With the Fourth of July holiday just a few days away, the National Council on Fireworks Safety is offering safety tips for sparklers, in the hopes that injuries to young children can be reduced.

About 16 percent of all consumer fireworks injuries are caused by sparklers burning hands and legs. Young children are involved in a majority of the accidents.

The safety council offers these safety tips:

• Children under the age of 12 should not use sparklers without very close adult supervision.

• Always remain standing while using sparklers.

• Never hold a child in your arms while using sparklers.

• Never hold or light more than one sparklers at a time.

• Sparklers and bare feet can be a painful combination.

• Always wear closed toe shoes when using sparklers.

• Sparkler wires and sticks remain hot long after the flame has gone out. Be sure to drop the spent sparklers directly in a bucket of water.

• Never hand a lighted sparkler to another person. Give him the unlit sparkler and then light it.

• Always stand at least 6 feet from another person while using sparklers.

• Never throw sparklers.

• Show children how to hold sparklers away from their bodies and at arm’s length.

• Teach children not to wave sparklers, especially wooden stick sparklers, or run while holding sparklers.

If you must use fireworks, do so with care. Better yet, visit one of the many public fireworks displays and leave the handling of fireworks in the hands of professionals.