These guidelines and policies are a work in progress and will be changed frequently as we try to finalize and formally adopt policies.

Heartland Pyrotechnic Arts Association

Open Shoot Safety Guidelines

Due to the nature of our club and our activities, safety has to be our number one priority. Failure to follow the safety guidelines or a safety officer's instructions can result in being removed from the firing lines, being asked to leave the shoot, suspension or loss of membership depending on the severity of the offense.

1. Safety officers have authority over the firing lines and any activities pertaining to the use of fireworks. safety officer's instructions must be followed.

2. A safety officer must be present on the firing lines anytime fireworks are to be lit. If no safety officer is present the firing lines are to be considered closed.

3. All people who wish to participate in open shooting must check in with the safety officer first. The safety officer must approve the fireworks you are planning to light and your methods of setting them up before you are allowed to set up or light anything.

4. If you see an unsafe practice SPEAK UP! Safety is everyone's responsibility. You are required to report any unsafe acts to the safety officer or a board member.

5. Fireworks must only be discharged on the proper firing line, or an area designated by the safety officer.

6. All shoot site device limits are to be strictly adhered to.

7. Holding or throwing lit fireworks is strictly prohibited.

8. All cakes, candles, racks, single shots, etc. must be secured in a way to prevent tipping or firing towards spectator areas.

9. Mortar racks shall be constructed using wood and be in good condition. Metal racks will be allowed for non-breaking effects such as mines or comets. Milk crate racks are not allowed.

10. Mortars shall be made only of paper, fiberglass, or HDPE only. Steel mortars are only allowed in the case of large multi break shells if required and pre-approved.

11. Salutes 4” and larger or any other type of shell 8” and larger shall be buried in a drum of sand or staked as a single shot with adequate space between the shell and other fireworks.

12. All ground salutes shall be suspended off of the ground.

13. Member-built or modified items shall be E-fired or lit using an extended delay fuse that allows for an easy retreat to a safe distance.

14. You must notify everyone on the firing lines of your intention to light any item that you have built or modified before lighting it.

15. All duds or misfires must be reported with their location to the safety officer. Do not approach or pick up any duds or misfired items.

16. Safety glasses and closed toe shoes are REQUIRED on the firing lines. It is recommended that you don’t wear synthetic clothing on the firing line. Hearing protection and hard hats are also encouraged.

17. Any non consumer fireworks on the firing line are required to be in a ready box during open shooting times. Only remove one firework at a time from a ready box to load or set up during open shoot times.

Heartland Pyrotechnic Arts Association

On-site Building Safety Guidelines

Due to the nature of our club and our activities, safety has to be our number one priority. Failure to follow the safety guidelines or a safety officer's instructions can result in being removed from the building area, being asked to leave the event, suspension or loss of membership depending on the severity of the offense.

1. All on-site building can only be done only during designated building events.

2. Fireworks must only be built in the proper designated area.

3. A safety officer must be present in the building area anytime fireworks are to be built. If no safety officer is present, building is to be considered closed. Safety officers have authority over the building areas and any activities pertaining to the building of fireworks. safety officer's instructions must be followed.

4. The safety officer must approve the fireworks you are planning to build and your work area before you are allowed to start.

5. If you see an unsafe practice SPEAK UP! Safety is everyone's responsibility. You are required to report any unsafe acts to the safety officer or a board member.

6. No smoking, generators, or open flames within 100’ of any building areas.

7. All building areas must be outdoors, covered, and protected from direct sunlight.

8. Building areas must be free of any spark hazards and unnecessary electronics.

9. Flash shall only be made in the binary method.

10. All device limits shall be strictly adhered to.

11. Building areas must be kept clean with good house keeping practices. All spills must be cleaned up as soon as they happen.

12. Live materials and chemicals in the building area must be kept to the absolute minimum required for the current task. While not in use, chemicals and live materials must be safely stored to help minimize accidents if they happen.

13. Non synthetic clothing and all relevant PPE shall be worn and used while in the building areas.

Heartland Pyrotechnic Arts Association

General policies

Membership

  1. Memberships are good from January 1st to December 31st of the year they are purchased. If a new or renewing club member purchases their membership with only one remaining shoot for the year, their membership will be honored for that shoot and for the entirety of the following calendar year as well. Memberships are not prorated if purchased late into the year.

  2. Adults 18 years of age or older are to have a primary membership unless they are the partner of a primary member. If an adult 18 years of age or older is the partner of a primary member they are to have a spouse membership. Anyone under the age of 18 are to have a JR. membership.

  3. All members are to have a signed liability waiver on file with the club before participating in any club events. JR. members must have their waivers signed by a parent or legal guardian.

  4. Memberships are non refundable.

  5. All members must not have had their rights to possess explosives revoked by a court to maintain membership.

  6. All members must conduct themselves in a way that won’t negatively reflect on the club, or that could cause potential harm to the club. Failure to conduct yourself properly can result in loss of membership.

  7. Members must not abuse their membership for their own personal gain. Members should strive to advance the club and its members as a whole, not just themselves.

Guests

  1. Guests can only attend if invited by a current member.

  2. Guests are to pay a free to attend an event.

  3. Guest fees are non refundable.

  4. All guests must have a signed liability waiver on file with the club.

  5. Guest passes shall not be used as a way to get around full membership of the club. The intention of allowing guests is to allow new people to see the club and for non members to support a member. An individual may only attend one event a year as a guest. People found to be abusing the guest pass system will not be allowed to purchase any more in the future.

  6. Guest pass fees will not be discounted from a membership purchased later.

  7. Guests may not buy, have delivered, sell, or trade fireworks or related items at our club shoots.

  8. Guest may light and handle fireworks at our shoots if supervised by a current member.

Donations

  1. Donations are to be treated as gifts to the association. You can not claim them on your taxes like you could with a charitable non profit due to IRS regulations.

  2. Donations will be used for the purpose expressed by the donor. If no purpose is given by the donor, or if a situation arises where the expressed purpose can not be completed, the donation will be used for other needs of the association as decided by the board of directors.

  3. Donations are non-refundable.

Open shooting

  1. Members must be familiar with the clubs safety guidelines and abide by them at all times.

  2. Tops shall be cut off of all cakes to help minimize the mess made.

  3. Members are responsible to have everything that they need to light their own fireworks safely.

  4. Members participating in open shooting are responsible for cleaning up after themselves at a minimum. Please have a plan to dispose of your spent fireworks after the shoot in case the club can not do it for you. Burn pits and club disposable of trash is not always available.

  5. Members shall take turns during open shooting if space is limited on the firing lines.

  6. If time permits, there shall be designated times for the set up of fireworks, open shooting, and E-fire only times for shows, tests, and member made products. If the E-fire participants finish early then the remainder of that time shall go back to open shooting.

  7. During E-fire only times members shall take turns to allow each member to see their show, test, or member made product shot as intended.

  8. Shooting times must be strictly followed.

Alcohol and drugs

  1. Alcoholic drinks are allowed at our events. People shall drink responsibly and not to the point of intoxication.

  2. Lighting fireworks is prohibited after consuming alcohol or if someone is taking prescription medication that will inhibit their decision making abilities.

  3. illicit drugs are not welcome at our events. Any one found to be in possession of or under the influence of illicit drugs will be asked to leave. This includes marijuana due to its legal status on the federal level.

Demos, classes, seminars, and other activities

  1. All activities to be done at a club event shall be proposed to the board of directors for their approval of at least a month in advance of the event.

Acquisition of product for club activities

  1. Members may make a request to the board for the club to purchase or otherwise acquire product required for their activity at a club event.

  2. Acquisition requests shall be made at least a month in advance of the event.

  3. Acquisition requests shall be self funded by donations to the club for the purpose of acquiring product.

  4. All products purchased by the club via an acquisition request belongs to the club. If the activity the product was acquired for is canceled or otherwise unable to happen, then the product shall be used for another activity or used to benefit the club in another way as decided by the board.

  5. As mentioned under the donations policy, all donations are non-refundable.

Possession of regulated explosives

  1. Members must be at least 21 years of age to possess, handle, or light 1.3g fireworks and other regulated explosives at club events.

Processing fee

  1. All money collected online through the clubs website shall have a 4% processing fee included or added to the final amount.

Heartland Pyrotechnic Arts Association

Vending policies

Only current members may buy, have delivered, sell, or trade fireworks and related items at our shoots. People shall be required to show their membership badge before buying any products at our shoots.

  1. Members may set up a table to sell or trade a limited amount of fireworks or related items at our shoots free of charge.

  2. Members representing a commercial entity may vend an unlimited amount of product at our events in exchange for a reasonable fee or in exchange for a comparable donation of product to the club.

  3. The club can limit the amount of commercial venders at any event to help ensure its worth the venders time to attend our events.

  4. All commercial venders require preapproval from the board of directors to vend at our events.

  5. Deliveries and preorders will be treated as vending at our events

  6. Only legal goods may be sold at our events. All regulated goods shall be sold in compliance with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations.

  7. Venders should have an interest in the club outside of only vending products. Relationships between venders and the club should be mutually beneficial.