@Tinkeringbell Can confirm that that's a worldwide thing. I can see kids handling fireworks during Independence Day here in the U.S., and during Diwali in India
The Indian ones are more dangerous, because there are fewer regulations on what chemicals can be used than on the American ones, so it's typical to see at least a few kids injured there. On the other hand, if an American kid gets injured, it's rare enough that it ends up on the local news.
@Ollie Yep, we do sparklers every Diwali, and I live close enough to an Independence Day fireworks launch site such that I can watch those from my own backyard
> A total of 168 people injured one or both their eyes with fireworks this New Year's, around 30 more than the previous New Year's, according to the Dutch ophthalmic society NOG. 13 people blinded an eye, and five completely lost an eye, NOS reports
The number of patients with eye damaged caused by fireworks has been increasing since 2017, according to NOG. The majority, 65 percent, of victims were injured by legal fireworks. Almost half of the victims were injured by fireworks lit by someone else.
Perhaps. I think it's also because they're forbidding so many fireworks here that people are getting illegal stuff instead, which is unsafer than the things that were banned...
(I think! I don't know how it's like for the sites that have 1 rep meta participation, but being set back to 1 would effectively ban you from most meta places anyway).
I was once at a bonfire night in London many years ago. All the fireworks were laid on the kitchen counter ready to be taken outside and lit. Some idiot left the back door open and a rocket came into the kitchen. We were very lucky that nobody was injured ...
@Tinkeringbell What worries me most was that when I lived in NL the older youths would set off fireworks in the street. Followed by much younger kids who would and pick up the ones that appeared to have failed and not gone off (which could of course go off when they were picked up). And not an adult in sight to supervise the little kids ...
@DavidPostill Ah yes, there have been a lot of campaigns against that. I don't think it happens anymore... A big part of those when I was growing up was focusing on 'strijkers' and indeed never lighting the same fuse twice!
Most of it these days seem to be people combining several illegal fireworks into one to make a bigger boom.
@DavidPostill I never said the people getting hurt were smart. They are either not handling the fireworks safely, are handling illegal fireworks, or are 'innocent' bystanders that 'accidentally' didn't notice the drunk neighbor was lighting up illegal fireworks...
@DavidPostill Safety glasses! 'vuurwerkbrillen' are a thing now and like 'aansteeklonten', they're a mandatory thing to buy with your fireworks at the shop we use :D
@DavidPostill Sadly, no. But then again the police here doesn't do anything really, not even fine people violating corona guidelines by throwing a 300 people party.
> A total of 168 people saw a specialist after a firework-related injury during the recent New Year celebrations, and 13 people have ended up blind in one eye, according to figures from the Dutch eye specialist association NOG.
Almost half the victims were injured by firework set off by someone else and 65% were hit by legal fireworks.
@rene Yeah... I'm sorry. I started it by pointing out it was kinda ridiculous to claim the 'vuurwerkslachtoffers' would put extra pressure on the healthcare while it's the covid cases that put on the extra pressure, the vuurwerkslachtoffers would just be regular...
