Trick or Treat..? Your Guide to a Safe Halloween

Children and adults alike love Halloween; dressing up, going out trick-or-treating and receiving an endless amount of Halloween candy.

Although the holiday comes with certain risks that you should be aware of and no, we are not talking about goblins or ghouls as health and safety risks pose an even scarier threat! Many of the hazards associated with Halloween can be avoided, ensuring a safe and Happy Halloween for everyone.

We share some of the risks involved with Halloween that can easily be forgotten about due to the excitement of dressing up and having fun at this time of the year. There is no reason why you cannot have fun whilst also being mindful of the fact that health and safety is paramount.

Halloween Costume Risks

Children get excited when it comes to dressing up, and a lot of adults do too! So, it is no surprise that this is a favourite holiday for many who love an opportunity to get creative with their costume ideas. For most people, this will often involve a lot of planning in the build-up to Halloween.

Although, you should carefully consider where you purchase your Halloween costumes from as there are greater risks associated with buying counterfeit goods. 

It is important to be cautious when buying your children’s Halloween costumes as previous reports of hidden risks associated with children’s Halloween costumes have included poison and suffocation risks as well as the potential for the costume to catch fire very quickly.

Children’s Halloween costumes are listed at toys and not subjected to regulated clothing standards, which means that a child’s outfit does not have to be fireproofed to the regulated standard. This is something to bear in mind when ensuring the safety of your child as costumes have been found to be incredibly flammable, posing a risk to children during this time of year.

The fear over flammable costumes previously came to light when Strictly Come Dancing co-host Claudia Winkleman’s daughter suffered severe burns after her outfit caught fire.

Counterfeit fancy dress clothing is not subjected to rigorous testing in the same way that genuine items would be either. As a result, counterfeit Halloween outfits come with an increased risk of poisoning from untested dyes and suffocation or strangulation as a result of a lack of appropriate fastenings.

Whilst your child will probably want to dress up and have fun during Halloween, you should always be careful and closely monitor your child for the duration that they are in their costume to ensure no harm comes to them.

Trick-Or-Treating Safely

Trick-or-Treating can be an exciting activity for children; it’s often the one day they get to stay up past their bedtime, eat excess amounts of candy whilst dressed up as their favourite character. However, there are certain risk factors that should be considered and monitored if you plan on going trick-or-treating.

1. Dangers of Halloween candy- You should always check your child’s sweets for choking hazards and anything they could be allergic to as well as items that should not be in there.
2. Stranger danger- You should always accompany young children when trick-or-treating, if your child is older they should still only go trick-or-treating in numbers.
3. Road Safety- Going trick-or-treating is safest if your neighbourhood is well lit and does not have a lot of traffic. Items that increase visibility are important. Ensure you or a member of the group can be easily seen as Halloween occurs after the clocks go back so trick-or-treating will usually happen in the hours of darkness. You should always take care when crossing the road at night.
4. Respect your neighbours- Respect posters or signs that ask you not to trick-or-treat at someone’s house. Going to houses that are decorated and clearly welcome trick-or-treaters will ensure you avoid anyone that does not wish to be disturbed. By staying with your children, you will be able to guide them to the right houses and ensure they remain safe.

Double, Double, Stay out of Trouble

So, there you have it, your guide to a safe Halloween. Let us know what you are doing this Halloween by joining the conversation on Twitter, @imptraining. Remember to have fun and to stay safe and have a Happy Halloween!