Underwriters Laboratory warns of Halloween dangers

The only thing more frightening than your child's ghoulish Halloween costume is the potential risk it can pose for serious injury. What's more, scary skeleton string lights and jack-o-lanterns that haunt your home could be potential fire hazards if not used properly. Every Halloween, the second most “decorated holiday after Christmas, potentially flammable costumes and improperly used decorations contribute to a significant increase in home fires, burn-related injuries and accidents.

With 1,150 home structure fires beginning with decorations, Underwriters Laboratories, the leading product safety testing organization, is sharing family-friendly ideas on how to keep Halloween spooky and safe.

“The most important Halloween trick is to keep safety top-of-mind, says John Drengenberg, consumer safety director for UL. “With 41 million trick-or-treaters expected to be out and about on Halloween night, following UL's safety tips can help families make Halloween scary for the right reasons.  

To help families stay safe this October, UL suggests reviewing these easy-to-follow safety steps:

Decorating

Ÿ When purchasing electrical decorations, make sure to shop at a reputable retailer and look for the UL Mark. Look for loose connections, frayed or bare wires, and broken or cracked sockets when using lights to decorate the home for Halloween. When hanging lights, use plastic hooks or clips to reduce the risk of electric shock and fire hazards. Never nail or staple light strings. Look for a red UL Mark to indicate that lights are certified for both indoor and outdoor use. A green UL Mark indicates certification for indoor use only.

- Candles are the cause of approximately 15,000 reported house fires every year. To help prevent avoidable accidents, place candles far from decorations, window treatments and paper to avoid potential home fires.

- Place lights on the outside edge of walkways and make sure all decorations are clear of where kids will be walking. Decorations that obstruct a walkway could potentially cause eager trick-or-treaters to trip or fall. Avoid using candles to light your walkway.

- Look for fire-resistant or flame-retardant materials such as nylon when purchasing costumes, fabric and accessories. Although these labels do not mean these items are fireproof, it does indicate the fabric will resist burning and should extinguish quickly once removed from the ignition source.

For a complete Halloween safety package, including the Trick or Treat Halloween Safety Quiz for families, visit www.SafetyAtHome.com.