Instructions for selling and storing fireworks

These instructions apply to the sales of fireworks and storing them for sales. Instructions for storing explosives (permanently and temporarily) can be found on the Storing explosives page.

Definitions

A fireworks outlet refers to a location or service point that supplies consumers with category F2 or F3 fireworks. A notification of each fireworks outlet must be made to the local rescue department.

A store refers to the retail premises or a part of retail premises where the fireworks outlet is located.

General information on selling

Supplying and selling fireworks is prohibited between 1 December and 26 December, unless the buyer has a specific permit to use the products (approval from the rescue department). This does not apply to sparklers, party poppers, confetti, sparkler candles or other category F1 fireworks.

A fireworks retailer must make a notification in accordance with section 63 of the Act on Chemical Safety to the rescue authorities at least one month before starting the sales and the related storage of class F2, F3 and P1 pyrotechnic products. The notification must be made in writing and it must include:

1. The name, domicile, address and business ID of the fireworks retailer.
2. The location where the business will take place.
3. The purpose of the storage and the maximum amounts and types of stored explosives in each fire compartment of the storage space.
4. The structure of the storage space, fire protection and location in the building or at the property.
5. The location of storage space and outlet in the building with respect to other operations in the building.
6. The location of the building with respect to its surroundings.
7. The inclusion of the site in the facility’s rescue plan or other similar document.
8. The responsible manager for the storage of explosives and their potential deputies.
9. Any other procedures used by the operator to ensure the safety of sales and storage.

A ground plan must be appended to the notification indicating the location of the store, the surrounding area within 100 metres including any buildings in it, and the location of any planned storage facilities outside the business premises. In addition, the notification must include drawings that indicate the location of the storage facilities, as well as structural drawings if the structure of the storage facility does not meet the requirements of the SFS 4399 standard. The notification is specific to each site.

A notification of the storage of fireworks and naming a responsible person are not needed if the storage only concerns category F1 fireworks or category P1 pyrotechnic products. The use of category F1 fireworks does not require a notification to be made to the rescue department either.

Fireworks may only be supplied and sold at an outlet approved by the rescue department. Fireworks are handed over directly to the customer at the outlet. Door-to-door sales and sales from a vehicle or a shipping container are not allowed. Fireworks must not be provided to a person under 18 years of age or to an intoxicated person. A fireworks outlet must always have a person who has completed the examination for the responsible manager for the sales and related storage of explosives present whenever fireworks are provided.

The outlet must have written instructions for consumers on how to return a defective product. The consumer must have the opportunity to return the products within reasonable time even after the seasonal sales have ended. The sales personnel must also have written instructions for the safe storing and handling of defective products. The instructions for storing functional fireworks apply to storing defective fireworks as well. Defective products must be clearly marked in a manner that ensures they cannot be mixed up with the functional products. Returns of defective products is recommended to be arranged at the store in question for at least a week after the seasonal fireworks outlet has ended its operations.

Interpretations regarding outlets

Responsible manager for the sales

The manager responsible for the selling of fireworks must have sufficient knowledge of the properties of fireworks and the regulations concerning their sales and storage. They must have sufficient authority and practical possibilities to manage their duties at the retail premises. 
The responsible manager is also required to provide their written consent for the task.

The responsible manager must complete a qualification test arranged by Tukes. A certificate is issued for an approved test that indicates the types of products for which the person can act as a sales manager. The certificate is valid for 10 years.

The examination for the responsible for manager for the sales and the related storage of explosives can be taken online in the Tukes eTentti learning environment.

General information about storage

Fireworks may be stored within the retail building in the storage space of an outlet located in the retail premises, as well as in separate storage facilities in the same building. 

A shipping container located outside the retail building in a yard can be used for the simultaneous storage of fireworks in transport packaging for short-term need for a maximum of four weeks. Decree 819/2015 includes provisions on the stored amounts and Decree 1101/2015 includes provisions on technical safety solutions.

Storage within the retail premises

Category F2 and F3 fireworks may only be stored in a cabinet at the outlet. The fireworks outlet can have more than one cabinet, but the total net explosive quantity of the products may not exceed 50 kg per outlet. No other explosives can be stored in the cabinets with the fireworks. In addition, the retail premises may contain a maximum of 50 kg of category F1 fireworks. 

A cabinet inside the store must observe the principles of the SFS 4399 standard (withstand fire for 30 minutes), and the markings on the cabinet must meet the level of the standard. The fire resistance time is dependent on the construction materials of the cabinet. The following markings are attached to a warning sign at the outlet or the door of the cabinet:

• A text indicating the type and maximum amounts of the explosives stored in the cabinet.
• A warning symbol with a black exploding bomb on a white background in a red frame.
  

There must also be signs in the immediate vicinity of the cabinets prohibiting naked flames and smoking. The markings must be visible regardless of the position of the cabinet doors. A fire extinguisher must be located near the cabinet. In addition to the extinguisher, a fire blanket is also recommended to be arranged. Training should be provided to the sales personnel in the use of the extinguisher and fire blanket before the selling of fireworks begins.  The fire extinguishers are intended for extinguishing external fires that threaten the fireworks. In such an event, the cabinet doors must also be closed.

If necessary, the sales area must be clearly restricted with desks and barriers, for example. The cabinet and the fireworks outlet must be placed so that customers can easily evacuate the premises. The outlet and the cabinet must be located as far away as possible from all other operations. They must not be placed in front of the regular exits or emergency exits, or in corridors where they could hinder the access of other customers using the corridor. The cabinets must also not be placed within one metre of any heating devices, and no flammable materials must be placed near them.

The outlet should be placed so that after the purchase, the customer can directly exit the shop or business facility. Customers should be discouraged from visiting other areas of the shop with the fireworks. Fireworks should primarily be sold at an outlet with a separate cash desk for fireworks. However, selling fireworks at a dedicated and clearly marked regular cash desk is also allowed.

Every outlet is considered a separate entity. The placement of the outlet, equipment and operation at the outlet must be considered carefully, and all the risks caused by the sales must be assessed. If necessary, the assessment must also be presented to the rescue department.

Retailers are recommended to have clear instructions on how the operations and product deliveries to the outlet are handled and how it is ensured that the maximum allowed amount of explosive material is not exceeded.

Interpretations regarding the locking of storage cabinets at an outlet:

Storage facilities

Explosives must be stored so that the public has no access to them, and storage facilities must be kept locked. A naked flame, fire lighting equipment or objects that could cause sparks or other fire hazard must not be taken into the storage facility. If the storage space contains other explosives in addition to fireworks, the fireworks must be stored in their own cabinets following the principles of SFS 4399 and withstanding fire for 30 minutes.

Explosives stored in the retail building elsewhere than in the retail premises must be stored in a storage facility that forms its own fire compartment. For fireworks storage, structural components in the compartments must be at least class EI60 fire resistant. There can be several of these storage facilities in the retail building. Each of them can be used to store a maximum of 100 kg of fireworks (net). It is recommended that the storage facility is located on the ground floor or in the basement of the building.

There must be a fire extinguisher near the storage facility, outside it. On the storage facility’s door or next to the door, there must be bomb symbol, the text “Räjähteitä – Explosiva varor” and a sign prohibiting smoking and naked flames.

The electrical installations of the storage facility must observe the electrical safety regulations for potentially explosive atmospheres. The facility may only contain electrical devices that are absolutely necessary. The enclosure class of the electrical devices must be at least IP54. It must be possible to detect the energised state of electric wires in the storage facility from an external indicator light or switch.

Interpretations regarding the storage facility:

Storage outside the retail building in the yard

A shipping container located outside the retail building in the yard can be used to simultaneously store for a maximum period of four weeks for short-term need class F1, F2 and F3 fireworks in transport packaging for a maximum amount of 500 kg so that 200 kg of them at the most belong to hazard class 1.3.

The fireworks can be distributed in several containers, but the maximum amount does not change if the number of containers increases.

The shipping container must meet the requirements for container storage specified in section 2.4 of the SFS 4398 standard. The wire fence can be omitted. However, there must be at least one metre of empty space around the container.

Ventilation must be arranged so that foreign objects cannot be introduced into the container from outside. The walls and doors are insulated on the inside with at least 100 mm of mineral wool or other corresponding non-combustible material. The insulation, ceiling and floor are covered with at least 10 mm thick shuttering plywood or other corresponding material (studding × 100 mm).

The storage facility is double-locked. The locking is considered appropriate if it involves a class 3 lock with a protective cover together with a lock of at least class 2. Other locking solutions are also possible if they achieve the same level of protection. The container is equipped with suitable lifting hooks.

Interpretations regarding the locking of a shipping container:

A shipping container in a yard must not cause a hazard to the environment. The following safety distances are required for the container:

1. The distance of the container from the retail building must be at least 15 metres. The distance of the container must be greater if the wall next to the container has a large fire load. The minimum distance can correspondingly be reduced to 10 metres if the container-side wall of the retail building is fire resistant or the entire building is protected with automatic fire extinguishing equipment. However, the distance of the container must always be greater than the construction height.
2. The distance of the container from another storage container must be at least 10 metres.
3. The distance from car parking places must be at least 10 metres.
4. The distance from public roads and railroads must be at least 10 metres.
5. The distance between the container and the nearest fuel dispenser must be at least 50 metres.
6. The distance from a residential building, school or sports facility must be at least 50 metres.
7. The distance from a nursing home, hospital, day-care centre or other similar institution must be at least 100 metres.

Interpretations regarding the distances of the shipping container:

The doorways of the container must be oriented so that in the event of a fire in the container, the possible projectiles from the fireworks cause as little danger as possible.

The location of the container must be taken into account in the rescue plan for the business premises. The container must be easy to approach from alternative directions with the rescue department’s equipment, and it must be easy to move.

Other nearby buildings and their safety arrangements must also be taken into account in the placement of the containers. On the storage facility’s door or next to the door, there must be bomb symbol, the text “Räjähteitä – Explosiva varor” and a sign prohibiting smoking and open flame.

An extinguisher within the container should be placed near the door to ensure that it is easily accessible.

Other interpretations regarding shipping containers:

Stored amounts for fireworks sales per outlet