A former politician with a penchant for fireworks, Godfrey Farrugia, has told us that the fact that no people were seriously injured when a fireworks factory exploded in June shows that the health and safety regulations that were introduced in 2014 are working.

It is a debatable assessment of what occurred at the 15 August Fireworks Factory on 4 June, when three people were left slightly hurt and another eight escaped unscathed following a blast which rocked the central part of Malta.

If this conclusion was reached because the injuries sustained were not serious, and that, unlike so many other occasions, there were no fatalities, then Farrugia, who holds an A licence for pyro-technics, could be right.

Let us also fervently hope and pray that no other accident occurs in the near and distant future to confirm or deny Farrugia’s argument.

But fireworks will continue to remain a controversial subject, and each time an accident such as that at Mosta occur, many questions will be asked on this particular hobby which has taken the lives of so many, young and old.

If fireworks had not been so dangerous, particularly to the people who create them and blast them off, then one would limit the argument to how spectacular they can be, the entertainment they provide and the way they have become an added value to any celebration. In more recent years we’ve seen weddings include a fireworks display.

But fireworks are a danger, and every precaution should continue to be taken from the first to the last part of their creation, as well as to the ways they are stored and how they are transported.

There are other issues related to fireworks that also cause a discussion.

While everyone can appreciate the beauty of colourful shows that brighten up the dark skies, few – except for the enthusiasts themselves – can see any valid reason for the loud bangs that wake everyone up, disturb sick and vulnerable people and scare animals. In this day and age, more and more people work irregular hours and it is never nice to have to endure such practice while trying to catch a few hours of sleep. Farmers are also known to have had to move their animals to other sites to protect them.

For many of us, they are nothing but noise that should not be allowed. We already have too much noise pollution; adding loud bangs coming from fireworks is not what we need.

Another bone of contention is having roads closed – including major arteries – for fireworks displays to be let off. It just should not happen that the traffic flow should be disrupted just because one or other locality is celebrating the feast of its patron saint. Other solutions should be sought.

To go back to safety, it is also often the case that people attending ground fireworks displays – otherwise known as “giggifogu” – are often not far away enough. This has in the past led to some serious accidents too.

What’s important is that safety is given the utmost priority, both for the people who work in fireworks factories and the many others who follow the displays.