Explosives (Fireworks) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999

These Regulations may be cited as the Explosives (Fireworks) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999 and subject to the provisions of paragraph 1(2) shall come into operation on 26th October 1999.

Regulation 4(2) in so far as it relates to any mini-rocket or air bomb in category 2 shall come into operation on 1st February 2000.

In these Regulations—

• “air bomb” means a Roman candle the functioning of which comprises only the ejection of any number of pyrotechnic units, the principal effect of which is any number of reports;

• “another member state” means a member state other than the United Kingdom;

• “assembly” means an assembly which includes any fireworks;

• “aural effect” does not include any effect which is only incidental to a visual effect;

• “banger” means a firework (other than an air bomb)—

  1. a

     which comprises a tube which contains black powder and has a fuse; and

  2. b

     the functioning of which principally involves a report;

• “BS 7114” means the British Standard Specification comprising the following parts—

  1. a

     BS 7114: Part 1: 1988, the British Standard Specification for classification of fireworks published on 30th November 19882;

  2. b

     BS 7114: Part 2: 1988, the British Standard Specification for fireworks published on 30th November 19883; and

  3. c

     BS 7114: Part 3: 1988, the British Standard Specification for methods of test for fireworks published on 30th November 19884;

• and references to Parts 1, 2 and 3 of BS 7114 shall be construed accordingly;

• “category 1 firework” means a firework classified as category 1 under Part 1 of BS 7114 and includes an assembly so classified;

• “category 2 firework” means a firework classified as category 2 under Part 1 of BS 7114 and includes any assembly so classified, and any reference to a particular firework or assembly being “in category 2” shall be construed accordingly;

• “category 4 firework” means a firework classified as category 4 under Part 1 of BS 7114 and includes any assembly so classified, and any reference to a particular firework or assembly being “in category 4” shall be construed accordingly;

• “competent authority” means an authority in another member state recognised by the Secretary of State as competent to classify fireworks;

• “enforcing authority” means an authority with a duty to enforce the General Product Safety Regulations 19945 as defined by regulation 11(c) of those Regulations or an authority with a duty to enforce the Consumer Protection Act 19876 as defined by section 27(1)(a) of that Act;

• “firework” means a device intended for use as a form of entertainment which contains, or otherwise incorporates, explosive composition or pyrotechnic composition (or both), and which, upon functioning, burns or explodes (or both) to produce a visual or aural effect (or both);

• “firework of erratic flight” means a firework the functioning of which involves it following a random trajectory or a random path along the ground, whether or not it functions within a pre-determined range;

• “mini-rocket” means a firework, which is designed so that, on functioning, it propels itself into the air, and which comprises a tube—

  1. a

     the outside diameter of which, at the point where that diameter is greatest, is less than 12 millimetres;

  2. b

     which contains pyrotechnic composition or pyrotechnic units;

  3. c

     which is equipped with a stick or sticks for the purposes of stabilising its flight; and

  4. d

     the overall length of which (including the length of any stick or sticks) is no more than 300 millimetres;

• “original package” means the package in which the fireworks were supplied for the purpose of retail sale by the manufacturer or importer;

• “primary pack” means a package of fireworks of the same type, all of which are either category 1 fireworks or category 2 fireworks, which is intended to be offered for retail sale as a single unit;

• “pyrotechnic composition” means a substance or a mixture of substances designed to produce an effect by heat, light, sound, gas or smoke or a combination of these as the result of non-detonative self-sustaining exothermic chemical reactions;

• “selection pack” means a package of fireworks of more than one category or one type offered or intended to be offered for retail sale as a single unit;

• “sparkler” means a firework comprising a rigid wire partially coated with slow burning pyrotechnic composition, the functioning of which involves the emission of sparks without a report;

• “visual effect” does not include any effect which is only incidental to an aural effect.