Pyrotechnician

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Fireworkers in the 17th century; Detail from a painting by Joseph Furttenbach

The pyrotechnician (from the Greek  πῦρ pyr "fire") deals with the manufacture and / or use of pyrotechnic objects and pyrotechnic sets, especially for fireworks . Pyrotechnicians, who also have knowledge of special effects , are employed in film productions to e.g. B. blowing up a car or showing bullets.

An overview of the legal classification of these activities is given in the articles Pyrotechnical Objects and Fireworks # Legal .

Pyrotechnician is not an apprenticeship in Germany and Austria .

The job description

Pyrotechnicians are commonly referred to as fireworkers . Pyrotechnics were institutionalized in Europe at the end of the 17th century. Extensive specialist books, which deal with war fireworks ( explosive and incendiary weapons ) as well as civil pleasure fireworks, have been handed down in increasing numbers since the 16th century. The first scientific work on pyrotechnics appeared in 1802.

Munitions experts of the military and partly bomb disposal and Munitionsräumer are sometimes referred to as (military) pyrotechnician referred.

Germany

There is no legally recognized professional training in Germany. In order to be allowed to work as a pyrotechnician, you need a certificate of competence according to § 20 SprengG . You can apply for this at the competent authority if you have completed a qualifying, state-recognized course and passed a specialist examination.

There are different courses, which, depending on the type, are completed with a differentiated specialist examination. Depending on the course and specialist knowledge, special requirements must be met in order to be admitted to participation.

The Explosives Act states the following general requirements:

  • Minimum age 21 years (§ 8)
  • Reliability (§ 8a) and personal suitability (whoever this is, receives a clearance certificate (§ 21))

According to § 32 of the 1st Explosives Ordinance, the following courses are recognized:

  • Basic course for handling - except for the use - of pyrotechnic sets and pyrotechnic objects (manufacturer)
  • Basic course for handling - with the exception of making and recovering - pyrotechnic objects and pyrotechnic sets in theaters or comparable facilities (stage pyrotechnicians)
  • Basic course for handling - with the exception of the production and recovery - of explosive substances in film or television production facilities (SFX pyrotechnicians)
  • Basic course for the use of pyrotechnic objects (large fireworks)

In order to be able to become a large fireworker, the basic course for the use of pyrotechnic objects must be completed and the corresponding specialist examination must be passed. In order to participate, in addition to meeting the general requirements, it is necessary to prove that you have participated in 26 large fireworks. Participation can take place as part of a helper activity.

From then on you can apply for a certificate of competence. The certificate of competence permits the non-self-employed executive activity.

For the acquisition of pyrotechnic objects of the categories F3, F4 and T2 or the independent commercial activity, a permit according to § 7 Explosives Act is required. The permit can be issued to the company.

The holder of the certificate of competence according to § 20 SprengG is generally not allowed to work independently, but only for his employer, the license holder according to § 7 SprengG, through whom he also receives insurance cover. The holder of the certificate of competence is not even allowed to simply purchase articles that require a permit. He receives this exclusively from his employer. So if you want to purchase articles that require a permit yourself, you need a permit according to § 7 SprengG as an entrepreneur or according to § 27 SprengG as a private person. This is only granted if a corresponding liability insurance (when burning fireworks) is proven. A license holder according to § 27 SprengG, however, is not allowed to engage in any commercial activity.

In order to maintain the validity of the specialist knowledge, the holder of the certificate of competence must take part in a repeat course before the expiry of 5 years and may not pause for more than 2 years from the activity. Otherwise an issued certificate of competence will lose its validity.

Austria

The use of pyrotechnics for businesses as well as private individuals is regulated in the Pyrotechnics Act (PyroTG). Since 2010 the previous classes I - IV have been replaced by the categories F1 - F4, T1, T2, S1, S2, P1 and P2. Since then, the classification of pyrotechnic objects is no longer primarily based on their weight , but on the area of ​​application, hazard and noise level, and is determined individually for each product.

To order pyrotechnic items in the category ...

  • To be able to acquire and own F1, F2 (formerly small fireworks), T1, S1 and P1 (various product groups), a defined minimum age is sufficient .
  • To acquire and own F3 and F4 (large fireworks), T2, S2 and P2 (various product groups), one must have reached the age of 18 and be able to demonstrate pyrotechnical expertise and expertise and be reliable .

Expertise for F3 includes a professional training by a pyrotechnician, expertise for F4 a passed exam to become a pyrotechnician .

For the use of categories F3, F4 and T2, an official (official) permit from the responsible security authority ( district authority or state police headquarters ) must be applied for in each individual case (e.g. per fireworks) . This can usually be obtained on request if the personal conditions mentioned above are met.

Proof of the fulfillment of the conditions can in particular be provided by submission:

  • a certificate of authorization for the production of pyrotechnic objects (manufacturer regulation) or
  • a pyrotechnician's ID , which is issued by the district administration or the state police department (LPD) after examination of specialist knowledge or expertise and reliability.

Under expert knowledge and expertise is especially:

A more extensive test must be taken to prove specialist knowledge than for specialist knowledge.

In practice, you usually attend a training course in a state or state-recognized training facility in which the necessary knowledge is imparted and take an examination there or (after application) with a responsible officer of a security authority (BH or LPD). After that, a number of practice fireworks (different for each category) is required before you can apply to a security authority (BH or LPD) for a pyrotechnic ID card to be issued. This is recognized by all national safety authorities.

The average costs for a complete training to become a pyrotechnician in all categories are between 1000 and 2000 euros.

As a rule, the Austrian authorities also recognize the pyrotechnics certificates from Germany as proof of specialist knowledge, but the training costs in Germany are much higher.

Switzerland

As part of the adaptation to current EU law, a pyrotechnic training course was introduced in Switzerland on January 1, 2014.

Since then, category 4 fireworks may only be given to qualified persons, i.e. to holders of a usage pass for pyrotechnic objects with the corresponding entries FWA, FWB or BF.

The courses must be completed at the IG Feuerwerk of the Swiss Fire Brigade Association.

FWA (small pyrotechnician)

requirement

  • Minimum age 18 years
  • Certificate of reliability - criminal record without violations

Entitled

  • for the electrical or pyrotechnic ignition in the open air of "ready-to-use" (loaded by the manufacturer ready for firing and ignition) articles that can be transported in packaging according to ADR / SDR. Only ready-to-use fireworks of Cat. 4 to 3 (75 mm) may be set off.
  • You are NOT allowed to load bombs yourself.
  • NO nautical effects may be used.
  • Cat. 4 and T2 must not be connected within or with one another.
  • NEM restriction to 20 kg / burning place
  • Carriage within the exemption is permitted under the conditions of the law. (max. 1000 points / 2 kg fire extinguisher / transport ticket)

Duration

  • The course lasts 1 day, after 5 years a supplementary training must be done.

FWB (pyrotechnician large fireworks)

requirement

  • Minimum age 18 years
  • Certificate of Reliability
  • Criminal record without violations
  • FWA and min. 10 "helper certificates" from an accredited company.

Entitled

  • for the electrical or pyrotechnic ignition of Cat. 4 articles outdoors
  • for the electrical ignition of articles of category T2 outdoors and on open-air stages
  • Nautical effects
  • no NEM restriction
  • no caliber restriction
  • You can load bombs yourself
  • Transport of fireworks according to ADR / SDR over the exemption. (with ADR vehicle)

Duration

  • The course lasts 6 days (1 day of which is an exam).
  • After 5 years, additional training must be done.

Stage fireworks

requirement

  • Minimum age 18 years
  • Certificate of Reliability
  • Criminal record without violations

Entitled

  • for the ignition of articles of category T1 and T2 on indoor and outdoor scene areas (there may be cantonal differences in the approval)

Duration

  • The course lasts 6 days (1 day of which is an exam).
  • After 5 years, additional training must be done.

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b Matthias Gräbner, Progress Thanks to Fireworks ( Memento from December 31, 2008 in the Internet Archive ), Telepolis , December 31, 2008.
  2. ↑ Rainer Leng : getruwelich serve with bush work. A new profession in the late Middle Ages: the gunsmith . In: Dieter Rödel, Joachim Schneider (Hrsg.): Structures of society in the Middle Ages: Interdisciplinary Medieval Studies in Würzburg . Reichert, Wiesbaden 1996, ISBN 3-88226-883-2 .
  3. ↑ § 9 Explosives Act requires specialist knowledge; Section 20 requires a certificate of competence.
  4. ↑ full text .
  5. ↑ Pyrotechnician (FWB), I have added the information according to the current training documents.
  6. ^ IG Feuerwerk :: Swissfire Fire Brigade Association. Retrieved on September 20, 2018 (Swiss Standard German).