Item | Definition |
1.1G | The UN Classification of Fireworks packaged for transport that poses a mass explosion hazard. |
1.2G | The UN Classification of Fireworks packaged for transport that poses a projectile hazard |
1.3G | The UN Classification of Fireworks packaged for transport that poses a fiery projectile or thermal radiation hazard |
1.4G | The UN Classification of Fireworks packaged for transport that poses a limited hazard |
1.4S | The UN Classification of Fireworks packaged for transport that poses a very limited hazard with minimal effect if ignited. |
ADR | Regulations covering all drivers of explosives vehicles over a certain net weight of explosives |
Aerial Firework | A firework that has its main function above ground level mainly shells, roman candles, mines and cakes |
Aerial shells | A shell that is designed to function at altitude |
Aquatic shell | A shell that is designed to function on the surface of water |
Bag mine | A mine that is fired from a mortar with only a small casing to create minimum debris |
Bare match | Blackmatch without a sleeve |
A combination of fireworks designed to be fired simultaneously | |
A group of roman candles grouped and fused together for increased effect or duration | |
Coloured flare usually made up from loose packed composition | |
Blackmatch | A cotton thread coated with blackpowder in its raw state. Sometimes cased in a paper tube |
Black powder | A composition of potassium nitrate, charcoal and sulphur in the proportion of 75:15:10 widely used in fireworks manufacture as a propellant and the basis for compositions containing metal powders. Blackpowder does not detonate on ignition but merely burns very fast |
Blind shell | A shell that fails to break. Potentially very dangerous |
Blinker | An effect of periodic burning giving the effect of flashing or strobe |
Bombette | Spanish for little shell. Usually found as part of roman candles or cakes and occasionally in mines or sub components of shells |
Bottom fused | The normal method of igniting a shell. The delay is ignited which then lights a delay fuse on the shells. Also used for cakes when the fuse runs round the base of each tube and enters via a small hole |
BPA | British Pyrotechnic Association. Trade organisation concerned with all areas of firework safety and use in the |
Break | A burst of a shell or bombette unit. Shells can either be single or multibreak units |
British Standard | The standards set for consumer fireworks for labelling and construction. All consumer fireworks must comply with BS 7114 part2 1988 |
Brocade | Long burning star that burns bright but not as long as a kimuro |
Bung | Always used at one end only of a tube or mortar. A composite or solid wooden disk the same size as internal diameter of a tube and usually nailed and glued into the tube to keep secure. Bungs are often made of compressed clay for items including cakes and roman candles. |
Bursting Charge | An internal charge of a shell or bombette unit that breaks the shell open at a predetermined height. Made from gunpowder or flashpowder |
Butterfly | A burst of a cylindrical tube from a central point which creates an effect that looks like the wings of a butterfly |
Cake | Colloquial term for a multi shot battery |
Calibre | The inside diameter of a firing tube or mortar |
Cannonade | An aerial shell containing several shells that explodes at the same time. Also a battery of reports from china |
Case | The tube that contains firework composition |
The traditional name for a wheel. The name given because of St.Catherine who was martyred on a burning rotating wheel | |
Chain fusing | A method of fusing several firework elements together e.g. shells |
Chinese cracker | A roll of many hundreds of individual cracker units which produces a machinegun report effect when hung up. Traditionally used for Chinese celebrations |
Choke | The narrowing of a tube usually for fountains or rockets by means of squeezing the tube or the insertion of a clay bung |
Chrysanthemum break | A spherical burst in which each star leaves a visible trail |
Closed circuit | A completed electrical circuit. i.e. A ready to fire circuit |
Coconut break | A shell containing large stars usually gold, silver or crackling to produce a palm tree effect. Usually fitted with a tail to produce the trunk effect |
Comet | A solid unit of composition usually used in roman candles. The unit is completely self consuming so is useful for site where fallout is a problem |
Composition | A term used for all pyrotechnic mixtures. More specifically it is a list of ingredients in a particular mix. All compositions contain an oxidant together with colour or effect ingredients. |
Cone | A specialised fountain in the shape of a cone. A burning cone will increase the height of the spark shower as it burns as the surface area that burns is increased. |
Cracker | Banger unit also see Chinese cracker |
Crackle | An effect containing hundreds of sharp bangs thrown off a low intensity comet. Most crackle compositions contain lead or bismuth oxides |
Croaker | See Screecher |
Cross match | A piece of thin raw match used to facilitate the ignition of a shells internal delay fuse. Usually made from splitting or punching the delay fuse |
Crossette | See Splitting comet |
Crossing stars | Two stars in a single tube with a central bursting charge |
Crown | See Kimuro |
Crown chrysanthemum | A chrysanthemum break with longer burning stars that fall to the ground. Often produced to have coloured tips at the end. |
Crown wheel | A plastic ring with driver units that rotate and flies vertically. Double acting versions are available which ascend drop sand then re ascend |
Cylinder shell | Usually European and commonly a stack of shells that are timed to break in a sequence. |
Dahlia | A shell with larger and brighter stars than peony breaks |
Deflagration | Explosive propagation which is faster than burning but is not detonation |
Delay | Pyrotechnic composition that burns at a predetermined rate and used for timing within or externally between fireworks |
Delay fuse | A pyrotechnic composition designed to delay before functioning the next explosive device. Most commonly used in shell spikes as they rise into the air. |
The are used for rigging and including the safety and fallout area | |
Driver | A specialist gerb with more power whose primary purpose is to rotate a wheel. Often including titanium. |
DTI | Department of Trade and Industry responsible for aspects of sale of fireworks to the general public |
EIG | The Explosives Industry Group of the Confederation of British Industry. Its main purpose is liaison with government on safety and legislative matters |
Electric firing | The process of firing a displays electrically. |
Electric igniter | An electrically ignited match head commonly used on electrically fired displays. These are not to be confused with detonators |
Electric match | An electric igniter |
European standard | A proposed standard for fireworks across Europe (CEN 212) currently being adopted across |
Explosive | Any material that is capable of undergoing a self contained self-sustained exothermic chemical reaction at a rate that is sufficient to produce substantial pressures on their surroundings thus causing physical damage. All fireworks are classified as explosives |
Explosive train | The progress of fire from one explosive component to another. |
Fallout zone | A safe area designated for any debris fallout from a display. This must be selected with climatic conditions in mind. |
Finale barrage | A rapid firing pre fused sequence fired at the end of a display |
Firecracker | See Cracker |
An explosive assigned to UN numbers 0333 to 0337. | |
Flare | A pyrotechnic device designed to emit coloured light. |
A rocket containing a flashpowder charge that produces a loud report after its ascent | |
A small rocket. Usually fired in large numbers simultaneously from a tube or cone | |
Flitter | A spark effect produced by incorporation of coarse metal powders, usually aluminium |
Fountain | A device containing pyrotechnic composition in a tube which is usually choked. |
Front | An arrangement of mines, fountains or roman candles arranged parallel with the spectators and fired simultaneously |
Fuse | Means of transferring fire to a firework |
Fuse cover | A protective cover for the initial fuse of a firework. Often coloured orange |
Garden firework | A firework of limited power for use in restricted outdoor areas. Category 2 fireworks. |
Gerb | A thick walled tube filled with composition and having a choke. Emits shower of sparks |
Glitter | Production of molten composition droplets which react with air to produce a glittery effect. Similar but different to strobe and flitter |
Gunpowder | Pyrotechnists term for black powder. |
Hammer shell | A multibreak shell comprising of colour breaks with timed detonation |
Hanbai | Japanese for fireworks translated as 'flowers of fire' |
High explosive | An explosive that is capable of exploding when unconfined |
HSE | The British Health and Safety Executive. Enforcement and legislative body. |
Hummer | A thick walled tube filled with composition with a specific burn rate so as to produce a humming sound |
Igniter | A shortened term for an electric igniter |
Igniter cord | Also called pic. This is available in several burning speeds. Often used to time link fireworks |
Ignition | The initiation of burning of a pyrotechnic material |
Indoor firework | Devices of very limited power suitable for indoor use |
Japanese style shell | A spherical burst shell. Has perfect symmetry and patterned displays. |
Kimuro | A long burning star usually silver or gold. Falls for long distances and colour changes at the end of its flight |
Kraft paper | A strong brown paper used for finishing shells and capping. |
Lance | Small thin walled tube containing coloured composition. |
Lancework | A message or logo made from wooden framework and lances fused and positioned in a specific manner |
Leader | An initial fuse of a shell from its fuse to the lifting charge |
Lifting charge | A charge beneath an aerial shell that propels the unit into the air |
Line rocket | A rocket designed to travel along a wire or rope |
Maroon | An explosive device that produces a loud report |
Match | A generic term for quickmatch or black match |
A lifting charge with either comet stars or bombette units fired from a mortar tube. | |
Mini mine | A roman candle which ejects min mine effects rather than comet or bombette units |
Misfire | A failure of a firework to perform as designed |
Mixture | See Composition |
Mortar | A tube used to fire a shell or mine. Open at one and sealed with a bung at the other |
Mortar mine | A mine fired from a mortar |
See Waterfall | |
Nomatch | A specialised system for firework ignition using a shock tube. High-speed simultaneous ignition can be achieved. |
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