Diwali Cracker Safety Checklist: Before, During and After

Most Diwali accidents are preventable with a little preparation. Use this checklist with your family.

Before Diwali

• Buy from a licensed manufacturer or shop. Check the box for manufacturer name and green logo.
• Store crackers in a cool, dry place, away from the kitchen, gas cylinder and electrical boards.
• Choose your bursting spot: open ground, no overhead wires, away from vehicles and dry vegetation.
• Prepare two buckets of water and one bucket of sand.
• Keep a first-aid kit handy, including clean cloth and burn dressing.
• Note the local bursting timings for this year.

While bursting

• Wear cotton clothes and closed footwear. Tie back long hair and dupattas.
• Light with a long incense stick, at arm's length, from the side.
• One item at a time. Step back immediately.
• Never light crackers in your hand (except sparklers) or inside a container.
• Never relight a dud. Wait 15–20 minutes, then soak it in water.
• Keep the box of unlit crackers closed and well away from where you are lighting.
• Keep pets indoors.

After bursting

• Soak all spent crackers and sparkler wires in water before throwing them away.
• Check terraces, balconies and sunshades for burning debris — late fires often start here.
• Walk the area the next morning and collect any unexploded items (soak them).

If someone is burned

Cool the burn under clean running water for 20 minutes. Do not apply ice, butter, toothpaste or ink. For large or deep burns, burns to the face or eyes, or burns on children, go to a hospital. Read our burn first-aid guide and our safety tips page.