Hand Surgeons Agree: "Leave Fireworks to the Professionals'

Rosemont, IL—The American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) urges the public to "Think Safety' this Fourth of July weekend and leave fireworks in the hands of the professionals.



According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 38% of all reported fireworks-related injuries from June 22-July 22, 2001, were to fingers, hands, and arms. These injuries included burns, lacerations, fractures, and traumatic amputation.



Of the finger, hand, and arm injuries, the majority of injuries were caused from accidents involving firecrackers, bottle rockets, and sparklers—three firework-types most often used in a backyard environment. Accidents involving firecrackers, bottle rockets, and hand-held sparklers totaled 57% of all fireworks injuries (source: American Pyrotechnic Association).



The ASSH encourages individuals to attend a public fireworks display (monitored for safety by a local fire department) rather than setting off fireworks near or around their home.



The following precautions should be taken when attending a public fireworks display:

• Obey safety barriers and ushers

• Stay back a minimum of 500 feet from the launching site

• Resist the temptation to pick up firework debris when the display is over. The debris may still be hot. In some cases, the debris might be "live' and could still explode.

• Never give children hand-held sparklers. Sparklers cause 10% of all firework injuries (source: American Pyrotechnics Association)—and were associated with the most injuries to children under 5 years of age (source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)



"Think Safety" this Fourth of July and prevent devastating accidents.



For more information about the American Society for Surgery of the Hand and its free "Find a Hand Surgeon' service offered to the general public, please visit: www.handcare.org.



The mission of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand is to advance the science and practice of hand surgery through education, research and advocacy on behalf of patients and practitioners.



The field of hand surgery deals with both surgical and non-surgical treatment of conditions and problems that may take place in the hand or upper extremity (from the tip of the hand to the shoulder). Hand surgeons can set fractures, provide appropriate nerve care, treat common problems like carpal tunnel syndrome and tennis elbow, reattach amputated fingers, create fingers for children born with incompletely formed hands, and help people function better in their day-to-day lives through restoring use of their fingers, hands, and arms.

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