Be Safe This Halloween
Dressing up in garish, ghostly or gory costumes is a key part of many Halloween events. While this can be great fun, it should be remembered that Halloween costumes can be more flammable than normal clothing. This is particularly a problem if your celebrations involve candles or an open fire.
To avoid causing a scare for the wrong reasons with your costume, RoSPA recommends the following:
- Check that all Halloween and fancy dress costumes you buy carry a UKCA or UKNI mark on the label
- As with all clothing, Halloween and fancy dress outfits should always be kept away from fire, lit candles and all other naked flames
- If lit candles are part of your celebrations always follow their safety guidelines, and remember:
- Always supervise children and pets if using lit candles
- Do not allow children to carry, play, reach over, light or be near lit candles
- Never leave a burning candle unattended
- Remember always to extinguish a candle completely after use
- Take care when using candles at Halloween. Do not carry pumpkins with lit candles inside, consider using battery-operated candles instead
- Children should always be supervised by a suitable adult
- If fireworks are part of your celebrations, follow the Firework Code (see our fireworks safety page for more information)
- Be aware that homemade fancy dress costumes or those not tested to the same flammability standards may ignite easily and burn quicker
- Ensure children can be seen in the dark; ideally they should wear something reflective such as a reflective strip, and carry a torch.
For more information visit: https://www.rospa.com/home-safety/advice/product/halloween-costumes
Or download the ROSPA safety leaflet here.
