Fourth of July Fireworks

This past weekend I spent the Fourth of July in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. On the banks of Coeur d'Alene Lake I witnessed perhaps the most garish spectacle of fireworks, not to mention complete disregard for personal safety, I have ever seen.

Along the banks of the lake were cabins and cottages whose inhabitants each settled on the beach to ignite tens of thousands of dollars of fireworks from the beaches around the lake.

I saw not one pair of safety glasses, protective gloves or any concern for personal safety. Disposing of spent fireworks cartridges into the roaring campfire was the norm. As it turns out, almost ten thousand injuries happen in the United States each year around Independence day weekend. No small wonder.

There are no safe-use handling requirements, you can purchase fireworks by the pallet (yes you can for just over $1000) and there is little regard for personal safety when you're drinking and letting your ten year-old fire off the first few rounds. All of these things I personally witnessed. If I am not exposed to fireworks for a full year, I'll be OK with that.

Not much wonder that so many employers feel resistance to safety training. If the idiots who feel the need to blow hundreds of dollars to watch their children almost get their fingers blown off and call it entertainment, then the chances of a real safety message that could save lives is going to be a tough sell.