions with an insufficient lighter (use a propane hand torch or lit punk, duh!).
5. Cuts
They will also happen. Clean/disinfect them well and use a band-aid or whatever is appropriate. You should have a first aid kit nearby when making or firing pyro... note to self: add page and link to first aid kit suggestions
6. Etc...
7. Turning into a fine pink mist
Not even joking.
... and this is only a taste of pyrotechnic safety...
Refrences:
1. Perigrin, Tom. Introductory Practical Pyrotechnics. Version 1.0b. Athens, OH. Falcoln Fireworks. 1999.
2. Steinberg, John, M.D., Tom Handel, and Michael S. Swisher ed. Display Fireworks Operator Certification Study Guide. 2007 Edition.
3. qwezxc12. "RE:Meal powder based stars". Online Posting. 21 Oct 2007. The Amateur Pyrotechnics and Chemistry Forum. 30 Nov 2007. <http://www.apcforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=2090&st=0&#entry24521>
4. Visser, Wouter. General safety. Practical Pyrotechnics. 3 Nov 2003. 30 Nov 2007. <http://www.wfvisser.dds.nl/EN/safety_EN.html>
5. Conkling, John A. Chemistry of Pyrotechnics and Explosives: Basic Principles and Theory. 1985. CRC Press, 1985. (via google books)
6. Dr. Shimizu, Takeo. Selected Pyrotechnic Publications of Dr. Takeo Shimizu, Part 1. 1997. Journal of Pyrotechnics, 1997.
7.
FUCK YOU FORMATTING ERRORS!
Noob/beginner info thread
Re: Noob/beginner info thread
Re: Noob/beginner info thread
), huge dets and awesome creations.
