Required Documentation for Pyrotechnics

For projects involving Pyrotechnics the following items of documentation must be submitted for review and approval by FAST.

Pyrotechnic Scenario

Your Pyrotechnic Scenario is a complete, detailed description of how you will prepare and shoot your show, any additional elements you will incorporate (such as performances), and how you will mitigate any hazards that remain in the immediate aftermath of the show.

Weather Contingency Plan

Pyrotechnic shows are subject to cancellation or rescheduling in the event of adverse weather conditions. An essential part of your Pyrotechnic Scenario is your Weather Contingency Plan, which covers how you will deal with the possibility that weather conditions could develop that would prevent the burn from proceeding after pyrotechnic materials have been placed. An all-night standby is an essential part of this plan. You and your entire crew must be prepared to maintain the perimeter to keep the site from being entered while un-detonated pyrotechnics are present, to avoid participant injury.

Pyrotechnic Product Lists

You will be required to provide complete lists of the pyrotechnic supplies (i.e., fireworks) and other pyrotechnics special effects materials (e.g., smoke cloth, pyro gel, etc.).

For each different fireworks product used, please specify: number of pieces, manufacturer name, product name and manufacturer’s product code or ID, for example: “6 × Brothers Pyro Golden Peacock Cakes (BP2112)”. For special effects materials, simply list the types ad quantities of materials to be used.

Be sure to also obtain and print out Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for each type of product you will be using. You do not need to submit these MSDS online, but you are required to have them on hand when you set up and shoot your show.

Layout Diagrams

The following Layout Diagrams are required:

  1. Installation Area Layout
    • Pyrotechnics setup, identifying types and quantities of products at each location, trajectories and fallout zones (indicate distances and dimensions)
    • Pyrotechnics preparation/assembly area.
    • Fire control station.
    • Perimeter Safety Zones: Show where the artwork stands in relationship to participants/audience/performers, indicating distances; note on the diagram how safe distances were determined.
    • Fire extinguisher locations.
    • Location of first aid kit with burn supplies.
  2. Base Camp Layout
    • Storage location for pyrotechnics magazines (“day boxes”), with minimum 50′ (15m) surrounding zone free of open flame, spark-producing equipment, smoking or storage of combustible materials.
    • Point of assembly of pyrotechnic devices, if any assembly activities take place in the camp. No open flame, spark-producing equipment, smoking or combustible materials storage within 100’ (30m) of any such assembly area. (Assembly of pyrotechnic devices in camp is not recommended.)
  • Storage location(s) for flammable liquids, fuel gases or other hazardous/flammable materials.
  • Storage location(s) for empty fuel containers, if different from above.
  • Safety perimeters and barriers, and distances to public areas and habitations.
  • 20′ wide fire lane from street to storage location(s) listed above.
  • Fire extinguisher locations.

Operational Plans

Safety Plan

Your Safety Plan should describe all the measures that your crew will employ to ensure that your installation will be safe for participants, performers and crew, both during and after construction, and during any burn and subsequent clean-up. At a minimum it should cover:

  • Types, sizes and placement of fire extinguishers or other fire suppression means that will be kept on hand
  • Location and contents of first aid kit(s)
  • List of Material Safety Data Sheets to be kept on hand
  • Safety training your crew members have
  • Safety-specific crew roles and responsibilities
  • Safety procedures and protocols

Emergency Response Plan

No matter how comprehensive your Safety Plan, things still go wrong. Your Emergency Response Plan should list all the ways things may go wrong and expose your crew or other participants to potential injury, and how your crew will respond when they do. At a minimum it should cover:

  • Response to liquid fuel spills, small and large
  • Response to unplanned fires, small and large
  • Response to hazardous material exposure of crew, performer or participant
  • Response to injury sustained by crew, performer or participant

Leave No Trace Plan

The Artist, Leave No Trace Lead and crew are responsible for all clean up at the installation site, both nightly and after your show. Your Leave No Trace plan describes how you will accomplish this. At a minimum it should cover:

  • Nightly clean-up procedure, if applicable.
  • Post-show clean-up procedure, including specific details on clean-up of pyrotechnic debris.
  • Emergency clean-up procedures (e.g., for liquid fuel spills).
  • Clean-up tools and materials to be used