Each year, tens of thousands of people are injured in fireworks accidents. While these incidents can occur when someone is ill-trained in setting off the brightly colored explosives, they can also be the result of defective products, such as the 36,000 TNT Red, White, & Blue Smoke fireworks now under recall.
American Promotional Events recalled 36,100 TNT Red, White, & Blue Smoke fireworks that can explode unexpectedly after being lit, posing burn and injury hazards to consumers.
According to a notice posted with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the recalled fireworks have been linked to three people suffering burn injuries. No property damage has been reported.
The pyrotechnic devices, which make smoke when lit, were sold from May 2017 to June 2017 at Albertsons, Kroger, Meijer, Target, Wal-Mart and other retailers in Illinois, Ohio, Vermont and Wisconsin.
The fireworks — which can be identified by the UPC number 027736036561 — came in a bag containing one red, one blue and one white canisters.
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled fireworks and contact America Promotional Events for a full refund at 800-243-1189 or via email at info@tntfireworks.com.
The recall comes on the same day that the CPSC held its annual fireworks safety demonstration, which was broadcast live on Facebook.
The CPSC’s demonstration included setting off several fireworks explosions mirrored after scenarios that have killed or seriously injured Americans.
“Seemingly simple safety tips can really avoid injuries when using fireworks,” Ann Marie Buerkle, acting chairman of the CPSC, said during the demonstration.
Some of the steps to a safer celebration from the CPSC include:
• Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks.
• Avoid buying fireworks that are packaged in brown paper because this is often a sign that the fireworks were made for professional displays and that they could pose a danger to consumers.
• Always have an adult supervise fireworks activities. Parents don’t realize that young children suffer injuries from sparklers.
• Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse.
• Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not ignited fully.
• Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
• Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap.
• Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly.
• Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.
• After fireworks complete their burning, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding it to prevent a trash fire.
• Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them.
Related: Listen To A Guy With Experience Talk About Fireworks Safety
According to the CPSC’s annual fireworks report [PDF] released earlier this week, in 2016 four people died and more than 11,000 were injured in incidents involving fireworks.
On average, 230 people go the emergency room every day with fireworks-related injuries in the month around the July 4th holiday, the CPSC notes.
Of these fireworks-related injuries, 69% involved burns. Additionally, 33% of all fireworks injuries occur on the hands, 28% to the heads, faces, and ears, and 18% on the legs.
As for the products associated with these injuries, the CPSC estimates that 900 emergency department-treated injuries were associated with sparklers and 400 with bottle rockets.
Another 1,300 were related to firecrackers. Of these, 47% were associated with small firecrackers, an estimated 4% with illegal firecrackers, and an estimated 49% with firecrackers for which there was no specific information.
by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist
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