Autumn Safety Tips

Halloween can be an exciting time of year for children, dressing up and going out after dark but…

• Remember Halloween costumes are highly flammable

Many fancy dress costumes are not manufactured to the same safety standards as normal clothing, meaning they can ignite almost instantly and burn far faster.

That’s why it is crucial to ensure children wearing Halloween costumes are kept well away from naked flames and other heat sources at all times.

• Try to buy costumes from a reputable store or website

It may mean spending a bit more but buying from a reputable store or website will be safer. Cheap costumes may not meet UK safety standards and may carry fake safety label. Look for Fire safety label: UKCA or CE mark

• Keep candles well out of the path of trick or treater

What to do if you child’s clothing caught on fire

Try not to panic – remember…

• Stop – what you are doing
• Drop – to the ground and cover your face with your hands
• Roll – over and over to put out the flames

Child Action Prevention Trust – stop, drop and roll

Be visible

On average, children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween than on any other day of the year. Halloween Safety | Safe Kids Worldwide

• Visibility is important all year round. However, after the clocks go back, it gets dark much earlier. By Halloween it will be dusk by 5 o’clock, just when children are out trick or treating.
• Reflective tape can make a fun addition to Halloween costumes and make children more visible to drivers at twilight, as it is picked up in car headlights.
• Fluorescent glow sticks and glow jewellery can make good costume accessories and can also help make children more visible to drivers.
• If you’re going out earlier with little ones, then bright or fluorescent clothing is better for daytime visibility.
• Stay safe near roads
• Masks can make it harder for children to see or hear traffic. So, save the special masks for indoors and use face paint for trick or treating.

Carve carefully

Carving pumpkins has become a great Halloween tradition. If your child isn’t old enough to handle a sharp knife safely there are plenty of ‘no-carve pumpkin’ ideas.

In 2022/2023 emergency services attended 32 casualties of firework accidents.

• Don’t go back to a firework once it has been lit. Sometimes they can be very slow to get started and may take you by surprise, blowing up in your face.
• Use a rope for children to stand behind at a safe distance from your display.
• Bonfires should be at least 60 meters from trees/hedges/buildings and never throw used fireworks into a bonfire in case there is more gunpowder in them.
• Store fireworks in a box until ready to use them, light at arm’s length and avoid alcohol.

Sparkler safety

• It is recommended that sparklers are not given to under-5s.
• Make sure everyone handling sparklers wears gloves.
• Hold sparklers at arm’s length while being lit and light them one at a time.
• Don’t wave sparklers about close to other people.
• Never hold a baby in your arms while you are holding a sparkler.
• When the sparkler has finished put it in a bucket of cold water.

Find out more about firework safety 

Did you know?

• Fireworks can travel at speeds of up to 150mph.
• Throwing a firework is a criminal offence and you can be fined up to £5000.
• Most injuries are to the eyes, head or hands – so children will have visible scars for life.
• Most injuries happen at private or family displays.
• Rocket, air bomb and sparkler incidents are the most common.
• Over 550 children under 16 are taken to A&E in the four weeks surrounding bonfire night alone.
• Many more boys than girls are injured by fireworks – especially boys aged 12 to 15 years. Fireworks – Children’s Burns Trust (cbtrust.org.uk)

General fireworks safety tips

• Find an organised firework display in your area – it is safer to attend an organised fireworks display run by experts.
• Check that dressing up costumes have a CE mark Firework safety tips: How to have safe fireworks at home (capt.org.uk).
• Your child should not “help out” with your fireworks display.
• Keep a bucket of water handy in case of an accident.
• Avoid loose clothing and tie back long hair
• After the party, pour water on the fire, rather than leaving it to burn out. Firework safety – RoSPA
• Check the category of your fireworks as some may not be suitable for your garden Firework safety – RoSPA
• Keep pets indoors.

How to buy fireworks safely UK: A Fireworks buying guide (capt.org.uk)

What to do

• Stop the burning process as soon as possible. This may mean removing the person from the area, dousing flames with water, or smothering flames with a blanket. Do not put yourself at risk of getting burnt as well.
• Remove any clothing or jewellery near the burnt area of skin, including babies’ nappies. But do not try to remove anything that’s stuck to the burnt skin, as this could cause more damage.
• Cool the burn with cool or lukewarm running water for 20 minutes as soon as possible after the injury. Never use ice, iced water, or any creams or greasy substances like butter.
• Keep yourself or the person warm. Use a blanket or layers of clothing but avoid putting them on the injured area.
• Cover the burn with cling film. Lay the cling film over the burn, rather than wrapping it around a limb. A clean, clear plastic bag can be used for burns on your hand.
• Treat the pain from a burn with paracetamol or ibuprofen. Always check the manufacturer’s instructions when using over-the-counter medication. Children under 16 years of age should not be given aspirin.
• Raise the affected area, if possible. This will help to reduce swelling.

Burns and scalds – Treatment – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

When to go to hospital

Once you have taken these steps: Go to a hospital accident and emergency for:

• large burns bigger than the size of the affected person’s hand
• deep burns of any size that cause white or charred skin
• burns on the face, neck, hands, feet, any joints, or genitals
• all chemical and electrical burns
• any signs of shock – symptoms include cold, clammy skin, sweating, rapid, shallow breathing, and weakness or dizziness

You should also go to hospital for all burns if you or the person who has been burned is:

• under the age of 10
• has a medical condition, such as heart, lung or liver disease, or diabetes
• has a weakened immune system (the body’s defence system) – for example, because of HIV or AIDS, or because they’re having chemotherapy for cancer

If someone has breathed in smoke or fumes, they should also get medical attention at hospital.

Some symptoms may be delayed, and can include:

• coughing/ sore throat/difficulty breathing/singed nasal hair/facial burns

Burns and scalds – Treatment – NHS (www.nhs.uk)​​​​​​​

Last year 1,700 children were admitted to hospital after being bitten by a dog

Children are most likely to be bitten at home, by a familiar dog.

A calm, happy dog is less likely to react unsafely to children’s natural exuberance

• Give dogs their own safe space where they can go to if they need time out. Have a rule to leave them alone when they are there.
• Keep them occupied – physical and mental activity
• Teach your child to be calm and kind with your dog – avoid shouting, teasing or restrictive cuddles

Your growing child – as your child changes the risks can change too

• Teach the rules to your child from an early age and keep explaining them as your child understands more
• As your child becomes more mobile, review changes needed, like adding safety gates

Trigger times – teach your child to leave the dog alone when they are…

• No-one likes to be woken suddenly
• Eating or having a treat – they might think you’re going take their food
• Have a toy or something else they really like – they might not want to share

Close supervision – is the most important thing to keep a child safe

• Watch, listen and remain close when your child and dog are together
• If either your child or dog seems unhappy, positively and calmly separate them – you can throw your dog a treat or toy, or lead your child away

• Road casualty rates increase with the arrival of darker evenings and worsening weather conditions.
• Every autumn when the clocks go back and sunset occurs earlier in the day, road casualties rise. The effects are worse for the most vulnerable road users like children, the elderly, cyclists and motorcyclists. RoSPA BST Factsheet
• Crashes rise by 23% in autumn months compared to summer months
• Slippery roads due to weather contributed to more than 4,000 collisions last year  Crashes Rise A Quarter When Clocks Go Back | AA (theaa.com)
• 1,766 people were killed (1,711 in Britain, 55 in NI) and 28,941 were seriously injured (28,031 in Britain, 910 in NI).  Reported road casualties Great Britain, annual report: 2022 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Tips to stay safe

• Using a car seat can save your child’s life in an accident. Car seat safety: A guide to keeping your child safe in the car (capt.org.uk)
• Always take advantage of any hands-free technologies available in your vehicle.
• If you’re distracted by other drivers on the road, or you need to take an important phone call, know when to pull over.
• If visibility is reduced, slow down. If you’re still not comfortable, pull over and wait for it to improve.
• Fatigued driving can be just as dangerous as driving under the influence. Get a good night of sleep and know when to pull over to rest
• Be more cautious around schools and poorly lit areas – always check for cyclists and pedestrians.
• Ensure your headlights and wipers work well before heading out on the road.
• Check the weather before leaving.