New safety norms for firecracker makers to avert mishaps

The health and family welfare ministry's framework, issued earlier this month, spans mandatory safety audits, tighter factory design norms, explicit chemical prohibitions, and a transition to ‘green crackers’ that reduce particulate emissions by 30–35%.

India has an annual incidence of seven firecracker-related injuries per 100,000 population, underscoring the need to contain what the framework describes as a “preventable epidemic" of festive trauma.

The firecracker sector falls under the commerce and industry ministry via the Explosives Act, 1884, which is enforced by the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization (Peso). While earlier norms focussed on storage and transport of explosives, the health ministry’s framework is a clinical-safety layer, adding mandatory health-focused safety audits and first-aid protocols. They are integrated into the licensing process, making them legally enforceable with penalties including license cancellation and fines under the Explosives Act.

These guidelines mandate that firecracker manufacturers use non-flammable materials, ensure at least a 3-metre separation for mixing sheds and provide workers with flame-retardant personal protective equipment.

India has 1,000 organized firecracker manufacturing units. Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu is the primary hub, accounting for nearly 90% of India's firecracker production. Other key clusters include Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh, and parts of West Bengal.

Apart from calling for strict adherence to the Indian Explosives Act and Peso guidelines, the ministry is also focusing on ‘carbide guns’, seen in festival and wedding celebrations, which are illegal and improvised devices made from PVC and metal pipes. These devices react with calcium carbide with water to produce highly volatile acetylene gas, which explodes upon ignition. The resulting blast ejects shrapnel, leading to eye injuries, eyeball ruptures, and permanent blindness.

The major overhaul here is the prohibition of hazardous chemical mixtures. Specifically, the guidelines forbid the manufacture or import of explosives containing sulfur compounds mixed with potassium chlorate. Manufacturers must now clearly state the chemical composition and the exact quantity of materials on every product label, providing a clear trail for safety inspectors and consumers alike.

The government is also prioritizing the production of ‘green crackers’, which must be certified by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI). These products are designed to have significantly lower emissions while maintaining strict noise standards, with a cap of 125 decibels.

The guidelines also enforce limits on the use of toxic substances, including barium salts, lithium, arsenic, lead and mercury. Beyond chemicals, the finished products must demonstrate physical stability; they must ignite predictably and burn at a regular speed without bursting prematurely or ejecting debris violently.

As per the guidelines, the manufacture and sale of improvised devices such as ‘carbide guns’ are strictly illegal under the Explosives Act. These devices are classified as high-risk hazards, and the ministry has urged citizens to avoid them entirely while reporting any sightings to the authorities. Violators face non-bailable charges, heavy fines, and up to 10 years' imprisonment for endangering public safety.

Under the new framework, to ensure accountability, every firecracker must be indelibly marked with the batch number, date of manufacture, and clear cautionary notes regarding adult supervision and outdoor use.

Worker safety is paramount. Personnel are required to use flame-retardant aprons, breathing apparatus, and anti-static footwear. Manufacturers must implement regular safety training and strictly enforce the ban on child labour.

Factories are also required to maintain ISI-certified firefighting equipment and establish clear procedures for reporting accidents to the relevant authorities immediately.

Queries sent to the health ministry on Tuesday regarding the implementation timeline, budget for safety audits, and the mechanism for coordination between ministries for enforcement remained unanswered until press time.

“While legal enforcement typically falls under other ministries, the health ministry’s proactive stance focuses on the human element and the provision of clear first-aid protocols,” said Dr. Singhal, one of the contributors to the guidelines.

"To my knowledge, this is the first time the ministry has launched such a proactive initiative. While national data remains a challenge due to the lack of a standardized reporting format, our institutional experience at AIIMS underscores the urgent need for this guidance," he said.

New Delhi AIIMS recently reported a 19% spike in firecracker-related eye injuries, treating 190 cases during the 10-day Diwali period in 2025 compared to 160 cases in 2024.

AIIMS also highlighted a disturbing new trend of ‘chemical-bomb’ injuries caused by illegal carbide guns, which accounted for nearly 10% of its ocular trauma cases and often resulted in permanent vision loss.

While the new rules are comprehensive, experts such as Dr. Mahesh Mangal, head of department (burns & plastic surgery), at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in the capital, warn that weak enforcement is a hurdle.

“Firecracker trauma is a three-tiered crisis affecting individuals, workers and the environment. Despite comprehensive safety guidelines, weak enforcement and a collective failure of responsibility persist," Dr. Mangal said. “As a society, we treat explosives as toys, leading to preventable injuries. Simultaneously, some manufacturers prioritize profit over safety, using substandard materials that cause catastrophic fires and loss of life. This is worsened by traders selling spurious products.”

"Ending this avoidable epidemic requires more than rules; it demands strict legal accountability and a fundamental shift in public education—our most difficult challenges,” Dr. Mangal added.

Environmentalists argue that even the so-called ‘green’ crackers contain hazardous ingredients such as barium nitrate and sulfur, posing severe risks to health and the environment.

Debi Goenka of the Conservation Action Trust (CAT), an independent environmental climate research think-tank, said these substances, coupled with risks of malfunction and premature detonation, lead to thousands of emergencies every year, including burns, permanent eye damage and fatalities.

A firecracker factory official from Sivakasi said his facility operates as per the Explosives Act mandates on worker norms, safety distances between manufacturing units, packing sheds, and drying platforms, water requirement, approvals from fire safety officers, etc. “All our products are NEERI-certified, utilizing specific chemical formulations and sound limits provided by the agency,” said the official who did not want to be named.

Regarding environmental concerns, a firecracker factory owner based in Uttar Pradesh said urban pollution is often unfairly blamed on this industry. "Pollution in Delhi is largely due to internal factors like congestion, industry and vehicles, rather than firecrackers," the official said.

Vijay C. Roy contributed to this story.