Winds in the east… Mist coming in… Like pyrotechnics are brewing… And firework night is about to begin! It’s that time of year again when we all bundle up warm to watch a couple of Catherine Wheels spin around in the garden. Or, if you’ve got grander tastes, you might go and stand in a local field with some watery hot chocolate to watch the big show. Queue the ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs.’

We love bonfire night as much as the next person, but what happens when you’ve got a load of fireworks left over? You couldn’t set them off on November 6th. That would be madness. No, you’re going to be smart and save those excess fireworks for next year. Next-year-you will be thanking present-day-you for saving them some pennies! 

You’ve come to the firework storage experts to figure out how to best store all your rockets and wheels and sparklers. (Probably don’t want to chuck them in the garage and hope for the best, after all.) While fireworks are our favourite form of pyrotechnic, they can be quite dangerous if not handled correctly. In fact, if you have more than 50 kg of Hazard Type 4 fireworks, you’ll need to nab a license to store them safely and legally.

Sparklers

What are firework Hazard Types?

If you’re anything like the average Tom, Dick or Harry, all you know is that fireworks go boom and look pretty. But you probably don’t know all the in-s and out-s of firework storage. There’s a whole world of firework classifications out there that you need to master before you tuck your fireworks away for next year. 

A firework’s Hazard Type basically tells you how tricky that type of firework is to store and transport. Pretty self-explanatory, right? 

A Hazard Type 1 firework can pose a very high hazard risk with a potential of mass explosion. A mass explosion means that the entire body of explosives explodes as one. (Try saying that ten times fast.) You likely won’t be able to buy these bad lads at your local supermarket. These are reserved for professionals only! 

A Hazard Type 2 firework can be a serious projectile hazard but doesn’t have the same potential for mass explosion like a Type 1. We’re sure you can guess what a projectile hazard is – the potential danger that a flying object or material could move very quickly outwards and cause harm. Best leave these ones for the professionals, too. 

A Hazard Type 3 firework can be a potential fire hazard and a minor blast hazard or a minor projection hazard – or both! What fun! They’re still dangerous fireworks to be storing but don’t have ‘mass’ hazards. Even a minor hazard can be very harmful, but you are allowed to store 100 kg of these fireworks for 5 consecutive days maximum. 

A Hazard Type 4 firework is the type of firework that you’ll likely be able to get your hands on. These are the types of fireworks that are available for public purchase in your local shops. Most fireworks fall under this category. They should still be treated with caution, but present a low hazard in the event of ignition, so there’s no significant blast of projectile fragments if something (Heaven forbid!) goes wrong. 

Fireworks display

How to safely store fireworks

If you’re dealing with less than 50 kg of Hazard Type 4, then you’re good to get storing. There are a couple of safety measures that you’ll need to run through before you can put those fireworks out of your mind until next year: 

  • We’re trying to store our fireworks, not set them off. Ensure you understand how to prevent fires or explosions (i.e. don’t store the fireworks near flammable materials or near to any source of heat.)
  • Pack away your ciggies. You should never smoke when handling fireworks.
  • Keep the fireworks in dry storage. That means somewhere that’s ideally temperature-controlled and really well insulated. The attic isn’t the best place because the temperature changes a lot and may get humid
  • Nobody likes a soggy firework. If they’ve been caught out in the rain, or you decided to give them a little soak, you’ll need to dispose of any and all damp fireworks.
  • We’ve said it before, but it’s worth restating (because you’ll get in trouble otherwise!) If you have more than 50 kg of fireworks, then you’ll have to get a license to store them legally.
  • Little hands or prying paws need not apply. Keep the fireworks out of reach from children and animals.
  • When storing your fireworks, make sure you don’t just chuck them in a heap on the ground and hope for the best. We’d advise that you wrap your fireworks in plastic bags, professional boxes or sealed bin liners to keep them safe.

We don’t mean to be the party-pooper, but we just want to make sure you’re aware… Selling fireworks without a license is strictly forbidden! A big no-no! So, if you can’t store your fireworks safely, you will need to get a sales license or dispose of those fireworks safely.

Firework display

How long can you store fireworks safely for?

When storing Hazard Type 4 fireworks, you can safely keep them under these conditions:

  • You can store 5 kg of Type 4s forever! There is no limit to how long you can keep 5 kg of Type 4 fireworks.
  • For 3 weeks, you can store 50 kg of Type 4 fireworks.
  • It gets a bit trickier when you start adding more fireworks to the mix. If you’ve got up to 250 kg of fireworks, you can store them in the place of intended use for 3 days. However, you will need a license to do this legally.

If you’ve got your hands on some Hazard Type 3 fireworks, they can be stored safely under these conditions:

  • Like with Hazard Type 4 fireworks, Type 3s can be stored forever if you’re working with 5 kgs or less.
  • When you’ve got over 100 kg of Hazard Type 3 fireworks, you can store them for 3 consecutive days in the place of intended use. But, again, only with a license!

If you need a license in order to store your fireworks, make sure you contact your local council.

Maybe bonfire night has come and gone and you’ve got a few fireworks left over. Not got a temperature-controlled, dry space to keep them in? Don’t stress – our clean, dry, secure storage containers are perfect for storing fireworks safely. Get in touch to discuss your options!