Fireworks: boon or bane to our eyes?

Fireworks are an integral aspect of national, cultural and religious festivals globally, featuring in a vast range of celebrations including Diwali in India and New Year's Eve in the USA. We have seen a trend in eye injuries related to the use of fireworks, with millions of people, of which a large proportion comprising children, are injured annually-and rather than falling, as one would hope, this number is remaining stable. A comprehensive study of the impact of firework-related injuries to the eye is not available, and the efforts to mitigate this are not widely discussed in the literature. This literature review therefore focusses on studying the impact of firework-related eye injuries, the effect of legislation on mitigating these injuries and their associated morbidity.

Locating fish bomb blasts in real-time using a networked acoustic system.

Results are presented of a demonstration of real-time fish blast location in Sabah, Malaysia using a networked hydroacoustic array based on the ShotSpotter gunshot location system. A total of six acoustic sensors - some fixed and others mobile - were deployed at ranges from 1 to 9 km to detect signals from controlled test blasts. This allowed the blast locations to be determined to within 60 m accuracy, and for the calculated locations to be displayed on a map on designated internet-connected computers within 10 s. A smaller three-sensor system was then installed near Semporna in Eastern Sabah that determined the locations of uncontrolled blasts set off by local fishermen. The success of these demonstrations shows that existing technology can be used to protect reefs and permit more effective management of blast fishing activity through improved detection and enforcement measures and enhanced community engagement.

[Analysis of human tissue samples for volatile fire accelerants]. / Analyse von Humanmaterial auf flüchtige Brandbeschleunigungsmittel.

In police investigations of fires, the cause of a fire and the fire debris analysis regarding traces of fire accelerants are important aspects for forensic scientists. Established analytical procedures were recently applied to the remains of fire victims. When examining lung tissue samples, vapors inhaled from volatile ignitable liquids could be identified and differentiated from products of pyrolysis caused by the fire. In addition to the medico-legal results this evidence allowed to draw conclusions as to whether the fire victim was still alive when the fire started.

Suicide by head explosion: unusual blast wave injuries to the cardiovascular system.

A 57-year-old employee in a military scientific institute was found acephalous in a supine position in an anteroom to the bunker. On the walls was abundant spattering of blood and tissue, concentrated above shoulder height. A mobile ignition device stood on the control desk. The complete destruction of the head down to the cervical spine suggested that the explosive charge (RDX) detonated in his mouth. The hands were virtually uninjured. The pressure effect in vessels caused numerous tears to the wall of the carotid arteries and the left vertebral artery, a tear-off of the left carotid artery of the aortic arch, and a 2.5-cm long crack of the thoracic aorta with 540-ml blood in the pericardial sac and a shredded window-like disruption of the left aortic valve cusp. The autopsy also showed an infraction of the sternum from the inside, and a contusion of the superior lobes of both lungs. The trace pattern on the right arm suggested suicide. A bone fragment of the mandible penetrated the right biceps muscle as a secondary projectile.

Correlation between self-ignition of a dust layer on a hot surface and in baskets in an oven.

Evaluation of self-ignition hazard of bulk materials requires experimental determination of self-ignition temperatures as a function of volume. There are two standardised methods: (1) determination of the self-ignition temperature of dust samples in oven and (2) measurement of the self-ignition temperature of a dust layer deposited on a hot surface. Sometimes, the sample behaviour during these tests makes the second method difficult to apply. The self-ignition phenomena in these two tests rely on the same principles. Their results are interpreted with the help of theoretical relations. The correlation described in this paper can be considered acceptable to deduce self-ignition temperature of a dust layer, based on results of self-ignition of the same dust in heating ovens, if the Biot number (alpha) can be estimated. Uncertainty on the correlation is near 30K. This uncertainty is on the same order of magnitude as the difference in the self-ignition temperature on a hot surface for thickness between 5 and 15 mm.

[A serious group accident in Zabrze-Bielszowice Coal Mine--medico-legal evaluation of health consequences for the purpose of criminal proceedings]. / Ciezki wypadek zbiorowy w KWK Zabrze-Bielszowice--sadowo-lekarska ocena nastepstw zdrowotnych dla potrzeb postepowania karnego.

On February 23/24, 2003, in Zabrze-Bielszowice coal mine, 840 m below the surface, a methane blast occurred twice. In group accidents, a total number of 35 miners were injured; the majority of them experienced extensive thermal injuries. The authors compiled a list of body injuries, including their character, severity, initial clinical assessment and types of employed medical procedures, taking into consideration also medical certification of the Social Insurance and results of medico-legal examinations of the miners. Department of Forensic Medicine in Katowice prepared comprehensive medico-legal opinions during preparatory prosecuting proceedings followed by precise, individualized opinions for the court, concerning legal qualification of the injuries, their underlying mechanisms, but also mental and physical suffering, treatment-associated hardships and prognosis for the future.

[Firework injuries in Denmark in the period 1995/1996 to 2006/2007]. / Fyrvaerkeriskader i Danmark i perioden 1995/1996-2006/2007.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to observe the occurrence and character of firework injuries on the two days around New Year in Denmark over the last decade. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Since 1995/1996 all Accident and Emergency Departments in Denmark have registered all contacts where fireworks were the cause of injury on 31st December and 1st January. Data comprised hospital, sex, age, type of firework, diagnosis and final treatment. Follow-up and reminder by phone secured a 100% response rate. The total number of injured patients was 4,447. RESULTS: The number of firework injuries on the 31st of December and 1st of January was reduced by half over the 12-year period. Furthermore, the number of firework injuries caused by illegal fireworks in 2006/2007 was only 10% of the number in 1996/1997. Only 8% of injuries on last New Year's Eve were caused by illegal firewoks compared to almost 50% at the beginning of the period. A similar halving is seen in serious injuries. Roughly one quarter sustained injuries to the eyes, one quarter to the head/neck and 38% to hands. CONCLUSION: Firework injuries are now half of the level in 1996/1997. Injuries caused by illegal fireworks and serious injuries have shown a downward tendency throughout the period. The actual number of severe injuries from illegal fireworks is now only 10% of the level in the mid-1990s. This reduction can be attributed to preventive campaigns, greater knowledge of the risk of fireworks in general as well as legislation. Continued focus on preventive campaigns, control of fireworks for the general public and control of firework distribution to professionals is recommended.

[Explosive "Roman find"]. / Explosiver "römischer" Fund.

A case of a 40-year-old hobby archeologist is presented who searched for remains from Roman times. After finding an oblong, cylindrical object, he opened it with a saw to examine it, which triggered an explosion killing the man. The technical investigation of the remains showed that the find was actually a grenade from the 2nd World War. The autopsy findings and the results of the criminological investigation are presented.

A direction-sensitive underwater blast detector and its application for managing blast fishing.

Little is known about the spatial and temporal distribution of blast fishing which hampers enforcement against this activity. We have demonstrated that a triangular array of hydrophones 1 m apart is capable of detecting blast events whilst effectively rejecting other sources of underwater noise such as snapping shrimp and nearby boat propellers. A total of 13 blasts were recorded in Sepangor bay, North of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia from 7th to 15th July 2002 at distances estimated to be up to 20 km, with a directional uncertainty of 0.2 degrees . With such precision, a network of similar hydrophone arrays has potential to locate individual blast events by triangulation to within 30 m at a range of 10 km.

Serious eye and adnexal injuries from fireworks in Northern Ireland before and after lifting of the firework ban--an ophthalmology unit's experience.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To report serious fireworks-related eye and adnexal injuries presenting to the Department of Ophthalmology in the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast. To assess the effect of lifting of the legislative ban on fireworks in Northern Ireland in 1996. METHOD: Twelve year retrospective review from 1990 to 2001 inclusive of all ocular and adnexal injuries from fireworks requiring hospitalisation to the ophthalmology department. RESULTS: Twenty three patients with 23 injured eyes were reported. Six were female. The mean age was 18 years (+/- 13 SD). Six patients presented between the years 1990 and 1995. The remaining 17 patients presented between 1996 and 2001. Nearly half of the patients required ophthalmic surgical procedures. Thirty-six percent of patients had a final visual acuity of 6/60 or less. Superficial trauma not requiring hospitalisation was not included. CONCLUSION: Removal of the legislative ban on fireworks in 1996 has had a significant effect on the incidence of eye injuries. These injuries are potentially preventable with stricter control on the availability of fireworks and a greater awareness of the ocular risks they pose.