Managing Director

1. Managing Director Introduction: The students are being asked to design and present their own simulated fireworks show. There are four roles in each team: Managing Director, Site Manager, Creative Director and Dangerous Goods Safety Officer. You will be supporting the student in the role of Managing Director. • Student’s Key Tasks: • Divide the budget and delegate that budget to the other members of the team. • Create the proposal and presentation using the information that the team provides. • To lead the team and help out where needed on any project. • Determine the manpower needed for the show, using advice from the team. Budgeting for the Show For a small show like this, a fireworks display company aims for approx. 30% profit. Because of this, the amount spent on the fireworks will be around £650. The manpower and other bits needed to run the show should also cost around £650. One of the main tasks will be determining the balance between the amount of fireworks and the amount of profit. The weight for each section will vary by group. The groups should be allowed to explore their options. Stewards and safety are often provided by the venue, but let the students think this through. For safety reasons there needs to be at least 2 firers on site. The advice from fireworks companies for a 3 minute show like this is 3 people. The estimate is 2 people for £1000, then one person for every extra £1000. Each firer costs £140, according to the inventory.

2. Managing Director Leading the Team One of the key jobs of the managing director is to make sure everyone in the team is on task and to facilitate information sharing between team members. Discuss options for information sharing within an team and time management with the students. Presentation and Poster The students need to pitch their show, which should include some simulation parts and also a discussion of the site set up and some safety information. Remind the students that anything they think is unique about their idea should be mentioned in the proposal. Team Member Responsibilities

3. Creative Director Introduction: The students are being asked to design and present their own simulated fireworks show. There are four roles in each team: Managing Director, Site Manager, Creative Director and Dangerous Goods Safety Officer. You will be supporting the student in the role of Creative Director. • Student’s Key Tasks: • Decide on the music for the show, keeping in mind the audience. • Create a simulation of the show, using the simulation software. • Create a cue list, showing each firework used in the simulation at what time and the cost. Can be combined into one piece of paperwork. An Excel spreadsheet will suffice. To choose the music: The students need to pick something that is appropriate to the situation (graduation). It helps if the song has lots of ups and downs and beats that can be used for build up of the show. Display Creation Tips The main tips from the fireworks companies for display creation is to choose good music, use about 30% of the budget allocated, and to use almost as many fireworks in your finale as you have in the rest of the show. The finale should be just that – lots of explosions. When in doubt, work with the music. Generally think about filling the space and what colours work well together. Use the rhythm of the song to add some texture.

4. Creative Director Types of Fireworks: Shells The most common and impressive type of firework, consists of a sphere or cylinder full of colour producing stars and a burst charge, to allow the stars to disperse in the air. Often the parts are described as a flower, with pistils as a central part and petals as the outer parts. Types of Shells: peony, chrysanthamum, brocade, waterfall. palm, etc. The best way to see what they are like is to play with the simulation programme. Comets Comets are simple pyrotechnic material that usually come in the form of a single pellet. They usually are ignited before the firing and produce a tail effect, straight out of the mortar. Small comets are often placed on aerial shells as a feature. Mines Ground based fireworks where the colour producing stars are ejected out of a mortar tube, creating a fountain-like effect. Some are often precluded by a small fountain, before the stars are ejected. Cakes A series of other fireworks pre-wired and pre-prepared to go off in a certain order. Often a mixture of mines, comets, and small aerial shells. Stars The main component of fireworks, which creates the colour and other effects upon ignition. Finale Fireworks Software: The students are asked to make a simulation of their fireworks show using a software package available as a game. You will be provided with full instructions and simplified instructions as an addendum to this brief. You will need to familiarise yourself with the software if your HEI chooses to use it. Firing Systems: There are several ways to fire a show. Each will have their own cost on the inventory and ease of use for the company. Pyromate – A pushbutton system with a button for each cue. Cheaper Method, better for live shows. Fire One – Fully electronic, set up to PA system. Hand Firing – Literally a person walking around with a lighter and a clock.

5. Site Manager Introduction: The students are being asked to design and present their own simulated fireworks show. There are four roles in each team: Managing Director, Site Manager, Creative Director and Dangerous Goods Safety Officer. You will be supporting the student in the role of Site Manager. • Students Key Tasks: • Determine the size of the site • Determine where the audience, fireworks, safety zone and fallout area will be located. • Determine hazards related to the site and discuss with the Dangerous Goods Safety Officer • Create a site plan outlining all the relevant areas discussed above. • Determine the largest shell that can be used for the space available. Thoughts: What sort of structures are near the fallout zone? Old Folks home? Petrol Stations? Airports? Railways? Nature Reserves? Chemistry Buildings? Students may want to consider the implications of having concessions stands, booths etc. if they have decided to include these. They should also consider other access routes and nearby roads or pedestrian areas.

6. Site Manager Random Tips: The mortars are always tilted at least 30o away from the audience. 2 people must be on site at all times, for safety reasons (one can always call 999) The most common wind direction must be determined the audience should ALWAYS be placed upwind. This can change on the day and the site will have to be moved. Google Earth is one of the more common methods for determining the size of a site and to show the placement of important areas. The site may have to be visited in person to determine the hazards. This could be done with the Safety Officer, to save time. The essential areas for a fireworks display: Estimated data for different shell sizes Firing Zone Safety Zone Audience Fallout Area

7. Dangerous Goods Safety Officer Introduction: The students are being asked to design and present their own simulated fireworks show. There are four roles in each team: Managing Director, Site Manager, Creative Director and Dangerous Goods Safety Officer. You will be supporting the student in the role of Dangerous Goods Safety Officer. • Students Key Tasks: • Determine Hazards at the site and evaluate their likelihood and severity. • Come up with control measures for each possible hazard. • Have a rough risk assessment, by session 3 with. Hopefully the student will converse with their team and you to edit that. • Have a finalised risk assessment for the show to hand in during session 4. • Advise others throughout the project on the safety of their ideas. Advice: The Safety Officer has quite a lot of work to do and should be encouraged to share some of the work around. Most Safety Officers work closely with their team, since every role requires safety measures. When determining hazards for the site itself, it would be very good for the Safety Officer to work closely with the Site Manager. The Creative Director would be good to work with to determine hazards of the fireworks themselves. The Managing Director should be available to help, also, and could have some ideas about control measures.

8. Dangerous Goods Safety Officer Possible Hazards and Solutions Fire due to firework malfunction Have fire extinguishers on hand. Have firers and employees wear personal protective equipment (PPE) Dud fireworks or misfire Mark all mortars with masking tape, to create a visual clue of any duds. Ensure that it is kept safe by keeping it soaked in water until it is safe to dispose of. Unauthorised access to firing zone Secure safety area, with no unauthorised person allowed within 10m. Site manned at all times. Transport of pyrotechnic material To transport any amount of pyrotechnic material, a driver of a vehicle must have an ADP licence Air traffic or train lines Inform authorities that the show is taking place: CAA for air, local train company for trains. • 5 Steps of Risk Assessment • Identify the hazards • Decide who is at risk for each hazard • Evaluate the risks and determine control measures • Record findings and share with colleagues • Review the assessment and update