It’s that time of year again. Pumpkins are being carved by the thousands. Toy spiders and plastic skeletons are being snatched off store shelves. People everywhere are preparing their sweet tooths for a once-a-year candy extravaganza. It’s Halloween!
People everywhere are dreaming up the perfect costume, choosing which haunted houses to visit and where the most creative and entertaining parties will be.
Well, as the old saying goes, “It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt.” The good news is that if some quick and effective safety precautions are taken, running out of candy would be the worst thing that can happen on Halloween night.
If you plan on doing any extensive decorating in and around your home, Underwriter Laboratories has provided a few helpful tips to prevent potential catastrophies.
For starters, be sure to not run electric lights under carpets or tack them down with nails or metal staples. Also, follow the instructions for maximum wattage for extension cords and never attach more than 3 miniature light strings together. If you’re going to be using some “tried and true” lighting/electronic decorations, inspect them carefully for any wearing or frayed wires. Be sure to use either indoor or outdoor light strings in their recommended uses.
Carving pumpkins to create custom and inventive Jack-O-Lanterns has become an event in and of itself over the past couple of decades, as the popularity of pumpkin-carving parties has skyrocketed. Keeping safety in mind, candles (either stand-alone or in Jack-O-Lanterns) should be off the ground and away from children’s reach. Battery-powered LED lamps can be the safest bet.
Dressing your little monsters up into the scariest goblins or their favorite cartoon character can provide great memories for both you and your children for many years to come. To make sure those memories are good ones, keep some of the following safety tips in mind:
-Select bright-colored costumes and attach a reflective tape/material to it.
-Make sure your child’s vision is not obstructed.
-Ensure the costume does not drag the ground.
-Provide them with a flashlight so they can see and be seen.
Perhaps most import of all is preventative instruction. Discuss safety issues with your children ahead of time along with things they should be on the lookout for. Instruct them not to consume any candy until you’ve had an opportunity to inspect it in well-lit conditions. You’d obviously want to discard any suspicious looking items or candy that is already open.
With a little planning ahead, you can ensure that this Halloween will only be scary in a good way.
Happy Haunting!