WASHINGTON, Oct. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — As households throughout the nation put together for festive Halloween enjoyable, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is reminding customers to give attention to security when deciding on and creating costumes and residential decorations.
Over the previous three years, CPSC estimates that an annual common of three,200 Halloween-related accidents have been handled in U.S. hospital emergency departments.
Here’s how the accidents break down:
- 55% have been associated to pumpkin carving;
- 25% have been as a consequence of falls whereas placing up or taking down decorations, tripping on costumes or strolling whereas trick-or-treating;
- 20% of the accidents included lacerations, ingestions and different accidents related to costumes, pumpkins or decorations, and allergic reactions or rashes.
Among the injured, 54 p.c have been adults 18 years and over, 46 p.c have been underneath 18 years previous, and about 10 p.c of all accidents have been to youngsters 6 years previous or youthful.
Fire security is essential year-round, with particular consciousness throughout vacation seasons. A brand new CPSC report estimates that candles and electrical cords/plugs have been related to an annual common of 5,600 and 1,600 fires, respectively, from 2017 via 2019.
Stay protected this Halloween by observing the next CPSC security tips:
Pumpkin Carving:
- Leave pumpkin carving to the adults. Child helpers can seize a spoon and scoop out the within or use a marker to hint the design.
- When your jack-o’-lantern masterpiece is prepared, use battery-operated lights or glow sticks fairly than an open-flame candle.
- If utilizing open-flame candles, hold them away from curtains, decorations and different combustibles that would catch hearth.
- Never go away burning candles unattended.
Costumes:
- Wear a fancy dress that matches and keep away from overly lengthy or saggy costumes to forestall journeys and falls.
- Costumes with free, flowing materials may also be a hearth hazard when near open flames – hold away.
- Reduce hearth hazards by selecting costumes made from polyester or nylon cloth and never sheer cotton or rayon cloth. However, any cloth can burn if it is available in contact with an open flame.
- Eye and nostril holes in masks ought to allow full visibility and enough respiratory. Makeup could also be a safer different to a masks.
- Use reflective tape as a trim for costumes and outerwear to assist being seen in decrease gentle. Wearing a brightly coloured costume and carrying a flashlight or glow stick can even assist brighten the walkways for trick-or-treaters.
- Check out our Halloween DIY video: https://youtu.be/HF3as5MGlzY
Decorating:
- Prevent fires by utilizing battery-operated lights and glow sticks as an alternative of candles.
- Pay consideration to placement of decorations. To assist stop falls, take away obstacles from lawns, steps and porches when anticipating trick-or-treaters.
- Use CPSC’s ladder safety tips to forestall accidents whereas placing up or taking down decorations.
- Indoors or outdoors, solely use lights which were examined for security by a acknowledged testing laboratory. Check every set of lights, new or previous, for damaged or cracked sockets, frayed or naked wires, or free connections. Discard broken units.
Associated Media:
Halloween Injury Info-graphic
About the U.S. CPSC
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with defending the general public from unreasonable threat of harm or loss of life related to the usage of hundreds of varieties of client merchandise. Deaths, accidents, and property harm from client product-related incidents value the nation greater than $1 trillion yearly. CPSC’s work to make sure the protection of client merchandise has contributed to a decline within the charge of accidents related to client merchandise over the previous 50 years.
Federal legislation prohibits any individual from promoting merchandise topic to a Commission ordered recall or a voluntary recall undertaken in session with the CPSC.
For lifesaving info:
– Visit CPSC.gov.
– Sign as much as obtain our e-mail alerts.
– Follow us on Facebook, Instagram @USCPSC and Twitter @USCPSC.
– Report a harmful product or a product-related harm on www.SaferProducts.gov.
– Call CPSC’s Hotline at 800-638-2772 (TTY 301-595-7054).
– Contact a media specialist.
Release Number: 23-014
SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission