What's the official first-aid step for a firecracker burn?

Pour a large quantity of water on the burn immediately (PESO), and use cool running water to bring the temperature down without prolonging it to the point of hypothermia (WHO). Never apply ice, oil, turmeric, or ointment. Get major burns to a hospital.

How long should I wait before touching a dud firecracker?

PESO's guidance is 15 to 20 minutes. Don't approach or re-light it before then, and soak it in a bucket of water once that wait is over.

Are green crackers actually safer?

They're less polluting, not risk-free — the Supreme Court's order of 23 October 2018 (WP(C) 728/2015) allowed the manufacture and sale of certified green crackers, which cut particulate and gas emissions versus conventional ones. They still spark, flash, and make noise like any cracker of the same type, so every setup and supervision rule above still applies. Read more in our [green crackers guide](/blog/safety).

Is it true only green crackers are allowed in some cities?

In areas where air quality is moderate or worse, yes — the National Green Tribunal, in orders dated 9 November 2020 and 1 December 2020 (O.A. No. 249/2020), restricted bursting to certified green crackers only. This is an NGT air-quality rule, separate from the Supreme Court order that permitted green crackers to be sold in the first place. Check your city's air-quality status before you buy.

Can children light crackers on their own?

No. PESO's guidance is explicit that an adult must supervise every firework and that small children should never handle or use fireworks alone. For younger kids, ground-based, lower-noise options from our [kids' crackers range](/crackers/kids-crackers) are easier to supervise than aerial shots.

Cracker Safety Instructions

Cracker safety instructions cited to PESO and WHO: setup rules, a do/don't table, kids supervision, first aid for burns and duds, storage and disposal.

Every year, most cracker injuries trace back to the same handful of mistakes: re-lighting a dud too soon, no water bucket nearby, a child holding a sparkler unsupervised. These cracker safety instructions cover what to do before you light, while you burst, and if something still goes wrong, sourced from PESO (Petroleum & Explosives Safety Organisation) and WHO, not guesswork. Read this once with the family before the first box opens.

Before You Light: Setup Rules

Set up correctly and most accidents never get a chance to happen. Light every firework at ground level using a candle or agarbathi, keeping your elbow joint straight to put maximum distance between your hand and the fuse. Never hold a firework while it's lit. Choose an open space away from parked vehicles, dry leaves, overhead wires, and building windows; aerial items need a clear landing zone with nothing overhead to deflect them back indoors. Keep a bucket of water within arm's reach before the first cracker is lit: PESO's guidance is blunt, every major fire starts small. Wear thick cotton clothing, not synthetic, and tie back loose ends. Buy only from a licensed seller and check for the CSIR-NEERI green logo and QR code, then scan it with the "CSIR NEERI Green QR Code" app to confirm it's a genuine, lower-emission cracker before you light it.

While Bursting: Do's and Don'ts

Do	Don't
Light one firework at a time, one person only; everyone else watches from a safe distance	Don't ignite a firework while holding it, or bend over it as it lights
Keep crackers at ground level, ignite, then step back	Don't light fireworks inside any container or box
Burst crackers only in open ground, parks, or a cleared area	Never use fireworks inside the house or on a public road
Check the local sound-cracker time window before you start (PESO's general guidance is no sound crackers between 10 pm and 6 am; some states set narrower court-ordered hours)	Don't light flying or aerial fireworks in heavy wind
Let each aerial item finish and cool before the next one goes up	Never re-light a dud; see First Aid below for the wait time
Keep children and pets a clear distance back, supervised by an adult throughout	Don't throw fireworks, point them at people, or carry them in a pocket

Kids & Crackers: Supervision Rules

PESO's own guidance is direct on this point: an adult should always supervise the use of fireworks, and small children should never handle fireworks or use them alone. That means a parent lighting the item and holding sparklers steady for a toddler, not standing nearby while a child manages the flame. Sparklers burn hot enough to injure on contact, so keep them at true arm's length from any child's face and clothing, and never let a lit sparkler pass hand-to-hand near a crowd. If you're buying for children specifically, our kids' crackers range sticks to lower-noise, ground-based items that are easier to supervise than aerial shots. Whatever you buy, one adult per lit item, every time, is the rule that prevents the most common injuries.

If Something Goes Wrong: First Aid

This first-aid guidance follows PESO's official Deepavali safety notice and the WHO "Burns" fact sheet. No figure here is invented. For a skin burn, pour a large quantity of water on the burnt area at once, per PESO; WHO adds that cool running water lowers the burn's temperature, but warns against prolonging the cooling, since that risks hypothermia. Neither source gives a fixed number of minutes, so we don't invent one. Never apply ice, oil, haldi (turmeric), toothpaste, raw cotton, or any cream or ointment to a burn: WHO says ice deepens the injury, and PESO says the same about oil and ointment. For a major burn, extinguish any smouldering clothing, remove it, wrap the person in a clean bedsheet, and get them to a burns specialist or major hospital without panic. PESO adds that a delay of up to one hour to drive safely is immaterial, so don't rush the drive itself. For an eye injury from a firecracker, PESO's instruction is specific: wash the eye with tap water for 10 minutes, then go straight to a hospital. And for a dud that hasn't gone off, don't approach it and don't tamper with it. PESO says wait 15 to 20 minutes, then soak it in a bucket of water before it's touched again.

Storage & Disposal

Store crackers in a cool, dry place, away from any open flame. PESO specifically warns against keeping firecrackers near burning candles or diyas, a common Diwali mistake. Keep the box sealed and out of reach of children between sessions, and never store loose crackers alongside matches, lighters, or incense. Once the evening is done, don't leave partially burnt or unused pieces lying around: PESO's disposal instruction is to soak every used or leftover firework in a bucket of water before it goes in the bin. Wet crackers are dead crackers; dry ones can still be a hazard the next morning.

Frequently Asked Questions

Shop the Safer Way

Every rule above works best paired with the right product for the person lighting it. Browse our full safety guides for state-specific rules and deeper how-tos, or head straight to the kids' crackers range for ground-based, lower-noise options built for supervised family use.

full safety guides