Health and safety training company gives advice for keeping safe at Halloween

With Halloween celebrations tomorrow, families across the UK are preparing for a night of spooky fun. To help ensure the festivities are memorable for all the right reasons, High Speed Training, a leading provider of online safety and compliance courses, has issued key safety advice for parents, guardians, and homeowners.

Dr Richard Anderson, Learning Experience Director at High Speed Training, said: “Halloween is a fantastic time for families, but it’s easy to overlook potential hazards in the excitement. From the fire risk of Jack-o-lanterns to the importance of checking treats for allergens, a few simple precautions can make all the difference.”

Halloween safety tips:

• Safer flames: Use battery-powered LED candles in Jack-o-lanterns instead of real candles. If you use a real candle, opt for a small tea light and never leave it unattended.
• Stable surfaces: Place pumpkins on a flat, stable surface, far away from flammable items like curtains, decorations, and dried-out pumpkins, which can easily catch fire.
• Flammable costumes: Even CE-marked costumes can be highly flammable. Keep children away from all open flames. Trailing elements like capes and veils are especially dangerous.
• Decorate delicately: Fake cobwebs and other spooky decorations can also be flammable. Keep them well clear of heat sources.
• Carve carefully: Pumpkin carving is a popular activity, but their tough skins can be difficult to pierce, leading to injuries.
• Leave it to adults: Ensure you use a sharp and sturdy knife to cut through the pumpkin, and never let children carve pumpkins alone.
• Involve children safely: Let children get creative by drawing their design on the pumpkin or paper for an adult to carve.

Stay together, stay safe:

Dr Anderson continues: “Group safety when trick-or-treating is essential. Always have a responsible adult accompany young children, and make sure to plan your route in advance, sticking to familiar, well-lit areas.

“To ensure children can be seen by drivers in the dark, add a glow stick or reflective tape to your child’s costume. And, finally, remind children to be respectful of property and to skip any houses that clearly display a ‘no trick-or-treating’ sign.”

• Check before you snack: Checking treats is vital.
• Allergy alert: The most significant risk is allergies. Adults must check the ingredients of all treats before children eat them.
• Check labels: The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has warned of illegally imported sweets that may contain additives banned in the UK. Check for legitimate labelling.
• Check dates: Ensure sweets are within their expiry date, as Halloween can be seen as a chance to clear out some old sweets tucked in the back of cupboards.

By following this advice, families can help ensure Halloween is a safe and spooky night for all.

For more tips and in-depth guidance, visit High Speed Training Hub, or our article: Halloween Safety Tips