Halloween Décor Safety
Are you up to your prosthetic witch nose in Halloween décor? Transforming your home into a haunted house is a labor of love, rewarded by every squeal of delight from those brave enough to enter. But with thousands of Halloween-related emergency room visits each year, it’s essential to keep safety in mind. As you prepare for the spooky season, remember these safety tips to ensure a real fright doesn’t derail your Halloween festivities.
Clear Dangers From Your Doorstep
It’s dark, your porch is likely unfamiliar, and giddy trick-or-treaters are wearing costumes that may hinder their ability to see or move. Thus, keeping an eye out for trip hazards is extra pertinent. Clear a path for trick-or-treaters free from loose extension cords, open flames, or obstacles to your front door, and mark steps with reflective tape.
Prepping the outside of your home is also a great time to check and make sure you have liability coverage in case of any accidents on your property.
Handle Candles With Care
The U.S. Fire Administration estimates there were 374,300 residential building fires in 2022 alone, causing $10.8 billion in damages. Remember that LED flicker lights are always safer than an open flame — especially if you have pets or kids at home. If you must break out the candles, keep them away from curtains, decorative spider webs, and paper décor that could ignite. As always, never leave a burning candle unattended.
Before plugging string lights into a wall socket, check for broken or cracked sockets, frayed wires, and loose connections. It’s better to toss a faulty strand than flirt with the danger of a house fire! Also, take care not to overload extension cords, as that could pose a fire hazard.
Protect Your Skeleton
Of course, you’re excited to crack open those Halloween décor boxes from the attic, but do so slowly. Bend with your knees when lifting heavy boxes to prevent a back injury. Enlist help, especially when climbing ladders. Thousands of people are injured each year in the U.S. falling off ladders. Learn how to safely climb extension and step ladders and limit carrying too many items up and down at one time.
Don’t Jinx Your Jack-o’-Lantern
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that 55% of emergency room visits for Halloween-related injuries from 2019-22 were related to pumpkin carving. Let young children draw designs and spoon out seeds and strings, but leave the carving to the adults. Better yet, go with a no-carve pumpkin design altogether!
Forego Frightening Fog
Dry ice and fake fog add an eerie mystique to any environment. Unfortunately, they also pose a few health and safety risks. For starters, the fog may trigger an asthma attack in sensitive folks. Secondly, fog obscures the vision of those on your property, elevating the risk of a trip and fall. If you must, use fog machines outdoors, around the perimeter of your home, so as not to obscure trick-or-treaters’ sight.
From boo-tiful décor to fun-sized party treats, get the scoop on all things spooktacular in the ultimate guide to Halloween in Texas.
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