Public liability bonfire and firework events

If your PTA wants to run a bonfire/firework event, there is a specific Code of Practice that you must follow for your subscription linked insurance to apply (updated August 2010)

Fireworks can play a big part in many celebrations such as Bonfire Night, Diwali and Chinese New Year. As a member of NCPTA your association enjoys the benefit of public liability insurance cover for events that you hold; included in this insurance is cover for bonfire and firework parties organised and run by your PTA.

For public liability cover to apply your association must adhere to the following seven point code of practice. Failure to comply with every point will invalidate your association’s subscription linked insurance cover. 

Code of practice

1. The police and fire brigade authorities are to be consulted at least seven days beforehand and their recommendations are to be complied with in full.
2. All recommendations and instructions made by the manufacturer of the fireworks must be complied with in full.
3. All fireworks used are to be supplied by a reputable manufacturer and not modified by the insured.
4. The fireworks’ display and the bonfire must be sited at least 100 metres from any third party buildings or vehicles (the school is classed as a third party building).
5. Spectators must be kept at least 25 metres from the display and or bonfire.
6. At least one steward to be in attendance for every 250 spectators.
7. Qualified first aid personnel are to be in attendance and a means of summoning emergency assistance is to be available.

If your association cannot adhere to all seven points of the above code and you still wish to go ahead with your event, alternative public liability insurance cover may be available through NCPTA’s insurance brokers. This will be on the condition that your association is able to fully satisfy the Department for Business Innovation and Skills guidelines on firework safety as a minimum requirement. Please contact the NCPTA Advice Line on 01732 375460, (Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm) for further advice and a quote, before you start planning your event.  

Using a commercial organisation

If your association uses a commercial organisation, known as a third party service provider, you must ensure that they also have their own public liability insurance in place to supply the fireworks and/or run the event as they will not be covered under your association’s subscription linked policy.

NCPTA has produced a Sub-contractors declaration form, which you can ask the third party service provider to complete before the event, to confirm they have sufficient public liability insurance cover in place. Your local authority will require them to have a certain level of public liability cover if they are coming onto school property; you will need to check what the level is with the school.  Third party service providers will not be allowed onto the school or council property unless they have the correct level and type of insurance cover in place. 

If your association does use a commercial company to manage the event and set off the fireworks, you are still required to fully comply with the NCPTA’s seven point Code of Practice. Failure to do so will invalidate your association’s subscription linked public liability cover.

Planning ahead

Running a successful and safe bonfire and/or firework event takes a lot of careful organisation. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has some very useful information on its website. They have also produced a free downloadable document  written specifically for people/organisations running firework displays that have no specialist knowledge.

Directgov also cover this topic, in some depth. If you are organising a bonfire/firework event you are advised to take some time to read their guidance which covers topics such as:

• who to contact about your firework display such as the local fire service and police
• a firework display check list
• keeping control of spectators
• wow to handle fireworks
• what to do after the event

Organising the event

For an event of this nature you should consider forming a sub-committee, which will have day-to-day responsibility for the event, reporting back to the main association committee on a regular basis. (The sub-committee should be formed in line with the provisions of your association’s constitution. The NCPTA model constitution requires every sub-committee to have at least one elected committee member as part of its make-up). Although the organisation of the event lies with the sub-committee, all decisions should be agreed by the full committee.

Health and safety

Health and safety must be taken into account at the planning stage, at the event itself and post the event.

It is good practice to nominate someone from the organising committee to act as the safety officer, particularly for large and / or complex activities such as a bonfire / firework event. Ideally, this person would be suitably trained and / or have some experience or knowledge of safety matters. Where this is not the case, the safety officer should liaise with the person responsible for health and safety at the school (this may be a governor and / or a teacher) and the local authority, as they too should be able to offer guidance and assistance. The safety officer will have responsibility for coordinating all health and safety matters.

As part of the planning process you should undertake and produce a comprehensive risk assessment. This will help you to identify any potential hazards and agree what steps and actions need to be taken to reduce the risk of an accident occurring.  Some key areas to think about are:

• safe transport and storage of the fireworks
• emergency drills and evacuation procedures
• first aid cover and the location of first aid posts
• the use of a public address system, as a safety measure, not just for commentary
• disposal of used/unused fireworks

The risk assessment should identify how many stewards (event helpers) will be required. All stewards must be thoroughly briefed prior to the event so that they fully understand their role during and after the event. As a further safety measure, all stewards should be easily identifiable; consideration should therefore be given to providing stewards with coloured bibs or jackets. 

Decide when and where the fireworks are to be delivered and stored prior to your event.  If you are running the firework display yourselves make sure that you purchase fireworks which can be set off by non professionals.

If you are using a third party pyrotechnician to set off your fireworks and plan to store large amounts of commercial fireworks/explosives in advance of your event, you may need to seek further advice from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) concerning the possible requirement for a licence and advice on how to store them safely. In addition you should discuss the storage and the safe disposal/return of fireworks with the supplier of the fireworks.

Safety and supervision

Some additional safety points to consider before and during the display are:

•   construct the bonfire on the day of the display; don’t use tyres or mattresses and aerosols or canisters should not be allowed under any circumstances
•   ensure that bonfires are not left unattended and are properly extinguished after use
•   bonfires should be sited away from buildings, hedges and fences (at least 100 metres from any third party buildings or vehicles (the school is a third party building) for your NCPTA subscription linked insurance cover to apply)
•   never light a bonfire using petrol or paraffin
•   check the bonfire before lighting it to make sure there are no children or animals inside
•   don’t site the fireworks too close to the bonfire
•   always follow the firework code
•   have fire extinguishers, buckets of water and sand available on the night
•   use metal litter bins, wherever possible
•   have battery operated torches at hand  
•   make sure spectators are aware that they are not allowed to bring their own fireworks or sparklers to your event and they will be refused entry if they do

Check all traders, services providers and guest entertainers such as caterers, sound professionals, etc. have their own public liability insurance and obtain a copy of this prior to your event.  The NCPTA has produced a Sub-contractors declaration form, which you can ask third parties to complete, before the event, to confirm they have sufficient public liability insurance in place. 

After your event

Remember the event is not over until all bonfires, BBQs and fireworks have been safely and successfully extinguished, all the spectators have left the event and the area has been cleared. 

Disposing of the spent firework cases is potentially dangerous and should be done with care after all of your spectators have left.  Never put fireworks on a bonfire, even if they failed to go off. 

If any of the fireworks look as if they have not gone off, make sure you leave enough time before collecting them. Pick them up using tongs or another suitable tool and always wear strong gloves and goggles. Then place the unspent firework in a bucket of water, before disposing.  

August 2010

This National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations (NCPTA) information sheet aims to provide clear advice but should only be considered as a general guide.

Further information sheets are available from www.ncpta.org.uk. For more specific advice please contact info@ncpta.org.uk or 01732 375460.

NCPTA 39 Shipbourne Road Tonbridge Kent TN10 3DS t 01732 375460 f 01732 375461 www.ncpta.org.uk.

Registered Charity no 1072833. The NCPTA is a company limited by guarantee and registered in England no 3680271.