Information for Fireworks Wholesalers

A person who holds a current shotfirers licence in the Northern Territory may apply for a fireworks assessor licence which would be a condition added to their NT Shotfirers Licence.

There is an application to become a fireworks assessor form available on the NT WorkSafe website.

Approval conditions will in part depend on the training and/or experience held by the applicant.

A shopgoods fireworks assessor conducts testing in accordance with Australia Standard 2187.3.

• Make the determination as to whether shopgoods fireworks assessed meet the performance standard as per AS 2187.3.
• Maintain accurate records for assessments carried out.
• Issue the original assessment reports to NT WorkSafe and duplicate assessment report to their employer.
• Maintain copies of assessment reports for all fireworks that pass and fail for two years.
• NT WorkSafe may conduct periodic fireworks performance tests on fireworks that have passed testing conducted by the licensed firework assessor and require an assessor to be present.
• Testing, which includes igniting shopgood fireworks outside the authorised period requires a permit, so assessors must apply to NT WorkSafe for a permit prior to testing, noting that a permit application requires approval from police, fire services, and local council.
• Fireworks Display permits will be required to e applied for at least two weeks prior to the intended testing date.  Application for a Fireworks Display or Special Effects Permit form is available on the NT WorkSafe website.
• NT WorkSafe inspectors reserve the right to attend assessor testing of shopgoods fireworks.
• Provide evidence of testing and measurements of distance travelled by the firework. When testing, videos of the testing and measurement of the distance the firework travels is can clear up any queries on the performance of the firework and compliance with the relevant standard.
• Maintain and update skills as necessary to complete safe and technically correct assessments

Yes, in fact importers are strongly encouraged to arrange for an approved shopgoods fireworks assessor to conduct testing at the point of manufacture (e.g. in China).  This will reduce the risk of non-compliant fireworks being imported, seized and subsequently destroyed.

The approved assessor, to be used overseas, must:

• be a current licensed NT Shotfirer who is endorsed as a fireworks assessor;
• is acceptable to NT WorkSafe; and
• be able to demonstrate impartiality.

Any shopgoods fireworks that fail the requirements for AS 2187.3 are not to be imported into the Northern Territory.

No.  Persons wanting to import shopgoods fireworks into the Northern Territory must have their fireworks tested by an independent fireworks assessor.  Wholesalers who also hold shopgoods fireworks assessor status must employ an independent shopgoods fireworks assessor to test their products.

Fireworks that are too small to carry a label may be labelled only on an outer pack, provided they are sold in the outer pack only and not as unlabelled single items.

Unlabelled single items must not be placed in or sold in bagged multi packs.

Fireworks sold individually shall be labelled individually in accordance with AS2187.3.

Multi packs containing small unlabelled single items may be seized.

The following fireworks are banned shopgoods fireworks in the Northern Territory:

• Fire Crackers - Tubes of rolled paper fitted with a wick, designed to explode with a single sharp report.
• Inbuilt Battery Ignited Fireworks - For example, fairy sticks.
• Matchcrackers - Fireworks having attached to them, or forming part of them, their own means of ignition that is adapted to explode or fire the device by heat, friction or percussion.
• Reloadable artillery-type shells - Fireworks that have a mortar tube where the operator inserts the shell into the mortar before igniting. The fireworks may have two or more shells to be fired from the mortar.
• Roman Candles - Pyrotechnic devices consisting of a single tube containing alternate propellant and pyrotechnic units which eject the pyrotechnic units into the air and which may emit showers of sparks between each shot.
• Salutes - Fireworks consisting of aerial shells or pyrotechnic units;
  • contained within an aerial shell which are intended to produce a loud report, with or without a brilliant flash of light or sparks; or
  • that produce a loud report of over 115 dB(C) at 15m.
• Sky Rockets - Fireworks consisting of a casing which contains pyrotechnic material which upon initiation produces a jet of flame to propel the rocket into the air and which may also contain a bursting charge to produce an aural or visual effect, which is initiated once the propellant is expired. Sky rockets also have a stick of predetermined length and diameter to stabilise their flight.

Plastic can at times be used in the structural integrity of the composition of fireworks. (for example those with whistle and falling leaves effects).

The plastic should not compromise the requirements of the Australian Standard with regard to falling debris.

Fireworks that contain plastic used as structural elements and binders in the construction of the fireworks are still able to meet the requirements of the Australian Standard as long as no safety issues arise from the plastic casings, caps or plugs and other structural parts that do not fully disintegrate during the ascent or explosion and the resulting falling debris.

Approved Fireworks assessors need to ensure that those fireworks that contain plastic still comply with the standards with regard to falling debris.

NT WorkSafe relies on approved assessor testing results and your expertise to ensure that shopgood fireworks meet testing requirements and do not cause harm to users.

Some of the issues that have come previously include:

• firework debris falling outside the parameters of Australian Standard 2187.3
• firework debris is sharp and hot when it lands

Below is an example of debris from Satine Missiles following testing in 2025, the debris was sharp and hot and fell outside of the allowable distance.

This is an example of what should not pass your testing and should not be imported to the NT.

Yes. Fireworks Assessors require public liability insurance. Australian Standard 2187.4 section 1.5 requires shotfirers who conduct outdoor displays are required to have liability insurance policy.