Routine to Rare Risk – A Case Study of Firecracker Explosion Disaster in India

Conclusion The operationalization of firework public display in India is in a fragmented state and requires urgent attention to avoid disasters in the short and long run. The ‘foreman’s certificate’ is issued by the Controller of Explosive to a person who is conversant with safe manufacture, storage, transportation, handling of explosives. Explosive rules have not made it clear as to what kind of educational qualifications and training must be possessed by a person before he makes an application for ‘foreman’s certificate’. The basic chemistry of explosives and professional training on firecracker management is essential to enable a person engaging with public display of fireworks. Individuals holding foreman’s certificate have not undergone any kind of professional training or certification; rather they learned the manufacturing and usage from their predecessors or traditional groups. Each event of public fireworks attracts thousands of people. The most popular annual firework in Kerala, the ‘Thrissur Pooram’ is attended by more than hundred thousand people where the licensee employs hundreds of workers to stage the display. A mishandling or a deviation from any of the safety procedures would be disastrous to the entire crowd. Hence, professional training and certification has to be brought in to make the sector safe and scientific. Event safety and crowd safety are still at nascent stage in the country and has not received due priority even after repeate...
Source: PLOS Currents Disasters - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Source Type: research