How dangerous are out of date flares?

Kukri

Kukri

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Given the difficulty of disposing of them, there must be quite a few in corners of garages and garden sheds - and I for one follow Tom Cunliffe's advice and keep the "last out of date" set on board next to the "in date" set on the grounds that they are more use there than anywhere else...

So, do they represent a danger?

Do they deteriorate and become unsafe?

Or do they just cease to work so well?
 
In my opinion, provided flares are kept in good condition, they are quite safe for 2 life cycles as it were. They are no more dangerous than cuurent in date pyros. The 'sell by' date is the point at which the manufacurers cannot quarantee that the flares will burn as brightly or reach the stipulated trajectory as laid down by the SOLAS regulations. I wouldnt personally keep them after 2 cycles, then take them to your local coastguard station, and they will make arrangements for the safe disposal.
A couple of years ago I spent a day at Pains Wessex plant on Salisbury plain, thouroughly enjoyable day,and a bit of an eye opener. I can now understand why they are relativly expensive.
 
you cant deny that flares can be dangerous - not after that poor guy had one burn its way into his gut. but clearly they dont turn from safe to dangerous on the day they go out of date, and more than your can of beans becomes poisenous on the sell by date.

personally I dont like flares full stop and therefore dont carry them. they are old technology and you would be better off having instead an epirb and DSC radio in most circumstances. but I cant deny that having epirb, radio and flares has got to be better still. belt and braces.

my guess - and it is a guess so no liability accepted - is that they would be no more dangerous after 10 years than after 1. less effective I've no doubt but dangerous? But if you intend to carry out of date flares then you should get an official view on their safety from someone who actually knows.
 
the guy who was seriously injured I believe the flare was IN DATE.

Basically as long as the packaging is in good condition - there is no reason why the flare should not cont. to be useable well after last date. The question is effectiveness as the flare medium loses potency.
I have let of old and not so old as demo for cadets on ships. Never had one fail except where one or two of the old ring pull style broke rings - then it's dump overboard in weighted sack.
 
There is a small risk in USING flares wether in-date or a bit out of date, but I find it hard to believe it increases dramatically within the first couple of years after they go out of date.

What however is the risk in CARRYING slightly out of date flares? I suspect not very much at all.

If you carry out of date flares then you are only likely to use them if you're in a life-threatening situation and you've already used or lost your in-date flares.

I don't think it is anything to get fussed about.
 
As with much of your safety gear, it is vital that you and your crew know how to operate it, even under the stress of an emergency. So I suggest we should all use our newly out of date flares to practice. And make sure each crew member fires at least one hand-held and one rocket.

How to do this under supervision, safely?

Surely the RYA, the MCA or just the coastguard could organise open days for us from time to time? Borrow a couple of suits of body armour from the Fuzz and bring your own leather gloves, and Bob's your uncle!

BTW, do not rely on the external appearance of out-of-date flares. Last year when a certain forumite was disposing of his five year old flares in a moderately illegal manner, one of the rockets fired by his extremely experienced crew blew out of its tube DOWNWARDS instead of up into the sky. Ripped his hand, ruined his shoes, and only just missed his crown jewels!
 
And that's why the way to hold a para flare is at arm's length, the bottom pointing down at the ground (or the sea), with the other hand working the trigger and not actually beneath the flare.
That's the way we CG chappies are taught to do it.
 
All this talk is making me feel more uncomfortable about carrying four types of pyrotechnics that I have never tried using.

Further, it's one thing to let off one of those wizz-bangs when standing on the hard with a supervisor giving helpful tips, it's another when you're in a bucking boat with one arm looped round the back-stay trying to hang one while both (suddenly gloved) hands are fiddling about in the dark trying to read which end should be pointed up, which wind direction to point it in, trying to catch that bit of string to pull while the wind has other things in mind, pulling it, deflecting the direction in doing so, hoping to miss the mainsail, etc..

Then discovering that this flaming thing burns for 30 seconds or more and needs you to hold it up for that long while it drips hot stuff and the wind seems to have developed some strange back eddies. Now add the usual accompaniment of well aimed buckets of spray, the need to assist others with the bailing, or whatever caused the need to practice with pyrotechnics and life with flares is complete.

I must go and practice (in secret).
 
Why in secret? we had a bonfire over Xmas and had some fun disposing of a bucket full of hand held flares. Good for getting a fire going or as someone pointed out dealing with wasps nests in the garden. Interestingly everything dated 2006 onwards fired okay however some with an expiry date of 2005 didn't so were left to burn on the bonfire. Smokes were fired off at night.

Pete (standing by with flak jacket)
 
I agree, although I've been given huge bo££ockings here for firing them off on bonfire night. When I was in Spain everyone set off their OOD flares on New Years Eve. The Spanish rescue people were happy with that.

It seems to me that if you decide to carry flares you should be familiar with their workings.
 
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