It’s time for a Halloween safety refresher. Review this handy checklist to ensure a happy, haunted evening this October 31st.
Costume Safety
- Ensure costumes and footwear are suitable for a potentially cold and wet night.
- Choose brightly coloured costumes that are clearly visible to motorists. Add reflective tape to dark costumes.
- Masks can restrict breathing and vision. Opt for makeup and face paint instead.
- Avoid coloured contact lenses. They can cause eye injuries.
- Look for costumes and accessories that are flame-resistant. Try to avoid baggy sleeves or flowing outfits that may easily come into contact with a jack-o-lantern candle flame.
House Safety
- Remove objects around your house that may cause someone to fall.
- Turn outside lights on.
- Ensure jack-o-lanterns are out of reach from children and pets. Use a battery-operated candle, if possible.
- Check lights for broken or cracked sockets, frayed wires, and loose connections.
Trick or Treating
- Join your kids until they are old enough to go trick-or-treating with a friend. Young children are vulnerable to injury and bullying.
- Review road safety. Tell kids to walk, not run, and use crosswalks.
- Give your kids a flashlight to carry so they are more visible to motorists.
- Inspect all candy before it gets eaten. Throw out anything that appears to be tampered with. Notify the police if something looks suspicious. Serve dinner before the kids go out so that they are less tempted to eat their candy right away.
A Reminder for Motorists
Take great caution if driving on Halloween. Streets will likely be slick, covered in leaves, and full of costumed creatures of all shapes, colours, and sizes.
For More Information:
- Halloween Safety, Health Canada
- Playing it Safe on Halloween, Kids Health
