By, Robert Box
When surveyed, most parents say the greatest concern for their trick-or-treaters’ safety involves candy-tampering or sexual predators on Halloween night.
However, statistics routinely show those to be rare issues on Halloween. Studies by the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) say children are four-and-a-half times more likely to be hit by a vehicle on Halloween night than any other night during the year, but that’s not the top Halloween-related injury.
In the study published in Pediatrics, analyses of data from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission’s National Electronic Injury Surveillance System revealed people were more likely to sustain finger/hand injuries related to the Halloween preparation and celebration.
The study showed:
- Finger/hand injuries accounted for the greatest proportion of injuries related to Halloween (17.6%), and
- Of the Halloween-related finger/hand injuries sustained, 33.3% were lacerations and 20.1% were fractures.
Lacerations sustained from carving jack-o-lanterns are typically the most common emergency room issue related to the Halloween holiday.
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Tips for Pumpkin Carving Safety
- Pumpkin carving is for adults –not for children. Consider alternatives to cutting, like painting or using large markers so everyone can get involved.
- Use a pumpkin-carving kit with specialty carving tools instead of using kitchen knives because carving tools are less likely to get stuck in the pumpkin skin.
- Use short, controlled knife strokes away from oneself on a sturdy surface.
- A hand used to brace a pumpkin should not be placed directly opposite where the cutting is occurring. Many lacerations occur when the carving knife unexpectedly goes completely through the pumpkin and into the hand.
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Other Halloween Safety Tips
- Rather than lighting jack-o-lanterns with candles, use glow sticks.
- Children should wear slip-resistant shoes with their costumes.
- Costumes should be flame-resistant and fit the child properly.
- Be sure trick-or-treater vision isn’t unobstructed by masks or hats. Consider using face paint instead of masks.
- Costumes that are too long may cause kids to trip and fall, so trim or hem them as needed.
- Costumes should have reflective strips along with a light source (flashlight, etc.) to enhance visibility. Ensure the flashlights have fresh batteries.
- At least one adult walking with children should wear a high visibility vest and carry a flashlight. Trick-or-treaters wearing glow sticks of the same color would assist in keeping the group together and accounted for.
- If costumes involve swords, sticks or canes, make sure they aren’t sharp or too long. Kids can become injured if they fall with these sorts of accessories.
- Children should walk, not run, on sidewalks and never cut across yards or driveways. They also should obey all traffic signals and remain in designated crosswalks when crossing the street.
- Trick-or-treaters should only ring doorbells of homes that are well lit and welcoming.
- Don’t allow children to wear decorative contact lenses without an eye examination and a prescription from an eye care professional. Costume lens packaging may claim “one size fits all,” or “no need to see an eye specialist,” but that is both dangerous and illegal. Using contact lenses without direction from an eye care professional can cause pain, inflammation, and serious eye disorders and infections, which may lead to permanent vision loss.
- Cell phones should be carried during trick-or-treating in case of emergencies.
Safety First Consulting helps businesses identify OSHA compliance issues in their workplaces, manage their safety programs, and we become accountable for the results. In addition to offering custom written safety programs for companies, Safety First Consulting provides required safety training, industrial hygiene sampling, noise sampling, and workplace inspections.