Information
A
number of serious accidents in European Union countries involving explosions
in the large scale storage of fireworks have shown that adequate understanding
of the mechanisms that cause explosion under bulk storage conditions
is essential.
Safety guidelines are currently based on UN Test Series 6, which was initially developed for the transport classification of high explosives and munitions. There are no specialised tests available for the classification of fireworks, either for transport or, more specifically, in relation to bulk storage.
In contrast to the state of knowledge with regard to the risk of accidental explosions involving high explosives and blast effects from high explosives, there is a lack of knowledge about the mechanisms of flame spread and pressure build-up in packaged pyrotechnic articles under conditions of confinement. This information is essential in understanding their behaviour in a fire. Currently, the hazards posed by pyrotechnic articles (especially display fireworks) during transport and bulk storage are not properly quantified.
In order to address
this problem a research programme has been established entitled 'Quantification
and control of the hazards associated with the transport and bulk storage
of fireworks (CHAF)'.
This research programme will be undertaken by three partners i.e. The
Health and Safety Laboratory (United Kingdom), TNO Prins Maurits Laboratory
(The Netherlands) and Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -
prüfung (Germany) and coordinated by the former. The results from
the research will provide the knowledge and methodology to generate
appropriate information on the risks associated with the bulk storage
and transport of display fireworks. The outcome of the programme will
include proposed changes to existing UN Series 6 tests to make them
more applicable to the classification of display fireworks for transport,
and a reliable and cost-effective medium scale method for assessing
hazards in bulk storage and large scale transport.
The work programme will be carried
out as ten separate work packages and includes a literature review and
small, medium and large scale tests. This is described in
more detail in the work packages
sections of this website.