GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - This past week, the Protection Services office of the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality received numerous complaints about illegal sales of fireworks at Spaza Shops within the Graaff-Reinet area.
"The law enforcers managed to confiscate some fireworks during a raid on Monday, 5 November and handed it in to the SAPS," said Wilca Smith on behalf of the municipality.
The municipality urges community members and Spaza shop owners to familiarise themselves with the promulgated laws, as ignorance of the law cannot be used as an excuse.
The local fire department also received a lot of complaints on Monday evening about community members discharging fireworks as well as burning tyres.
"While we all are aware of the dry and windy weather conditions, communities are urged to take not of relevant legislation with regards to this", continued Smith. "It is also common knowledge that our dogs and cats cannot handle the explosive sounds of these fireworks."
Herewith the requirements regarding the discharge of fireworks.
Any person who wishes to deal in, store or keep fireworks must follow the following procedure:
(1) The applicant must apply to the Chief Inspector of Explosives in the magisterial district of the Service. This application must be made in writing on the prescribed form obtainable from the office of the Chief Inspector of Explosives.
(2) The said application form must be completed in full and in duplicate. Both application forms must be accompanied by a sketch plan (on a scale of 1:100). The one form must be handed in at the office of the Chief Inspector of Explosives and the other at the office of the Service.
(3) The following particulars must appear on the sketch plan:
(a) A line drawing of the layout of the premises
(b) The exact area on the premises where the fireworks are to be stored, handled and/or offered for sale
(c) The position of any other shelves in or on the premises
(d) The position of any Group II and/or Group III hazardous substances in or on the p remises or on the erf
(e) The position of matches and/or cigarette lighters in or on the premises
(f) The position of any other hazardous substances not mentioned above
(g) The position of all doors providing an exit from the premises
(h) The position of all fire-fighting equipment in or on the premises or on the erf
(i) The total floor area of the premises, in square metres
(j) The location of the premises in relation to the following:
(i) Public roads
(ii) Railway lines
(iii) Overhead power lines
(iv) Buildings adjacent to the building and the erf
(v) Adjoining erven and the activities on them
(vi) Filling stations
(k) A note indicating whether the premises are to be used by a WHOLESALE DEALER or RETAIL DEALER in fireworks.
4. The premises must comply with the following requirements:
(a) Appropriate symbolic safety signs as contemplated in SABS 1186 must be put up at
(i)emergency escape routes; and
(ii)areas where smoking and open flames are prohibited.
(b) If there is only one entrance/exit on the premises, the fireworks must be kept as far away as possible from the entrance/exit.
(c) A walking area of at least 1,1 m wide must be set aside in front of all counters containing fireworks.
(d) The said walking area must be free from obstructions at all times.
(e) Notices, in red letters (at least 100mm high) on a white background, which read “DEALER IN FIREWORKS/HANDELAAR IN VUURWERK”, must be affixed prominently to the outside of the premises at every entrance to the premises and must at all times be legible.
(f) In addition to the extinguishers that must be provided in accordance with the requirements of the National Building Regulations, one 4,5kg dry chemical or one 4,5kg carbon dioxide fire extinguisher must be provided for every 100 m2 of floor area wherever fireworks are stored or sold.
(g) Notwithstanding the exceptions in terms of the National Building Regulations, the premises must, irrespective of the size, have a fire hose reel which complies with SABS 543 for protection purposes and must be placed so that its end reaches all parts requiring protection.
(h) The license for dealing in fireworks, issued by the Chief Inspector of Explosives, must at all times be displayed in a prominent place at the counter containing fireworks, and the license must be legible at all times.
(i) A copy of Chapter 9 of the regulations under the Explosives Act, 1956, must be available on the premises at all times, and the employees of the license holder must have access at all times to the regulations.
(j) All fireworks offered for sale and/or displayed in or on the premises must be behind glass at all times or, alternatively, in a place where the public has no access to them.
(k) No fireworks may be sold or offered to any person who is apparently younger than 16 years.
(l) All fireworks must be offered for sale in the original packaging.
(m) No acids, flammable liquids and/or flammable gases may be kept, stored or sold in or on premises where fireworks are also kept, stored or sold.
(n) No devices producing an open flame may be kept, stored or sold in or on premises where fireworks are also kept, stored or sold.
(o) No electrical device and/or apparatus generating heat may be permitted or brought within seven meters of any fireworks.
(p) All matches and cigarette lighters must be kept at least 5 m from any fireworks.
Note
1. If a person who applies for a license for a dealer in fireworks wishes to keep a number of fireworks which exceeds the quantity permitted in terms of Chapter 9 of the regulations under the Explosives Act, 1956, he/she must apply to erect a magazine for fireworks in terms of the requirements of Chapter 8 of the said regulations.
2. A member of the Service must check the premises against a checklist encompassing all of the above and any other fire protection measures required or deemed necessary by the Service.
Requirements for the private discharge of fireworks
1. No fireworks may be discharged on a private residential erf unless all the distances referred to in this annexure can be maintained.
2. All the requirements in this annexure apply mutatis mutandis to the application for permission for the private discharge of fireworks, with the exception that -
(a) the person or persons who are to discharge the fireworks need not be pyro technicians; and
(b) A permit from the Chief Inspector of Explosives for the private discharge of fireworks is not required.
3. The Service will grant written permission for the private discharge of fireworks on the following sites only:
(a) Sports fields not owned by the controlling authority
(b) Smallholdings (provided that, in the opinion of a member of the Service, the vegetation, shrubs and/or crops on the smallholdings permit the discharge)
Any other suitable open spaces not owned by the controlling authority.
Note
1. If a person applying for a permit for a public and/or private fireworks display does not comply in toto with the requirements of this Annexure, the Service will not support the application.
2. A member of the Service will check the premises in question against a checklist encompassing all of the above and any other fire protection measures required or deemed necessary by the Service. An appointment must be made in advance and in writing with the said member of the Service.
If the Service is satisfied that the applicant has complied with all the items on the checklist, the Service will send a letter to the Chief Inspector of Explosives in support of the application, on condition that the person in charge complies with and upholds all the relevant statutory requirements at all times.
All sites where fireworks are to be discharged must comply with the provisions of Chapter 10 of the regulations under the Explosives Act, 1956, before the controlling authority will consider any applications and/or grant permission in this regard.
3. If the Service is satisfied that the said person has complied with all the items on the checklist, the Service will send a letter to the Chief Inspector of Explosives in support of the application for a license for dealing in fireworks, on condition that the holder of the license complies with and upholds all the relevant statutory requirements at all times.
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