Today, the government approved an amendment to the law that prohibits the sale of pyrotechnic products at markets, stalls and other portable devices. The exception is the least dangerous category of F1 fireworks available from 15 years of age, which includes, for example, banging balls.
Municipalities could also gain the power to ban the use of pyrotechnics on their territory or part of it, for a long time and only for a limited time. This follows from the announcement of the Minister of Industry and Trade Jozef Síkela (STAN) after the government meeting.
For certain objects, the amendment to the law establishes a safety distance of at least 250 meters, which people will have to observe when setting off pyrotechnics. This will apply in the case of hospitals, homes for the elderly, inpatients, shelters, rescue stations or zoos. The amendment still has to be considered by MPs and senators.
“Our goal was clearly to create rules that would ensure the safety of both their users and their surroundings,” said Síkela today. According to him, the government agreed on a stricter version of the amendment to the law on pyrotechnics.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MPO), people who purchase and set off fireworks in the F3 category, sold from the age of 21, will need certificates and professional qualifications, which means medium danger and includes large fountains, large Roman candles, stronger firecrackers, large rockets and larger compact batteries. Until now, certification was required for very dangerous fireworks in category F4, theatrical fireworks T2 or other pyrotechnics P2. Anyone who owns a license for categories F4 and T2 can automatically purchase and launch products of category F3. The license is issued by the Czech Mining Authority.
In the case of categories F4, T2 and P2, the list of activities that require a certificate is also expanded – in addition to the purchase, destruction, disposal or performance of fireworks, they will also include storage, display or any other handling.
The amendment to the law also regulates the sale of pyrotechnics at a distance. According to the new rules, the merchant will always have to check the age and, if necessary, the professional competence of the buyer, both during the sale itself and during the handover. Pyrotechnic products, which fall into categories F4, T2 and P2, will then only be available for collection at certain locations.
According to the Ministry of Trade and Industry, a trader who sells pyrotechnics requiring professional competence to a person without this certificate will be banned for up to three years. If a serious offense is suspected, the supervisory authorities will be able to temporarily secure the pyrotechnics before the inspection. According to the MPO, the sale of pyrotechnics and their handling will be supervised by the Czech Trade Inspection and the authorities of the state mining administration.
Pyrotechnic products are divided into several categories. Categories F1 to F4 are set aside for fireworks, T1 and T2 for theatrical pyrotechnics, and P1 and P2 for other pyrotechnics. A higher number always means more danger when using pyrotechnics.
Source: www.tyden.cz
